The City of Ogdensburg has settled two lawsuits involving Mayor Jeffrey M. Skelly.
- The legal proceeding brought by Jeffrey M. Skelly (prior to his election as Mayor) against the City of Ogdensburg in the matter of the tax assessment for 616 Rensselaer Avenue is settled. Mr. Skelly’s assessment was increased from $80,000 to $785,000 over a single year period of time, therefore prompting him to use the Real Property Tax Law (RPTL) Article 7 process to challenge this significant increase. The City and Mr. Skelly agreed to an assessment of $555,000 for tax year 2020 and 2021, and $785,000 for tax year 2022. The City expended approximately $15,000 in legal and professional fees to resolve this matter. Please click here to view the settlement documents.
- The legal proceeding brought by city residents Cynthia Layng, Douglas Loffler, Brian Mitchell and Angela McRoberts against Mayor Jeffrey M. Skelly is settled without judicial order. Mayor Skelly makes no admission to any wrong doing and/or any violation of any federal, state constitutional right or charter, law, ordinance, rule, regulation or policy. The City expended approximately $21,000 defending Mayor Skelly in the baseless and frivolous lawsuit brought against the Mayor to simply garner attention, notoriety and political gain for a tiny group of residents that oppose every action taken by the Mayor and his strong allies on City Council, Deputy Mayor Steven Fisher and Councilor William Dillabough. In addition to the City’s legal expenses, this group of so-called “citizens watch” demanded city taxpayers pay $6000 of their legal expenses in this matter, bringing the total cost to city taxpayers to approximately $27,000. City Manager Stephen Jellie recommended this settlement to stave off further costs to the City and its taxpayers for continued litigious action that would have likely continued for several more months and cost the City in excess of $100,000. Please click here to view the settlement document.
Since taking office in January 2020, Mayor Jeffrey M. Skelly has worked tirelessly to save the City of Ogdensburg from the near bankrupt conditions it was facing from the mismanagement of the previous City Council, while working equally as hard to accelerate the economic revival of the City. Mayor Skelly’s administration will not be deterred, discouraged or delayed from taking decisive action to achieve these goals no matter how ruthless and petty the tactics of his opponents.
The transformation of the City is undeniable, the pace of progress unmatched and the results unmatched.