Ogdensburg to buy $500K in firefighting apparatus, reviews veterans project
Ogdensburg. The borough council will enter into a shared service agreement for fire inspections, and is also advising a school club about their project to honor local veterans with lawn signs.
| 17 Nov 2020 | 03:03
The Ogdensburg First Aid Squad Building.
The Ogdensburg Council at its Nov. 9 meeting authorized a $500,000 purchase of firefighting apparatus.
The council unanimously agreed to buy the apparatus, contracting with HME, Inc., through the Houston-Galveston Area Council Cooperative Program. Councilman John Cruz was absent.
The council also unanimously agreed to enter into a shared service agreement with Sussex County, for the county fire marshal to enforce fire safety and inspections in Ogdensburg.
Mayor George Hutnick said the borough is shifting to the county because the current fire marshal for Ogdensburg, Kevin Kervatt, is retiring on Jan. 1.
FBLA veterans project
Brian Hall, representing Wallkill Valley Regional High School’s Future Business Leaders of America chapter, said their project this year will focus on honoring area veterans from the four sending districts: Franklin, Hardyston, Ogdensburg, and Hamburg.
He said their chapter plans to create lawn signs, 18 by 24 inches, including a picture of the veteran, his or her rank, branch, and number of service years, at around $25 each. Members would also like to hold a ceremony on Memorial Day weekend 2021 in each town.
Hall asked the council for information about veterans in Ogdensburg, and if the borough would like to partner with them.
Hutnick asked Hall to present the plan in writing. He said he will work on a possible donation plan and forward the information to retired police chief George Lott.
Hutnick recommended the ceremony take place at the firehouse field, with its flagpoles and surrounding garden. It would be a good public location for the signs, he said, allowing everyone driving by to see them.
In other business:
First Aid Squad: Councilman Anthony Nasisi met with Ogdensburg First Aid Squad representative Alan Arduini at the squad building, where they discussed removing the in-ground oil tank, installing an above-ground tank, storing records, and transferring useful first aid equipment to the police department. Nasisi will donate the outdoor tank, arrange with the plumber to install copper lines, and check to see that the county has the building’s septic system record on file. Arduini said it should take a couple of months to transfer the building from the First Aid Squad to the borough. Mayor George Hutnick said the Sparta Ambulance Squad will not cover Ogdensburg, and that residents will always receive an ambulance when needed.
Public works projects: Council President Michael Nardini said he, Mayor Hutnick, the engineer, and Department of Public Works supervisor, Chris Ross, met to move the catch basins and Plant Street grants projects toward completion. Borough Clerk Robin Hough said she thought the Plant Street contract needs to be awarded before March because of the grant’s two-year requirement.
Little Free Library: The council unanimously approved the plan and location for the proposed Little Free Library.