NORWICH – Craig Cashman, executive director of Opportunities for Chenango for the past four years, is resigning next week to take another position with a non-profit agency in Delaware County, he confirmed Wednesday.

Deputy Director Norma Smith will serve as interim executive director while the search for a permanent replacement is conducted.

“The services we provide are critical, and are always focused around economic development. That is an important piece of this community,” said Cashman, speaking of OFC. “It was a very difficult decision (to leave).”

Cashman is taking over as executive director of the Watershed Agricultural Council in Walton, a group that works to protect the water supply in the Catskill region as a means of improving economic development. He handed in a resignation letter to the OFC board in late September.

“He’s going to be hard to replace,” said OFC Board Vice President Terry Bresina. “Craig has a handle on how a non-profit should function. He took care of our accounting procedures, which sharpened considerably while he was here. We are fortunate we had him for four years. He was instrumental in getting our system functioning well.”