NORWICH – A group of aspiring local leaders had the opportunity to spend the day recently in the Chenango County Board of Supervisors chambers, occupying the very seats the county’s legislative body fills as they determine the policies which govern our local communities.

“This is the room we spend your tax dollars in,” explained Board Chairman Richard Decker, as he introduced himself to the 20 members of the Leadership Chenango Class of 2010 at the start of a class session devoted to learning about the workings of local government.

The class began the day by meeting in pairs with a number of county and local officials to learn about the roles, responsibilities and pressing concerns of each. Among those interviewed were City of Norwich Mayor Joe Maiurano, City of Norwich Code Enforcement Officer Jason Lawrence, Chenango County Director of Public Works Randy Gibbon and Chenango County Treasurer Bill Evans.

The Leadership Chenango participants then convened in the board room, located on the third floor of the Chenango County Office Building in Norwich, to share the information they had gathered from those interviews.

Throughout the day they were also treated with presentations by Chenango County Clerk Mary Weidman and Clerk of the Board R.C. Woodford, who discussed their individual responsibilities as well as the county’s history and the way in which records are kept.