NORWICH – The Chenango County Board of Supervisors is looking to change a local law that will allow for a newly created administrative position at the Department of Public Works to help oversee the department’s 70-plus employees.

Last week, a resolution calling for a public hearing for an amendment went before members of the Board and, in spite of objections from some who argued that additional management at the DPW would create an unwarranted burden for local taxpayers, was passed in a majority vote.

Proposed changes to the law would allow the Director of Public Works to hire a second assistant deputy director to help manage the department’s highway and solid waste divisions. As it stands, local law limits the department to one deputy director, and that position is currently filled.

Proponents of the change say that having an option to hire a second deputy director would help the DPW stay on top of an increasing work load.

“It’s gotten to the point – with the regulatory oversight that burdens our department, documentation work the state is dropping on us, and with the amount of extra work – that we need the second deputy director position,” said DPW Director Shawn Fry.

Fry also explained that due to the increased workload, things are being overlooked. He added that the person currently filling the deputy director position may be considering retirement in the near future, so it’s impetrative that the county have a succession plan.