NORWICH – The Chenango County Public Defender's Office is seeking changes to its administrative lineup that it says will help the department run more smoothly and efficiently.

Public Defender John Cameron told the county's Safety and Rules Committee last week that his department may see annual savings of up to $25,000 if changes are carried out. Those changes include the refill of an existing clerical assigned council administrator position and the creation of a new office manager position.

The current assigned council administrator took the job in the early 2000s. Since then, they've advanced their career, assuming more responsibilities in the Public Defender's Office as a paralegal and thereby making assigned council a second priority, said Cameron. He recommended the county hire a new person for the job with an approximate yearly pay of $28,000, footed by county taxpayers. Next, he asked for creation of a new office manager position – to be filled by the current assigned council administrator – which will be entirely paid by New York State grants.

All this, said Cameron, may actually save the county $15,000 to $25,000 annually, since the person who currently assigns council is paid nearly $20,000 more than the recommended pay of a new administrator.