NORWICH – “Last year was busy, but trying,” said Economic Development Director Maureen Carpenter at the start of her annual report to the Chenango County Board of Supervisors last week.

The flood of 2006 crippled a biodiesel fuel manufacturer’s plans to locate near the New York Susquehanna & Western Railroad’s tracks off state Route 12 South in the Town of Norwich. Officials had hoped for a multitude of new jobs with the enterprise. Flooding of the prospective building site and damages to the rail line that it would depend on forced the business to look elsewhere.

Nonetheless, Carpenter said progress was made in 2006 on several other fronts. The towns of Bainbridge, Greene, Norwich and South New Berlin saw 89 new jobs in total with nine successful projects. At present, Carpenter’s list includes seven additional business prospects that could bring 172 more jobs to those areas.

The county is looking specifically at alternative energy, medical technology, food service and information technology sectors, she said. Economic developers are currently involved in projects at Productive Plastics and Raymond Corporation in Greene and Agro Pharma in Columbus along with more than a dozen other business clients that have the potential for 268 additional jobs.