CANTON -- St. Lawrence County’s finance committee recommends filling vacant positions in the Public Defender’s Office, County Clerk’s office, Conflict Defender’s office and District Attorney’s office.

On Monday the committee recommended hiring a Department of Motor Vehicle clerk at the Canton DMV following termination during a probationary period.

The committee agreed that if the position remained vacant there would not be sufficient staff to process down state dealer registrations that bring revenue into the county.

In the Conflict Defender’s office the committee recommended one position to following the elimination of an assistant conflict defender position after a resignation in October of 2015. Because the office lost an additional assistant conflict defender position on Jan. 22, the finance committee agreed the hire is necessary.

In the Public Defender’s office the county the committee recommended filling an assistant public defender office that was vacated due to transfer on Aug. 28. The committee agreed the position was necessary in order to provide adequate indigent defense.

The committee also recommended filling a vacant secretary position in the St. Lawrence County District Attorney’s office after a position was vacated due to termination during the probationary period.

The committee recommended filling all of the positions despite a non-essential hiring freeze that has been in affect since 2008. All positions were also recommended by the vacancy review committee and deemed to be necessary.