BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI
North Country This Week

CANTON — St. Lawrence County Emergency Services is slated to purchase a new mobile command center vehicle.

County Legislators voted unanimously to approve the purchase during a full board meeting held on Aug. 1. The measure was previously approved at a Finance Committee meeting held on July 25.

Matt Denner, director of St. Lawrence County Emergency Services, said the current vehicle in use has experienced a number of failures in recent months, including a total failure of the brake system weeks ago that required the vehicle to be towed.

An inspection of the vehicle showed “great deterioration”, with the mechanics saying the vehicle won’t last more than a couple of years at most, Denner said.

A new vehicle is now set to be purchased through LDV Custom Specialty Vehicles for a total of $639,669, according to the resolution.

The command center will be built upon a 2022 Freightliner M2 106 chassis, which officials say “will meet the needs of a mobile command center for it’s use within St. Lawrence County by fire, EMS, law enforcement, and public health department.”

Under the terms of the deal, $511,735.20 will come from the COVID-19 Enhanced Detection Grant from the St. Lawrence County Public Health Department.

An additional $100,000 will come from funds the county has received from the American Rescue Plan Act, with the remaining $27,934 coming from the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s office.

An additional expense of $9,000 will be required down the road for a new multi-band radio as well, according to Denner.

The new command vehicle is expected to be delivered sometime next March, officials say.