By JIMMY LAWTON

CANTON -- The county finance committee recommends filling a highway department job that has been vacant since July 28, as it continues to address major infrastructure deficiencies.

According to the resolution passed at a recent committee meeting 70 percent of county roads have sub-base deficiencies, and thirty percent of those are categorized as major deficiencies. The resolution says about 36 percent of county bridges are also deficient.

The county has struggled to keep a bridge deficiency rate around 40 percent after years of neglect dating back to 1990s. It costs and estimated $3.7 million in maintenance costs annually to hit that target, according to a 2014 report from the county. Bringing county bridges to a non-deficient state would cost about $9.3 million per year for the 10 years, according to the same report.

St. Lawrence County is the largest in New York State, encompassing 2,821 square miles, but has a population of only 11,944, or about 40 people per square mile, which makes for a small tax base. This means the county faces the issue have many miles of road with a relatively small tax base.

According to resolution, not filling the vacancy will negatively impact the county’s ability to complete bridge and road maintenance and repairs.

Since Aug. 13, 2015 St. Lawrence County has had job vacancy review committee consider all position requests to ensure that only essential jobs are filled in an effort to reduce costs.

The vacancy committee and the finance committee support filling the position. The resolution will need approval from the full board of legislators in October before the position will be filled.