Ogdensburg Council talks budgets, playing fields, and emergency notifications

Ogdensburg. The Ogdensburg council met on March 14 to discuss the borough and school budget, progress on the mass notification system, and sports teams and facilities.

● Borough budget — Chief financial officer Mike Marceau said Ogdensburg will introduce its 2022 municipal budget at the first meeting in April.

● School budget — Ogdensburg school superintendent David Astor said the school budget calls for a 1.46 percent increase, falling short of New Jersey’s 2 percent cap limit. He said the school was able to keep the budget down because of savings in the new health benefit, where they saved $13,000. Furthermore, he said, the savings “has to come back to the town,” in order to “help out with the budget issues.”

● Fielder’s Choice — The council unanimously approved the application by Fielders Choice Baseball to use the baseball field at the municipal park for a $1,500 seasonal fee.

● Mass notification system — Mayor George Hutnick said the boroughwide mass notification system would alert residents to emergencies and weather-related events. Residents may choose to be notified by phone, email, text, or all options. Additionally, the borough will make arrangements to help residents who do not own a computer. Councilman Michael Nardini said training has been scheduled with the company, and that the system should be up and running within a month.

● Bridge Street soccer field — Mayor Hutnick said the state, which owns the Bridge Street field, wants to arrange a long-term contract with Ogdensburg instead of a year-to-year lease. He said, the borough would like to lease the old cement parking lot from the state, across from the mine. Hutnick hopes to use the lot as an overflow parking for events at the Bridge St. Field.

● Swim team — Otters Swim Team manager Michelle Nardini discussed the upcoming season with the council, and agreed to drop the roster off at borough hall when it becomes available in mid-June. Mayor Hutnick said the team’s time is being shortened from 12-6 p.m. to 12-5 p.m. because of problems finding lifeguards and with finances. The council agreed out-of-town relatives of swim team participants will not be allowed on the beach or in the water unless an Ogdensburg resident buys guest badges for them and monitors the guests.

● Pond treatments — Council President Brenda Cowdrick has already made arrangements for the pond to be treated,

● Plowing — Ogdensburg school superintendent David Astor said he discovered through research that the borough owns the school property, so the Department of Public Works will be able to continue plowing it. He said he’d welcome a shared service agreement with the borough. Mayor Hutnick said Ogdensburg used to plow borough-owned church properties, but that the law now prohibits the borough from offering these services to private property owners.