BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

CANTON -- St. Lawrence County legislators are renewing a contract with Jack Venesky, CPA and Associates, to prepare the  Ambulatory Health Care Facility (AHCF) Medicaid Cost report.

According to Interim Public Health Director Carly Zimmerman, the department has been working with Venesky "for quite awhile" and wish to continue the relations since the firm are experts in public health, Medicare and Medicaid.

The contract will come at a cost of $8,500, which is the same rate the department has had since 2022. In 2022 the contract went up $500, according to Zimmerman.

In other action, legislators also approved signing the Emergency Preparedness Program contract for the Public Health Department.

According to Zimmerman, the resolution is to accept the EPP grant funding for the department and is part of the next cycle of funds.

"Emergency Preparedness Program Contract is used to promote and protect the health of County residents by planning for health emergencies caused by deliberate acts, accidents, and naturally occurring events, to ensure that the Local Health Department is ready to respond to such threats," officials say.

As part of the contract, local health departments must conduct a Health Emergency Preparedness Program as a condition of State Aid eligibility.

The term of the contract will be July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 in the amount of $87,445.