NORWICH – Chenango County will lose nearly a half century’s worth of government experience at year’s end when at least five or as many as nine new supervisors gather around the boardroom table, led also by a new chairman.

When combined, three town supervisors who are retiring account for nearly a half a century’s worth of experience. They are: Afton’s Robert D. Briggs, North Norwich’s Richard B. Decker (current board chairman); and Alan I. Johnson, who has represented Smithville since 2004.

Coventry’s outgoing Supervisor John Phelan Sr. would tack on another nine years of (intermittent) experience. The current supervisor in the final town making a change, Columbus, held office for only a year.

The remaining four seats being challenged are those held by seasoned supervisors as well: Linda E. Natoli, R-City of Norwich Wards 4, 5 and 6; Arrington J. Canor, R-McDonough; David J. Messineo, D-Otselic; and James B. Bays, D-Smyrna.

Republicans have always ruled the roost in Chenango County government, and only a few on rare occasions have voted with the opposition. Of the nine possible new officials on the board, three will definitely remain Republican: the City of Norwich, North Norwich, and Smithville. Even though the challenger in the county’s seat is running under an independent party affiliation, he is a registered Republican.

If the two major party affiliations, Republican and Democrat, were to switch in any of the remaining towns up for grabs, only the Town of Afton’s population is large enough to have significant political influence under the county’s weighted voting system.