NORWICH – Planners say they are one step closer to updating a comprehensive plan for Chenango County that has been in the works for more than a decade.

The results of a consultant’s survey, sanctioned by the Chenango County Board of Supervisors last fall at a cost of $6,500, were presented to members of the Chenango County Planning Board and Planning and Economic Development Committee last week. It will go onto the full board for consideration next month.

Chenango County Planning Department Director Donna M. Jones said county offcials scrutinized the process for surveying residents in depth before proceeding.

Zogby International of Utica contacted 500 residents over a three-day period at the beginning of June. The consultant used a computerized program that picked telephone numbers at random. About an equal number of men and women between the ages of 30 and 54 were contacted.

Jones said Zogby was “very surprised” with the positive response rate achieved.

The majority of those surveyed were married, lived in rural areas of the county, had no college degree, owned their own residences and had annual incomes that varied, mostly from less than $25,000 to between $50,000 and $75,000 a year.