CANTON -- St. Lawrence County will fill two vacant highway department positions.

At a St. Lawrence County Board of Legislators Finance Committee meeting Monday, legislators agreed to fill a heavy machine operator and senior account clerk position.

According to the resolution the operator position opened following a retirement in March.

The operator would be responsible for operation of road and construction equipment as well as mowing and paving.

The senior account clerk position was vacated on April 14 following a promotion.

The clerk will be responsible for “various aspects of billing and maintenance of services equipment records for highway and solid waste, permits and service requests, assisting with biweekly payroll, requisitions and inputting personnel and equipment information for various municipalities to generate state snow and ice reports.”

Since 2008 the county has maintained a non-essential employee-hiring freeze, however the highway department says both positions are necessary to continue operations at the department.

Legislators also approved a contract with five towns for mowing approximately 62 miles along the roadside.

Towns included in the contract were Clifton, Fine, Hopkinton, Piercefield and Stockholm.

According to the contract the county will receive $240 per mile.

Both resolutions will need approval from the full board of St. Lawrence County legislators.