BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI
North Country This Week

CANTON — The St. Lawrence County Emergency Services Department received a big boost in funding during the County Legislature’s Operations Committee meeting on Sept. 19.

Officials signed off on a resolution to accept over $1.6 million in grant funding through the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.

Officials say the funding will be used to construct three additional 911 towers.

According to Emergency Services Director Matt Denner, the grant is issued through the state and has become a norm for the department each year.

“This money is to build two of our three 911 towers we’re looking to construct in 2023,” Denner told legislators.

The grant, which is valued at $1,604,582, should assist in the construction of the towers and will significantly improve communications for the department.

Officials say the grant will allow the state to provide aid to “county, local and municipal public safety organizations in enhancing emergency response, improving capability, improvements in governance structures, operating procedures, infrastructure development.”

A second resolution was passed during the meeting as well, approving a contract with Business Electronics for a recording system for equipment and maintenance.

According to Denner, the resolution is for new 911 recorders.

“It’s going to replace our two recorders that we have now which are outdated as we move into more digital stuff,” he said.

Officials say the current system is over a decade old, forcing the department to complete a wholesale upgrade or replacement due to the age of the equipment. The new systems would cost $93,688 and would be covered through the New York State Public Safety Answering Point grant.