By JIMMY LAWTON

CANTON -- St. Lawrence County Legislators voted against filling a vacant sheriff’s deputy position in a narrow split vote Monday.

Despite passing through the finance committee, the resolution failed to pass at the full board meeting. The county has been tightening its belt after gloomy reports from County Treasurer Kevin Felt that sales tax revenues are way below budgeted projections, while healthcare costs continue to climb.

The resolution would have allowed St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s office to fill a vacancy created by a retirement by hiring a deputy with a starting salary of $39,336.

While the county refused the request to hire a deputy it did allow temporary position to be filled at the Office of the Aging. According to the resolution the position was budgeted and may not exceed $3,288.

A position at the St. Lawrence County District’s attorney office was also filled after another position was abolished. The county eliminated a senior account clerk position with a salary of $37,779 and agreed to replace it with a secretary I position with a salary of $35,423.

The county also abolished a temporary cook position at the jail, which was created to fill in for the fulltime cook who was on medical leave. The full time cook has now resigned and the county has agreed to fill that position.