NORWICH – Town supervisors held a lengthy discussion Wednesday about whether or not the county should present a viable employment opportunity at the Chenango County Public Safety Facility to a current custodian working for the Buildings and Grounds department.

In an appearance before the Personnel Committee Wednesday, Sheriff Thomas J. Loughren formally requested the creation of four new positions at the jail next year, including a cleaner. All of the employees were figured into the Sheriff’s tentative 2007 budget by the Finance Committee earlier in the month, pending clearance and salary clarification from Personnel.

Hiring within the Sheriff’s budget would mean contracting with a different union, not the Civil Service Employees Association that custodians in the county now fall under. The starting salary would therefore be less than a CSEA custodian now receives and perhaps restrict him or her from the rare opportunity to work days instead of nights, for example.

“There would be a lot of current employees interested in this job who will not otherwise be able to switch from a night position. They should get the first option. I’m not in favor of it (hiring from within the Sheriff’s department),” Personnel Officer Bonnie L. Carrier said.