NORWICH – Plans are on hold for moving departments around in the Chenango County Office Building despite a recent plea from the district attorney for more space and promises made to administrators of New York’s Sixth Judicial District that renovations on their new offices would begin this year.

With the Social Services department fully ensconced in the former jail and sheriff’s complex across the street, vacant space in the county government building’s Annex wing is currently available for one or more departments. Once those office moves are made, a resolution adopted in the county’s Agriculture, Buildings and Grounds Committee in August of 2007 stipulates that the entire third floor of the main building on Court Street would be set aside for the courts.

Chenango County, Family and Surrogate Judge W. Howard Sullivan and court administration representatives delivered a formal draft floor plan and a space analysis to county officials in August of 2008 and, at that time, were given a two-year time frame for beginning the renovations. The court district has been requesting more space for more than a decade.

But, Chenango County Chairman of the Board Richard B. Decker said last week that not knowing the state’s budget for next year has put any plans for further office moves on hold.