BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI
North Country This Week

CANTON — St. Lawrence County and the Community Services department have received $2,800 from the state’s STOP-DWI program.

County lawmakers on the legislature’s services committee approved accepting the funds during the committee’s May 15 meeting.

The $2,800 is part of a requested increase from Community Services through the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.

Officials say the contract period runs from Oct. 1, 2022 through Sept. 30, 2023.

“The DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaign Funds provides funding that will cover special costs related to increased impaired driving saturation patrols during the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer Campaign and engaging the public with educational materials,” the resolution states.

In other action, legislators also approved an agreement with Eastern Gateway Community College for an intern program.

According to Director of Community Services Jay Ullrich, the agreement would allow a field placement opportunity for a student seeking a Health Information Management Degree.

The intern placement comes at no cost to the county.

Ullrich told legislators that the interested student is currently a Certified Coding Associate through the American Health Information Management Association.

With legislators signing off on the resolution, the student will get to complete a 56-hour internship on-site at Community Services, which is required by the college.

The intern will be placed in the billing unit, assisting with coding.

Legislator Joseph Lightfoot inquired as to the number of denials the department is seeing, however Ullrich said he did not have those figures at hand but would send a follow up email once he could assess the figures.

Legislators unanimously approved the intern agreement with Eastern Gateway Community College.