BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI
North Country This Week

CANTON -- The St. Lawrence County Department of Social Services has hired Heidi Soucis to assist and provide additional training in the Children's Services Unit.

Legislators approved the hiring during the full board meeting on Dec. 4.

According to legislators, the case supervisor, grade A, position was vacated on Sept. 28, 2023 due to a retirement.

Following the retirement, legislators authorized filling the position in the Children's Services unit at Social Services, with an interim supervisor having been appointed in the meantime.

"The position is critical to programs in Children's Services, which includes Foster Care, Preventative Care and Adoption Services," according to the resolution.

Legislators say if training were not provided, "the provision of direct supervision, leadership and review of petitions and violations prior to submission to court, permanency hearings and compliance conferences could be compromised."

With the passing of the resolution, DSS will be able to ease the transition to a new case supervisor, grade A.

The employee who retired recently is still able to work contractually, in a training capacity, at her most recent hourly rate for a period not to exceed three months to help with the transition, according to the resolution.

In other action, legislators also approved two contracts for cleaning services with the County Department of Highways.

Karol l. Houle-Marolf has been hired to provide professional cleaning services for the Lisbon outpost, located at 554 County Route 28A.

Houle-Marolf will be paid $74.30 per week for a one-year contract.

The second contract is with Meola Enterprise, who will provide professional cleaning services at the Department of Highways locations in Potsdam and Russell.

Mellow will be paid $70.50 per week for the Potsdam outpost and $57.50 for the Russell outpost as part of a one-year contract.