NORWICH – Last week, the City of Norwich mayor gave Chenango County officials something to think about when preparing budgets for 2013: new ways to share government services.

Mayor Joseph P. Maiurano, speaking before the Chenango County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 13, said he had penned many letters to local lawmakers and to the state’s regional representatives on the subject of consolidation during his six years in office. He asked the board “to take a bigger look this year ... at how we can deliver quality services at a better cost.”

Maiurano referenced an approaching March 21st deadline to apply for grant assistance from New York State for government projects that save property taxpayers money and shrink the size of government.

Over the past six years, the New York Department of State has provided more than $50 million in funding to 324 projects, which generated a projected cost savings to municipalities of $560 million, according to an announcement that kicked off the application round for 2012.

“We might not make this year’s grant round application, but we could start next year’s,” he said.

The mayor introduced a community development planner from the Albany-based Laberge Group, Benjamin H. Syden, who then delivered a brief presentation to the board. Syden said Governor Cuomo is “putting a full court press on shared services and consolidations.”