NORWICH – The Chenango County Board of Supervisors threw its full support behind a consultant who is charged with developing business opportunities within the natural gas industry.

The board voted unanimously Monday to hire on Preston businessman Steven Palmatier of Walking Ridge Development LLC for the remainder of the year and throughout 2010. Palmatier already serves on Commerce Chenango’s governmental affairs committee and the county’s natural gas committee, and has actively pursued economic development, educational and training contacts on behalf of Chenango County for the past several months.

Planning and Economic Development Committee Chairperson Linda E. Natoli said the board’s previous questions regarding a possible conflict of interest in hiring Palmatier, who is a well owner, were “not a conflict in the name of economic development.”

“We are all very aware and we are confident that he will contact us if anything comes up that is questionable in terms of ethics,” she said. “We need to move ahead with this opportunity. We don’t want to blow it.”

Natural Gas Committee member Supervisor Ross Iannello, unaffiliated-New Berlin, said the salary for Palmatier, $10,800 through December and $38,000 for next year, was “a heck of a break.”

“It would cost us five times more to afford this,” he said.