News that utilities are being shut off and the Ogdensburg Correctional Facility is being fully decommissioned is deeply concerning for the community.

This decision is being justified as a reaction to rising utility costs. The irony is hard to miss. The average household would love the option to “save money” by turning off electricity in the middle of winter, but families and small businesses do not get that choice.

The community also has experienced what happens when New York state walks away from real property. The St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center site sat with decaying buildings for decades. Nobody should have to endure another long stretch of rotting structures, safety hazards and blight.

At minimum, state agencies should maintain basic heat and utilities to prevent deterioration and protect the surrounding area while providing a clear, public plan with firm timelines for demolition, remediation or productive reuse. Turning the lights off is not a plan. It is a guarantee the community will pay for it later, one way or another.