Chenango County officials have contracted Hunt Engineers, Architects, Land Surveyors & Landscape Architect, DPC of Horseheads, New York, and C&S Companies to purchase Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment (FF&E) for the County Office Building and Department of Social Services building project. (Photo by Kelli Miller)

NORWICH — Chenango County officials have contracted Hunt Engineers, Architects, Land Surveyors & Landscape Architect, DPC of Horseheads, New York, and C&S Companies to curate Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment (FF&E) for the County Office Building and Department of Social Services (DSS) building project.

To maximize county reimbursement, Hunt Engineers submitted two separate proposals. The administration fee for selecting and purchasing furniture and equipment for the first and second floors totals $45,130, plus reimbursable expenses for mileage and printing. A separate fee of $22,560, plus similar reimbursable expenses, covers the furniture procurement for the DSS building.

During a recent board meeting, supervisors questioned the timeline of the contract, drawing concern over whether it was putting the "cart before the horse" before construction begins, and whether the fees were factored into the initial $37 million estimate.

Norwich Ward 4,5,6 Supervisor Robert Jeffrey questioned the logic of hiring a consultant to purchase furniture before the building is constructed, suggesting the move might be driven strictly by securing reimbursement for the DSS portion.

However, Chenango County Board Chair Jeffrey Blanchard defended the timeline, stating that FF&E was built into the initial $37 million estimate, which also includes a substantial contingency fund.

“To put the building project out to bid, this must be done first,” Blanchard explained, noting that designers need to coordinate room layouts with internet connections and power outlets.

“We probably won’t technically put out bids for the furniture until after the building project is voted on,” he said.

Blanchard added that while some county departments will retain newer furniture, the boardroom requires an update to align with new layouts and live-streaming equipment.

County Treasurer Bill Craine recently noted that the project hinges on federal "maintenance in lieu of rent" agreements, which reimburse counties for office space utilized by federal and state services such as the DMV and DSS.

Craine confirmed these reimbursements apply whether the county constructs a new building or renovates existing spaces.

Smyrna Supervisor Michael Khoury raised concerns regarding funding formulas tied to welfare assistance and maintenance reimbursements.

Khoury believes the entire reason for the new building is to redistribute taxpayers’ money to the people that aren’t working and said, “It’s a double hit on the taxpayer.”

“I think it is important to note there are no residency requirements to get welfare or assistance,” he said. “You can see what we have going on now in the streets of Norwich. We may have to continue to import welfare recipients to get this building reimbursed.”

Founded over 50 years ago, Hunt Engineers has a long history of delivering end-to-end infrastructure and architectural solutions to local communities across New York.