NORWICH – Chenango County now owns five residential properties that it didn’t want in the first place thanks to a New York state flood remediation program.

After a year of investigation, coordination and $20,000 spent on a consultant, the following are now on the tax rolls: properties located on Prentice Street in the City of Norwich; East Main Street in the Village of Afton; North Chenango Street in Greene; Rt. 8 in Mt. Upton; and Rt. 41 in Afton.

Chenango County Chairman Richard B. Decker, R-North Norwich, characterized the program which followed the region’s record-breaking floods in 2006 as “just feel-good legislation from Albany.”

“We really didn’t want them. There’s no benefit for the county. They told us we ought to do it,” said Finance Chairman Lawrence Wilcox, R-Oxford.