Blizzard causes estimated $350K in damage to Ogdensburg docks

OGDENSBURG, New York (WWNY) - The Christmas weekend blizzard certainly impacted a lot of communities in the north country. But the city of Ogdensburg is now dealing with expensive costs that may, in fact, threaten the city’s fragile budget.

The docks at the Ogdensburg marina sustained significant damage on December 23 and 24 during the Blizzard of ‘22, according to interim City Manager Andrea Smith.

It wasn’t the snow but the vicious wind gusts.

Smith estimates the dock damage to be around $350,000. A site coordinator working on rebuilding the docks through a state program says the docks were lifted up from their anchored position by snow and ice.

“I was surprised at the scale of the damage when I first saw it. I don’t know if anyone has done a detailed assessment before and after on what broke and was caused by that storm,” said Samuel Schneider, REDI site coordinator.

Ogdensburg also paid out more to its Department of Public Works; plowing roads during the blizzard cost the city more than $81,000.

These costs come at a time when the city budget is already tight. Councillor Dan Skamperle wonders what options the city will have.

“You make a budget that’s so tight that there’s no wiggle room with contingency funds and things like that. It’s unfortunate, actually, that that is the current route of the administration. You have to prepare a bit more for rainy days and they simply haven’t I don’t think,” he said.

Smith says the city’s blizzard bill is $434,000.

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