Council tables pond 'badge' ordinance after enforcement concerns from police

The Borough of Ogdensburg Mayor and Council debated a draft ordinance on Aug. 28 to clarify when beach or pond badges must be shown and how residency is enforced. The draft was prepared at the police department’s request and codifies which activities require a badge.

Chief Gordon told the council that past practice required a badge only for entering the water during swim season, while town residents were generally allowed to picnic or walk the grounds without displaying a badge. After reading the codified ordinance he found language that could be interpreted to require a badge to use park facilities generally. He described a recent enforcement incident in which two residents ran past lifeguards and entered the water without badges and said the department had to rely on a general ordinance to address the incident. "We always check people up there; we see people there we know everybody in town and if you’re not a familiar face you are asked to leave," Chief Gordon said.

The council discussed which activities should require badges (fishing, boating, swimming, picnicking, dog walking), the residency enforcement question and whether the requirement was properly captured in Chapter 2 or Chapter 6 of the borough code. Ms. Hough and Ms. Clinton explained the ordinance change was codified in 2021 and that the current draft seeks to clarify enforcement language and add a provision requiring patrons to show passes when asked.

Council members agreed to table the measure to allow everyone time to review the existing code and the proposed changes and to publish clearer before/after ordinance language with any future packet so members and the public can see the amendments. The item will return for further consideration at a future meeting.