Ogdensburg council plans renewed focus on meeting decorum

Ogdensburg officials said they will place renewed emphasis on respectful conduct during city council meetings after personal remarks involving City Manager Fonda Chronis’ family were made during a previous session.

During an Aug. 24 meeting, Chronis said residents may criticize his work but should not involve the families of public officials in political disagreements. Mayor Michael Tooley agreed and said he should have intervened during the earlier meeting. Tooley said he would continue working to keep council meetings professional and would enforce the conduct guidelines included with meeting agendas.

The city’s administrative regulation allows the presiding officer to ask a speaker to leave and bar further participation when the person makes personal, impertinent or slanderous remarks or becomes boisterous. A resident was also asked to leave during the meeting after speaking beyond the allotted time, according to the report.