NORWICH – Members of the Chenango County Health and Human Services Committee went into a 20-minute executive session last week to consider a referral to privatize the county’s preventative nursing services.

County Attorney Richard Breslin confirmed that both labor contracts and personnel would be discussed.

The referral was made from the Finance Committee during budget time last year.

After the session, Public Health Department Director Marcas Flindt said the service had to stay within his department. He cited New York State Public Health Law and Chenango County Sanitary Code that mandates that counties treat and control communicable diseases such as rabies, tuberculosis, lead poisoning, sexually transmitted diseases and perinatal hepatitis B. The department receives state aid for the endeavor.