BY JOSH DAVISNorth Country This Week

CANTON— Village officials want a way to immediately reach the public with important local business or emergency notifications. 

An interruption in water service last month led village leadership to consider the most effective way to relay priority information like water main breaks and other emergencies to community members. 

Officials have repeatedly referred to that incident as an example of an emergency that they wish was better conveyed to the public.

Canton’s municipal website currently features the capability to prominently display an alert message on the home page, though officials report that communication method does not seem to be doing an effective enough job at reaching the public. 

In March, the Potsdam town board considered setting up text notifications to alert local residents of town business using the TextMyGov platform. That system carried first-year fees between $7,500 and $9,700 combined with recurring annual fees between $5,000 and $7,500. 

The Potsdam board has not adopted the use of the TextMyGov system. 

In Jan. 2024, St. Lawrence County approved a contract with Rave Mobile Safety to provide safety alerts during the total solar eclipse. 

That program carried a cost of $23,941 for the county and is the same system used by some SUNY schools to message students. 

Ogdensburg residents can also sign up for various alerts for information such as public works notifications, bid postings, and community events at ogdensburgny.gov . 

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