OGDENSBURG, New York (WWNY) – Ogdensburg’s deep political divisions show up in the races for city council. Seven candidates in all are vying for three seats.
There have been plenty of 4-3 votes on the Ogdensburg City Council. It’s a bitter divide. And it divides some of the seven candidates running for the three seats up for election.
“I see this dismantling of our city rather than a building of our city,” said Dan Skamperle, Ogdensburg council member. “I think I want to stick around and put up a fight and try to finish some of the things we started as council – the good things to rebuild the city.”
Skamperle is part of the current incumbent minority of three along with Michael Powers and Nichole Kennedy. All three are running on the Democrat and Conservative party lines. It’s their three seats that are up for election. At least two opposing them are allies of Mayor Mike Skelly.
“He’s done a good job for what he came into…We were in debt, by a lot, possibly looking at bankruptcy. He’s fixed those,” said Esbon Worden Jr., Republican Ogdensburg council candidate.
The three incumbents contest the bankruptcy claim – but even more so any claims Skelly does a good job.
Some candidates look at that divide and see an opportunity. Ronald Lesperance says the party name on his ballot line says it all.
“Fight to Unite” is what I’m going on because I would like to see us all unite as a team. It’s a team effort,” he said.
He’s one of four relative political newcomers on the ballot.
Worden is another and so is Republican Robert Edie, who’s running as a Skelly ally.
Newcomer Richard Breen is running on the “Change the City” ballot line.
This election will happen during the budget preparation season. That promises to deliver its own excitement with the Skelly administration already pledging a tax cut and hinting at further personnel cuts.
That agenda has the incumbent trio on council alarmed. They say cuts made already in police and firefighter ranks endanger citizens.
“Our plan is simple: we’re not here to tear down, we’re here to build on what we have,” said Powers.
Skelly and his three incumbent allies will stay on the council no matter the outcome. But, the election may serve as an important bellwether of citizen support for their policies.
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