OGDENSBURG, New York (WWNY) – Standing for 94 years, Ogdensburg City Hall needs repairs. Pieces are falling off and people down below could get injured.
Interim City Manager Andrea Smith is currently working on a plan to repair the building, telling city council this past Monday that fixes have to be made as cracked concrete is in jeopardy of falling.
The cost could reach a million dollars and it’s not budgeted for in the 2024 proposed spending plan.
“These types of repairs are a prime example of what should be funded for using long-term debt. The repairs that would be made would likely be made in a series of phases because it would be a significant capital project to do all of the masonry work at city hall,” said Smith.
Smith says repairs to city hall need to happen as soon as possible and that’s because parts of city hall are actually falling off.
City Councillor Stephen Fisher doesn’t believe the repairs need to happen now. He wants to first settle the 2024 budget.
“You can’t just say we got some stones falling off city hall in a 30-second skit and then say we need a million dollars and everybody’s up in arms that we need a million dollars. Let’s deal with the budget. Let’s deal with the taxpayer and the rent payer and the services first,” he said.
Smith says no one has been hurt by the falling debris, but efforts must be made to restore and save city hall.
“It’s a building that we should all be proud of and these types of efforts to preserve the building will ensure that it’s here in the future,” she said.
City council is likely to take a vote on spending money to repair city hall on October 9.
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