By JIMMY LAWTON

CANTON – St. Lawrence County Administrator Karen St. Hilaire turned in her last budget at the legislators' meeting Monday, as she announced her plans to retire in March.

St. Hilaire, who served as county administrator for the past eight years, announced Monday she would retire from her position when her current contract ends.

She served as administrator in some of the worst economic times the county has ever seen, but says she is proud of her accomplishments.

Under her tenure, the county has shed 150 jobs, and negotiated contracts with employees that she says have translated to reduced retirement costs and stable health care increases.

“It’s been an interesting and challenging eight years,” she said. “I really respect the work performed at the county offices and competent and professional employees that I have worked with.”

St. Hilaire said that when she took the job, former St. Lawrence County Treasurer Robert McNeil told her she would have the privilege of overseeing the county during one of the worst fiscal crises in the county’s history.

“I don’t consider it a privilege, but I think he was right and I think that the county has done a good job working through it,” she said.

Hilaire said she is pleased to turn in her last budget under the state’s property tax cap.

Although the tentative budget raises taxes by 2.1 percent, St. Hilaire said the state cap is actually 4.8 percent for the county.

St. Hilaire credited department heads, employees and legislators for making the budget possible.

“Employees have been absolute partners in this. We wouldn’t be where we are today if they weren’t willing to make some tough sacrifices,” she said.

She also thanked her budget team.

“I have a budget team of eight people who have worked very hard on this,” she said. “It’s a realistic budget and I think it’s a good budget.”

Hilaire said the budget calls for an increase in fund balance from $6.5 million, to $7.8 million.

“I am hopeful that will continue to grow to $12.5 million so that the county no longer has to borrow money. I am hopeful they can do that in the next three years,” she said.

St. Hilaire said she was also pleased to be a part of the land negotiations with the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, which ended a 32-year legal battle that she became familiar with when she worked as a reporter.

“I feel proud of. We’ve settled land claims in St. Lawrence County for forever,” she said.

St. Hilaire said she unsure what her next career move will be, though she plans to continue teaching classes at Clarkson University and focusing on her consulting firm, Vanguard Communications.

“I’ve had about six careers in my lifetime and I am ready for something else,” she said.

St. Hilaire said her decision to retire was not related to an ongoing grand jury investigation regarding the alleged misallocation of drug seizure funds.

“Absolutely not,” she said. “When you are county administrator there is always something going on. For me, it’s just business as usual,” she said, adding that her plans to retire predated the investigation.

As for the county, St. Hilaire says it is in good hands.

“We’ve replaced over 20 department heads since I have been here and I think we filled them with people who can do the job,” she said.