OGDENSBURG — A longtime member of Ogdensburg Volunteer Rescue Squad has been honored for his service to the community by the Ogdensburg City Council.
A proclamation was read by Mayor Jeffrey M. Skelly at Wednesday night’s meeting declaring Feb. 27 “John Porter Appreciation Day” in the city of Ogdensburg “in light of Mr. Porter’s remarkable achievement and unselfish dedication of his time to serve his community.”
Porter joined the OVRS in 1972 and on Nov. 15, 2022, Porter completed his 50th year as a volunteer with the squad, according to the proclamation. Since 1972, Porter has maintained either Advanced Life Support, Basic Life Support or Dive Master certifications through the state for the past five decades.
Porter currently serves as the squad’s Off-Shore Rescue Team Leader and is a member of the OVRS Board of Directors
“Mr. Porter is the epitome of what it means to serve your neighbor,” the resolution says.
Porter’s achievement was also highlighted in the OVRS 2022 annual report by Chief of Emergency Services Kenneth J. Gardner.
“We at the Ogdensburg Volunteer Rescue Squad are lucky to have the biggest example of such excellence in our member Mr. John Porter,” Gardner wrote. “John Porter has continued to unselfishly dedicate his time to serve his community and he is the epitome of what it means to serve your neighbor.”
In other council action Wednesday night:
— New Dobisky Center fees were approved. It will cost $60 an hour for both rooms while the large meeting room will cost $50 an hour and the small room $35 an hour on their own. A city resident discount rate was also added, so both rooms would be $45 an hour while the large room would be $35 and the small room $30 an hour on their own.
The resolution states the new fees were reviewed by city staff and the Recreation Commission.
— Appropriated $22,000 from the city’s fund balance to accommodate the additional cost of the salary of new City Manager Mohideen F. Buharie. His salary is set at $128,000.
— Transferred $56,000 in unencumbered funds from the Planning Department to the City Manager Department to pay for the position of Assistant to the City Manager hired by past City Manager Stephen P. Jellie in 2022.
— Authorized the transfer of funds that were not spent in 2022 to balance the budget for that year. Ten line items in the 2022 budget were over budget at a total of $902,128. The largest line item was for Fire Protection and it was over $644,222. The second highest was $110,950 in Central Services.
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