NORWICH – The recent appointment of a full-time assistant district attorney to replace two part-timers has brought about one of the challenges that continues to plague the county – not enough office space.

The DA’s office, like many others in the county, have been waiting since fall for the completion of a new county communications system. The old transmission line provided emergency management communications and ran from the old jail building in the city to the new Public Safety Facility on Upper Ravine Road in the Town of Norwich.

Parts of the old jail are set for demolition and renovation so the county can take advantage of the currently vacant space.

Contractors have chosen to wait until the new system is operating without the old cable before beginning any demolition on the site, reported County Board of Spuervisors Chairman Richard B. Decker.

“We’re pretty well covered – fire, highway, police. We were just worried about powering down the antiquated system at the jail house. Some thought that it might never be started up again. So we decided to wait,” said Decker.

The new alternative tower communications system is now complete and will soon be up and running, said Decker.

Currently the offices of the District Attorney are fit into two adjacent rooms of approximately 700 square feet. Inside those walls is the desk of District Attorney Joseph McBride, full-time ADA Stephen Dunshee, two secretaries, one law assistant and a rotating number of law school interns that have ranged between one and three at a time.