OGDENSBURG — City Council approved a resolution to extend its airport security agreement with the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority for three months despite the authority being behind in payments.
According to City Manager Sarah Purdy, the authority has not made a payment for security since September.
“They are $64,050 in arrears,” Ms. Purdy said.
Mayor Jeffery M. Skelly said that he was told that a payment had been sent to the city but had not yet been processed.
Ms. Purdy said, after consulting with City Comptroller Timothy J. Johnson, that a payment may have arrived, but that it was likely not enough to cover the entire balance owed.
The airport is a great asset for Ogdensburg, Mr. Skelly said after describing a recent trip he took where he used the facility.
“They’re going through some hard times. In business it happens. You expand and you have some tight financials for a while,” Mr. Skelly said. “Then you come out of it. It’s not like they are going anywhere. We know where they are.”
“I support it as well. I’d just like to see some prompt payments,” Councilor Nichole Kennedy said. “Sixty-four thousand dollars to a city that is financially strapped — that’s a lot of cash.”
Originally the security contract was an annual one.
“We’ve been extending it three months at a clip for some time.” Ms. Purdy said.
Council voted unanimously to extend the contract, with Councilor John Rishe abstaining because he works for the authority.
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