AUBURN - Cayuga County legislators moved Sheriff Rob Outhouse one step closer to cutting six patrol vehicles from his law enforcement fleet.
A resolution to decommission six cars was passed by one vote at Monday's Judicial and Public Safety committee meeting, which several sheriff's deputies attended.
The 4-3 vote broke down between legislators who represent Auburn and legislators who represent townships outside of the city.
Republican Auburn city legislators Michael Lepak, Steven Netti, David Pappert and Peter Tortorici all voted in favor of the resolution, saying that it would eliminate the maintenance and insurance costs for vehicles driven by deputies with homes close to the public safety building in Sennett.
Steve Cuddeback, R-Niles, Francis Mitchell, R-King Ferry, and Christopher Palermo, R-Sterling, all voted against the resolution. The resolution will next go before the Ways and Means committee meeting on June 27.
Palermo said he changed his mind about voting for the resolution because "this policy is detrimental to public safety. I don't think it's a prediction; it's a promise."
Lt. Jim Langler, head of the office's law enforcement division, and Det. Brian Schenck both told the legislators prior to the vote that cutting cars would cripple the short-staffed agency's ability to respond from home to emergencies.
Pappert said that with an "actively-managed system rather than an autopilot, no-thought-involved program, if there's a badge, there's a car," this resolution would be a means to save both taxpayers money and maintain Cayuga County's public safety commitment.
Netti, Pappert and Tortorici said it would be up to Outhouse to determine what vehicles would be cut, and that they didn't think vehicles should be taken away from deputies who live in the far-flung areas of the county.
Tortorici said while the deputies have their right to freedom of speech, he felt it was inappropriate that they picketed his Standart Avenue pizza shop for three hours on Friday and Saturday evenings because of his stance on the assigned vehicle policy.
Currently, each deputy has an assigned vehicle that can be driven home under a policy instituted in 1999, but if the resolution passes Ways and Means and the full legislature, six cars would have to be cut by July 15.
The committee also passed resolutions prohibiting the county jail administrator and the maintenance staff person for the public safety building from driving county vehicles between work and home, but the committee approved 34 cars being driven between home and work by deputies in the law enforcement division.
Outhouse said while his office has about 43 vehicles, some of them are already tied up for use in the custody division for transporting prisoners, or for the civil division, and can't be utilized by the law enforcement's road patrol.
He also said the proposed cut would mean he won't have enough cars for all 33 of his current or incoming deputies, and that cutting six cars will affect 12 deputies because two officers would have to be assigned to one car.
Staff writer Amaris Elliott-Engel can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or at amaris.elliot-engel@lee.net
The 4-3 vote broke down between legislators who represent Auburn and legislators who represent townships outside of the city.
Republican Auburn city legislators Michael Lepak, Steven Netti, David Pappert and Peter Tortorici all voted in favor of the resolution, saying that it would eliminate the maintenance and insurance costs for vehicles driven by deputies with homes close to the public safety building in Sennett.
Steve Cuddeback, R-Niles, Francis Mitchell, R-King Ferry, and Christopher Palermo, R-Sterling, all voted against the resolution. The resolution will next go before the Ways and Means committee meeting on June 27.
Palermo said he changed his mind about voting for the resolution because "this policy is detrimental to public safety. I don't think it's a prediction; it's a promise."
Lt. Jim Langler, head of the office's law enforcement division, and Det. Brian Schenck both told the legislators prior to the vote that cutting cars would cripple the short-staffed agency's ability to respond from home to emergencies.
Pappert said that with an "actively-managed system rather than an autopilot, no-thought-involved program, if there's a badge, there's a car," this resolution would be a means to save both taxpayers money and maintain Cayuga County's public safety commitment.
Netti, Pappert and Tortorici said it would be up to Outhouse to determine what vehicles would be cut, and that they didn't think vehicles should be taken away from deputies who live in the far-flung areas of the county.
Tortorici said while the deputies have their right to freedom of speech, he felt it was inappropriate that they picketed his Standart Avenue pizza shop for three hours on Friday and Saturday evenings because of his stance on the assigned vehicle policy.
Currently, each deputy has an assigned vehicle that can be driven home under a policy instituted in 1999, but if the resolution passes Ways and Means and the full legislature, six cars would have to be cut by July 15.
The committee also passed resolutions prohibiting the county jail administrator and the maintenance staff person for the public safety building from driving county vehicles between work and home, but the committee approved 34 cars being driven between home and work by deputies in the law enforcement division.
Outhouse said while his office has about 43 vehicles, some of them are already tied up for use in the custody division for transporting prisoners, or for the civil division, and can't be utilized by the law enforcement's road patrol.
He also said the proposed cut would mean he won't have enough cars for all 33 of his current or incoming deputies, and that cutting six cars will affect 12 deputies because two officers would have to be assigned to one car.
Staff writer Amaris Elliott-Engel can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or at amaris.elliot-engel@lee.net
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