Hough takes over as Ogdensburg clerk

OGDENSBURG — The Ogdensburg Council unanimously approved, Nov. 13, Robin Hough as Borough Clerk, beginning Nov. 13 and taking over retiring Borough Clerk Phyllis Drouin's duties as of Dec. 1st. In addition, they unanimously approved Hough to be Alternate Deputy Registrar until Dec. 1st, when she will take over the Local Registrar duties.
Hough's salary will be $62,000 per year, plus elections and two weeks vacation.
The council also unanimously resolved to: dismantle the current Heater's Pond committee in order to allow a non-for-profit committee be created and run through the state; support the Sussex County CLEAR Program; and approve the Shared Service 2018 Animal Control Contract with Wantage Township for $12,565.
Mayor Rachel Slater said the contract went up two percent.
In addition, the council unanimously approved around $733 to purchase Christmas tree lights for the school tree at the center of town. Councilman David Astor abstained.
Slater said the fish were removed from Heater's Pond and work on the dam will resume after Thanksgiving.
After the Heater's Pond water was lowered, she continued, a dock in the back of the area became lopsided and will not go down. The Department of Public Works Supervisor Chris Ross suggested, Slater said, the original dock company raise it up until even and work down, little by little.
Slater then spoke of the cost and possibility of dredging the pond. Glenn Sullivan of Solitude Lake Management told her, unfortunately, the water is too low for them to hydro-rake the floating dead lilies out of the pond with their boat. Dredging, she added, would require DEP permits - possibly costing $25,000 - and sediment testing; hydro-raking does not require permits.
Town Engineer Eugene Buczynski said it would not be done this year, Slater added, because even if approved — permits and companies — the current dam armoring contract requires all the work to be completed, and the water back in the pond, by March 15, 2018.
She said, Buczynski suggested waiting until next fall, because they would also need to get another permit to lower the water again, or they can wait until the water is high enough for hydro-raking. The hydro-raking cost, she said, would be a lot less — about a quarter of the dredging.
Councilman George Hutnick commented, if the borough hydro-rakes, maybe less water treatments would be necessary.
Slater then informed, the Passaic Ave. Bridge is open and the striping has been completed. She added, the sidewalk on one side of the bridge will be completed during another phase; however, it is unknown when, and how long it will take.
Councilman Anthony Nasisi shared the 2016-2017 Land Use Board Annual Report. Nasisi described the State Industrial Management site development, off of Passaic Ave., including: allotments of parking, a berm planted with trees, and retention pond, to avoid “an eye sore” at the beginning of a residential area, for light industrial commercial zoning.
Sergeant Joseph Sanfilippo said he would apply for another 2017 year end DWI grant, to be implemented from Dec. 8 through Jan. 1.
Hutnick said the police department has an extra printer for the board of health to use, so they do not need to buy a new one.