Statement from City Manager Stephen Jellie:
The discovery, mitigation and removal of the methamphetamine lab at 1308 Ford Street, and the subsequent arrest of two individuals marks a renewed sense of urgency and call to action for the City of Ogdensburg. The City will become increasingly more aggressive at removing this danger to public safety and scourge on our community. In addition to the fullest extent of law enforcement actions available, the City will now condemn any structure or dwelling that is determined to have been used as a meth lab until full engineering, health and safety assessments are complete and a certificate of occupancy re-issued by Code Enforcement. The City will also request the courts prosecute the criminal and code infractions pertaining to this activity in the harshest manner possible.
The City of Ogdensburg will no longer be the dumping ground and a breeding ground for meth labs and our neighborhoods will not continue to be plagued time and time again by the same location being allowed to continue with this type of illegal activity; we are taking back our neighborhoods now. If you are an occupant of a dwelling conducting illegal activity, leave now. If you are a landlord, take action now. If you are concerned community member, report each and every suspicious activity to law enforcement.
Innocent occupants displaced by these actions will be provided assistance in finding adequate housing and social services support through the St. Lawrence County Department of Social Services and the Red Cross.
Please click here to view the press release.