NORWICH – The number of new government positions that could be created next year - up to 10 are recommended thus far - could increase by two based on action taken at Wednesday’s Chenango County Safety & Rules Committee meeting.

Sheriff Thomas J. Loughren requested and received permission to tentatively budget a new full-time communications dispatcher plus a full-time maintenance worker at the new Public Safety Facility on Upper Ravine Road in the Town of Norwich. Loughren said both positions are required to meet the current workload.

A new dispatcher position at $35,000 with benefits would be paid for using 911 surcharges, the Sheriff said. The undetermined salary and benefits for a cleaner would come from revenue generated by farming in prisoners from out-of-county jails.

The nine dispatchers currently on the job leave a time slot uncovered during the third shift. “We’ve been playing Russian Roulette,” the Sheriff said. “(Fire Coordinator and Emergency Management Director) Matt Beckwith has been filling in, but he doesn’t have the time to do that anymore.”

“Have the number of calls increased?” Supervisor Homer Smith, D-McDonough, asked.

Loughren said the workload has increased, but based on the 900 square miles covered in the county, New York State Department of Corrections require two dispatchers on at all times. Dispatchers take after-hours and weekend calls for the county’s fire, police and highway departments.