By JIMMY LAWTON

CANTON -- Nicholville Telephone Company and SLIC Network Solutions have reached an agreement with St. Lawrence County to make good on more than $1.63 million owed in back taxes.

The deal, which was first presented at a Finance Committee meeting last month, was accepted by county legislators Monday.

About half of that sum has already been paid to the county and under the new agreement the remainder will be paid back over six years.

The deal outlines how the initial payment will be allocated and outlines the payment plan.

According to the resolution the companies owed a total of $1.25 million in combined tax delinquency. However, on Aug. 10 a payment of nearly $690,000 was made to the county to save properties from foreclosure and to put a down payment of sorts toward other back taxes it owed.

Now the company has also agreed to pay the remainder it owes over the next five years. With interest and fees that amounts to more than $1 million.

For the first six months the companies will make payments of $7,500 for a total of $45,000. In the following six-month period the companies will pay $10,000 per moth for a total of $60,000.

In months 13 through 18 payments will increase to $12,500 for a total of 75,000.

In months 19 through 59 the companies will make $15,000 payments for a total of $525,000.

An additional payment of $26,105 will be made in the final month.

In a recent interview Slic Network Solutions President Phil Wagschall said the company fell behind on taxes during its massive project to install 800 miles of broadband cable in just a few years. Slic spent $33 million over the course of that time.