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Council adopts salary ordinance after debate over new laborer titles
Summary
The Ogdensburg Borough Council adopted Ordinance 11-2025 on Sept. 8 to amend the tax-collector salary and add two Laborer 1 positions (with and without CDL) after discussion about alternative titles and Civil Service implications; the measure passed with a single dissent.
The Borough of Ogdensburg on Sept. 8 adopted Ordinance 11-2025 to amend the salary ordinance for the tax collector and add two positions—Laborer 1 with CDL and Laborer 1 without CDL—intended to create a clearer progression of road-department titles.
Council members debated title choices and Civil Service implications before the final vote. Kris Gordon, a member of the public, said the proposed language was “a little confusing” and suggested distinguishing a laborer without a CDL from a road repairer with a CDL. Borough Attorney Joseph Maddaloni advised that because the ordinance had already been introduced and published, "it is published as one ordinance; it is either all or none," and recommended rejecting and reintroducing if members wanted wholesale changes. Councilwoman Ruitenberg expressed concern and cast the lone dissenting vote. The roll-call vote recorded Yeas: Ciasullo, Cowdrick, DeMeo, Gandarinho, Lame; Nay: Ruitenberg.
Council members said the ordinance sets job-title ranges and that salaries themselves are set by separate resolution. Officials and staff discussed potential alternative titles—such as "truck driver heavy" or "road repairer"—to provide career progression without immediately creating additional management posts. Mayor George Hutnick and other members agreed the language could be revisited in a future ordinance if needed.
The ordinance passed, and the council discussed next steps for clarifying titles and whether to introduce companion ordinances with more specific position names.
