Linda Ober / The Citizen
As county legislator Steve Cuddeback, R-Niles, listened to Cayuga Community College's first budget proposal get turned down in late July, something didn't sit right with him.
Thomas Nagle, CCC's vice president of administration, had just completed what Cuddeback viewed as a professional presentation by an educated, well-spoken man. But then several legislators said that Nagle's proposal needed additional work and that he had to go back and try again.
"When I saw that, I said 'Whoa, this could be like our county manager, and we'll get nothing done,'" said Cuddeback, who noted that it took him a few weeks to process what he had seen.
And so while Cuddeback favored a proposed law to create a manager a month ago, he has since changed his vote. Such changes refigure the numbers required to pass the proposed county manager local law, which will have a public hearing 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27 at the county office building.
The law needs a two-thirds weighted vote, or 161 votes, to pass, said county attorney Fred Westphal. The weighted voting system is based on district population.
As of now, the county manager proposal has 116 votes, with a crucial three legislators (and 50 votes) as of yet undecided.
Cuddeback now believes that the law doesn't let the manager manage and that the position amounts to a modified assistant to the chairman. Despite some flaws that the Legislature can work to fix, government is currently doing a good job of being watchful of its spending, and the system should continue as it is now, he added.
But David Pappert, R-Auburn, one of the most vocal supporters of the manager system, sees the current way of doing business as irresponsible.
"Anybody that thinks that (this) is a reasonable system ought not to have these seats," Pappert said, referring to the 15 elected legislator positions.
Cuddeback isn't the only one who has changed his thinking.
Last month, Sam DeRosa, R-Auburn, said he would vote against the local law. Now he says he will support it.
DeRosa said that the concerns he had about creating the appointed manager position - from decreasing the Legislature chairman's salary to announcing what the manager will earn - have since been addressed.
A local law to set the chairman's new duties and a salary of $20,000 (reduced from $65,000) was discussed by the government operations committee last month.
And at the Legislature's August meeting, Yates County Adminstrator Sarah Purdy said that Cayuga County could obtain a good manager for $80,000 - and that she had already heard possible candidates were interested.
"I do feel a little bit more comfortable now with the whole idea," DeRosa said.
Chris Palermo, R-Sterling, who was an "undecided leaning heavily toward no" a month ago, has now stated that he is a definite no.
Palermo is concerned that the manager will be powerless and simply an adviser to the Legislature.
"I don't think it's anything more than creating a department," he said, noting that he thinks the position is going to cost more than people realize.
Several other legislators haven't changed their views.
Among them are last month's other three undecideds: Ray Lockwood, R-Aurelius; Steve Netti, R-Auburn and Legislature Chairman Herb Marshall, R-Throop.
Though Marshall has "strong opinions" on the matter, he doesn't want to make a final decision until after the public hearing.
"I think if we go through the process of a public hearing, it's a waste of everybody's time if everyone has their mind made up ahead of time of what they're going to do," Marshall said.
Lockwood said that he is now more confused than ever. Part of what led to that confusion, he said, was a recent proposal by Bill Catto, D-Auburn, to hold simultaneous public hearings on two similar local laws, the difference being that Catto's version would give the manager legislative duties and would require a public referendum.
Lockwood said that he had never seen the proposal, which was tabled by a vote of 10-3, before Catto brought it up at a special legislative meeting Sept. 8.
"It just makes me wonder what's going to pop up next," Lockwood said, adding that he thinks the legislators need to be on the same page before he can decide how to vote.
Lockwood doesn't believe that the law currently has the two-thirds vote required to pass. Others aren't sure, but Pappert is interested to see the outcome.
He said that all of the constituents he has spoken with are in favor of the law, and none of them want a public referendum, a concern among some legislators.
"There is nobody that's looking for something else to vote on," Pappert said. "They're looking for us to do our jobs."
Staff writer Linda Ober can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 237 or linda.ober@lee.net
Thomas Nagle, CCC's vice president of administration, had just completed what Cuddeback viewed as a professional presentation by an educated, well-spoken man. But then several legislators said that Nagle's proposal needed additional work and that he had to go back and try again.
"When I saw that, I said 'Whoa, this could be like our county manager, and we'll get nothing done,'" said Cuddeback, who noted that it took him a few weeks to process what he had seen.
And so while Cuddeback favored a proposed law to create a manager a month ago, he has since changed his vote. Such changes refigure the numbers required to pass the proposed county manager local law, which will have a public hearing 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27 at the county office building.
The law needs a two-thirds weighted vote, or 161 votes, to pass, said county attorney Fred Westphal. The weighted voting system is based on district population.
As of now, the county manager proposal has 116 votes, with a crucial three legislators (and 50 votes) as of yet undecided.
Cuddeback now believes that the law doesn't let the manager manage and that the position amounts to a modified assistant to the chairman. Despite some flaws that the Legislature can work to fix, government is currently doing a good job of being watchful of its spending, and the system should continue as it is now, he added.
But David Pappert, R-Auburn, one of the most vocal supporters of the manager system, sees the current way of doing business as irresponsible.
"Anybody that thinks that (this) is a reasonable system ought not to have these seats," Pappert said, referring to the 15 elected legislator positions.
Cuddeback isn't the only one who has changed his thinking.
Last month, Sam DeRosa, R-Auburn, said he would vote against the local law. Now he says he will support it.
DeRosa said that the concerns he had about creating the appointed manager position - from decreasing the Legislature chairman's salary to announcing what the manager will earn - have since been addressed.
A local law to set the chairman's new duties and a salary of $20,000 (reduced from $65,000) was discussed by the government operations committee last month.
And at the Legislature's August meeting, Yates County Adminstrator Sarah Purdy said that Cayuga County could obtain a good manager for $80,000 - and that she had already heard possible candidates were interested.
"I do feel a little bit more comfortable now with the whole idea," DeRosa said.
Chris Palermo, R-Sterling, who was an "undecided leaning heavily toward no" a month ago, has now stated that he is a definite no.
Palermo is concerned that the manager will be powerless and simply an adviser to the Legislature.
"I don't think it's anything more than creating a department," he said, noting that he thinks the position is going to cost more than people realize.
Several other legislators haven't changed their views.
Among them are last month's other three undecideds: Ray Lockwood, R-Aurelius; Steve Netti, R-Auburn and Legislature Chairman Herb Marshall, R-Throop.
Though Marshall has "strong opinions" on the matter, he doesn't want to make a final decision until after the public hearing.
"I think if we go through the process of a public hearing, it's a waste of everybody's time if everyone has their mind made up ahead of time of what they're going to do," Marshall said.
Lockwood said that he is now more confused than ever. Part of what led to that confusion, he said, was a recent proposal by Bill Catto, D-Auburn, to hold simultaneous public hearings on two similar local laws, the difference being that Catto's version would give the manager legislative duties and would require a public referendum.
Lockwood said that he had never seen the proposal, which was tabled by a vote of 10-3, before Catto brought it up at a special legislative meeting Sept. 8.
"It just makes me wonder what's going to pop up next," Lockwood said, adding that he thinks the legislators need to be on the same page before he can decide how to vote.
Lockwood doesn't believe that the law currently has the two-thirds vote required to pass. Others aren't sure, but Pappert is interested to see the outcome.
He said that all of the constituents he has spoken with are in favor of the law, and none of them want a public referendum, a concern among some legislators.
"There is nobody that's looking for something else to vote on," Pappert said. "They're looking for us to do our jobs."
Staff writer Linda Ober can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 237 or linda.ober@lee.net
