I am running to bring truth, transparency, and fairness to county government and to ensure that decisions made by the Legislature are thoughtful, accountable, and rooted in the real experiences of the people we serve.”

Paula Sturge

BY JIMMY LAWTONNorth Country This Week

MADRID – Paula Sturge, the Democratic candidate for St. Lawrence County Legislature in District 8, is bringing a background in accounting, higher education, health care and community service to her campaign.

District 8 includes Madrid and portions of Canton and Potsdam. Sturge is challenging incumbent Republican Allan Robinson.

Sturge currently serves as Congregational Administrator at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Canton. Before that, she worked at St. Lawrence Health, where her responsibilities included patient billing and insurance reimbursement.

She spent 10 years at Clarkson University and St. Lawrence University, helping manage large budgets and complex projects. Earlier in her career, she worked at Allied Federated Cooperatives and saw the financial pressures facing the dairy industry.

Her experience, she said, has centered on managing resources, communicating clearly and being accountable for the work entrusted to her.

“I bring practical, measured experience to public service,” Sturge said.

Sturge said the county faces financial pressures on several fronts, including the cost of fuel and differences in prices between St. Lawrence County and neighboring counties.

The fuel issue has been brought before the County Legislature, she said, with corporations invited to respond. Sturge said the responses did not adequately address residents' concerns.

She also pointed to changes in federal assistance as a concern for county government. Reductions in programs such as SNAP and Medicaid could put additional pressure on state and local governments, she said.

The county has struggled to provide even a small portion of its budget to support programs such as community food pantries, she said.

“We need to understand the consequences of these changes and make responsible decisions about how to protect the people who depend on these services,” Sturge said.

If elected, Sturge said maintaining roads, bridges and other infrastructure while continuing to provide essential services would be a priority.

The Highway Department has the third-largest appropriation in the county budget, she said. Potholes, bridge closures and aging trucks and equipment are among the more visible infrastructure problems facing the county.

Social Services, meanwhile, has the second-largest appropriated department budget. Sturge said the needs addressed through that department are not always as visible but are especially important in a county with significant economic challenges.

“St. Lawrence County is among one of the poorest counties in New York State,” she said. “It is imperative that we understand the needs of our most vulnerable residents.”

Sturge said county officials need to balance infrastructure needs with the responsibility to provide services to residents who depend on them.

“When people with fewer opportunities are met with compassion, understanding, and responsible management of resources, they have a greater opportunity to become strong, contributing members of our community,” she said.

Sturge credited the County Administrator and Treasurer's Office with their work on the county budget, including projecting revenues and expenses and monitoring spending.

She said the Legislature could improve how it communicates with residents.

“Each legislator represents a district, but the Board, as a whole, represents the entire county,” Sturge said. “Every resident deserves to have their concerns heard and considered.”

She said she would make constituent input part of the legislative process, using residents' experiences to help inform decisions made at the county level.

Outside of her professional work, Sturge serves as Democratic Committee Treasurer and has volunteered with Rotary on roadside cleanup projects. She also works with Zonta on fundraising efforts supporting girls and women.

Those activities, along with her professional experience, have shaped her approach to public service.

“I am running to bring truth, transparency, and fairness to county government and to ensure that decisions made by the Legislature are thoughtful, accountable, and rooted in the real experiences of the people we serve,” Sturge said.

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