NORWICH – A resolution authorizing the infusion of $200,000 more for the county’s public safety tower project resulted in a lengthy discussion Monday at a meeting of the Chenango County Board of Supervisors.

Led by questioning from Plymouth Supervisor Jerry Kreiner, who ultimately voted against the measure, the exchange involved several supervisors, the county’s emergency management services director and representatives from one of the project’s engineers and its radio supplier.

The New York State Dormitory Authority, or DASNY, has overseen the tower communications project, called phase II of the $26 million Public Safety Facility building project, since 2002. Its original $3 million price-tag was figured in the cost of the new Sheriff’s Office, 911 Center and jail on Upper Ravine Road in the Town of Norwich. However, it has ultimately ended up costing about $6 million.

Taxpayers have afforded the towers and microwave radio technology via nearly $1 million left over in the building project and the 1 percent sales tax collection implemented in 2002 to pay for the new Public Safety Facility.

The Plymouth supervisor’s dispute with the resolution focused on paying L. Robert Kimball and Associates and DASNY the additional money on top of the half million dollars they had already been paid for services.

“It’s frustrating. We’ve paid these two entities to help with the project, now another $200,000? I thought that’s what engineers do. Where is their liability in this? ... We’ve paid them a lot of money to look down the road for us,” Kreiner said.

The Plymouth supervisor also said he was disappointed that a representative from Kimball “did not see it as important to be here today.” Representatives from DASNY, Kimball and Motorola were invited to attend the meeting of the full board this month.

Chenango County Emergency Services Director Matt Beckwith said the emergency communications system being put in place “materialized a little differently than we had proposed.” He said that keeping Kimball on board longer is necessary to oversee installation of the microwave radios purchased from Motorola. “We need their expertise to answer any questions Motorola might have,” he said.

Town of Smyrna Supervisor James Bays echoed Kreiner’s sentiments, saying, “This doesn’t sit well with me, either. They had their responsibilities, now we are paying additional money for it.”

Richard B. Decker, chairman of the Chenango County Board of Supervisors, said he thought the engineers had done “a hell of a job for us.”