Ogdensburg’s city manager recommends immediate layoffs of 12 workers

OGDENSBURG, New York (WWNY) - Hours after Ogdensburg City Council tabled a proposed budget, City Manager Stephen Jellie emailed lawmakers to recommend the immediate layoffs of 12 city workers.

Council voted 4 to 2 Tuesday night to take no action on the spending plan. The majority of lawmakers said they need more time to go over the budget proposal.

Jellie suggested three options.

The first would have maintained the tax rate but cut the entire police department and eliminate 22 jobs.

The second option also kept the same tax rate but called for 27 cuts across the fire, police, and public works departments.

The third proposal cut 15 to 20 jobs but raised taxes by more than 10 percent.

Also during Tuesday night’s meeting, council appointed Andrea Smith as interim city manager effective Friday. She’s the city’s director of planning and development.

In his email Wednesday, Jellie wrote the following to councillors: “I recommend you authorize the interim city manager to lay off 12 personnel (4 police department, 4 fire department, 4 public works department) immediately.”

Jellie stated if council waits, the city will have to pay those laid-off workers excess leave balances, or fringe benefits, and the city doesn’t have the money to do that.