Ogdensburg council ready to review housing administrator

OGDENSBURG — City Council members are ready to re-evaluate their relationship with the administrator of Ogdensburg’s housing program after renewed complaints about the quality and quantity of work on properties in the city’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

“I think it is definitely something that needs to be discussed and put on the table,” said Councilman Daniel E. Skamperle. “After a good, in-depth discussion, make a decision. I don’t think we should continue our relationship without having a discussion.”

The housing program is administered by C.W. Augustine of DeKalb Junction.

Though no decision has been made on the future of the firm’s relationship with Ogdensburg, some on the council are advocating bringing the housing program back into City Hall.

“I think we have to go a different way,” said Deputy Mayor Michael D. Morley. “I would rather do it in-house, where we have staff available to the public eight hours a day. They aren’t even here now, because they ran out of money.”

Last year, the housing office became open on an appointment-only basis after it ran out of funds to operate on its one-day-per-week schedule.

At least one other council member, Wayne L. Ashley, agreed that the city should have more oversight on the program. “I am not happy with the housing rehabilitation as it has been,” he said. “I believe we need someone from the city staff to be on top of this.”

The housing and community development programs were spun off by the city in May 2010 in response to budget cuts at City Hall and administrative failures. At the time, Ogdensburg’s housing program hadn’t been funded for two years.

Under C.W. Augustine’s directorship, funding was restored to the housing program for 2010 and 2011, but the state declined funding for 2012.

City Council members have questioned the amount of work completed using $650,000 in state and federal funds in the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

The decision to use almost $200,000 of that money to fix up houses at 819 Knox St. and 2 Grove St. has been criticized by some on the council as being improper.

“That is a lot of money for two houses,” Mr. Ashley said. “My overall opinion on the whole project isn’t good.”

The quality of the work at 819 Knox St. also was criticized, leading some council members to wonder whether the properties were adequately inspected.

“I’m disappointed with C.W. Augustine,” Mr. Morley said. “I really feel that they were just out to spend the money and not make sure the work was done well.”

Mayor William D. Nelson said he was open to discussing whether Ogdensburg should continue to use C.W. Augustine to administer its program.

“I think, like with any new program, there is a time to sit down and do an evaluation of the program and evaluate the people who have implemented the program,” he said. “Now would be the time to sit down and do a report card, so to speak.”

Mr. Nelson would not say whether he supported keeping the firm.

“We need to evaluate the process,” he said. “I don’t have a judgment one way or another right now with C.W. Augustine.”

Mr. Morley said it is time for Ogdensburg to move on.

“I am going to try to start a movement that we find some other way of doing this, maybe find another group that will take care of it or do it ourselves,” Mr. Morley said.

Representatives of C.W. Augustine were unavailable for comment Friday.