By JIMMY LAWTON

CANTON – A former St. Lawrence County Deputy Treasurer hopes to fill the role recently vacated by Kevin Felt.

Robert Santamoor announced today he would run for St. Lawrence County Treasurer.

Santamoor was terminated by former St. Lawrence County Treasurer Kevin Felt after serving more than four years as his deputy. Santamoor cited “philosophical” issues for his departure.

Felt later resigned his position to take a new job.

“I don’t really want to dwell on the past. We had philosophical differences on how the treasurer’s office should be run,” he said.

Santamoor said he was urged by friends and colleagues to run for treasurer and believes he has a lot to offer.

He said his past experience in the officer gives him inside knowledge of the systems, people and operations of the county.

He said the job is about fiduciary responsibility and protecting the taxpayer’s assets, but added that a second function is an advisory responsibility to department heads and county legislators.

Santamoor said if he is elected he would like to see budgets that looked beyond on year. Santamoor said he would manage the office in a fashion that used everyone’s strengths.

“My management style is a team approach.”

Santamoor would also work with state representatives to ensure New York State pays the county on time.

“One of my ideas is to get with state officials and get them to understand that late payments cost tax payers money. Basically if your expectation is that we pay on time, or expectation is that you pay on time,” he said.

Santamoor noted that such lay payments force the county to borrow money and can result in costly interest expenses for the local taxpayers.

Santamoor says he was part of the team that put together the county’s current financial system and was involved with the set up and training program for it.

He said that familiarity would allow him to hit the ground running. Santamoor says he would also return the county’s two deputy treasurers.

“I’ve talked with both deputies that are currently there and ensured they are two great people, do a great job,”

Santamoor is the only person who has announced his candidacy for treasurer.