AUBURN - After years of failed proposals and public votes, the Cayuga County Legislature has jumped its first hurdle toward the creation of a county manager.

Legislators voted 12-3 Wednesday night in favor of a local law that establishes a manager with duties ranging from acting as the budget officer to supervising county agencies. The law needed a two-thirds weighted vote, or 161 votes, to pass; it received 194.

The special Legislature meeting was advertised as consisting of a public hearing. But unlike September's hearing, where 13 citizens expressed their opinions, there wasn't much “public” about Wednesday's meeting.

Only four citizens addressed their representatives. Of those four, three were critical of the Legislature's proposal.

“Nobody's brought forth any facts,” said Hans Pecher, former Genoa supervisor. “We're talking about emotions, we're talking about feelings.

“Basically what you're doing is trying to abdicate your duties,” added Pecher, who in September, when a near identical proposal failed, called the manager a scapegoat for the legislators.

Former county Independence Party Chairman Gary Temple was more critical of the document's wording than of the manager position itself. He said the job qualifications were not spelled out well and the law gives Republicans an opportunity to “squeeze in any one of your cronies.”

“Credentials don't matter that much when you're a Republican in Cayuga County,” Temple said.

And for Laurie Michelman, chair of the county's Democratic committee, a more prudent choice for Cayuga County would be an elected executive. The current document is one that creates both a weak manager and a weak chairman, she said.

Legislator Dan Schuster, D-Auburn, who campaigned in 2005 on a manager's creation, conceded that the law wasn't perfect.

“Is this position a bit weak? Perhaps,” Schuster said. “But it is a step in the right direction.”

Schuster delivered a speech that echoed the past sentiments of other manager advocates, noting his beliefs that a county manager will increase government efficiency, save taxpayers money and allow the Legislature to focus more on policy issues and constituents' concerns.

All three legislators who voted against the proposal - Francis Mitchell, Chris Palermo and Steve Cuddeback - publicly stated their reasons for their decisions.

“We have a new treasurer, human resources department, at long last, and still have the assistant to the budget officer,” said Cuddeback, R-Niles. “My worries are that this new layer of management is going to be costly.”

Cuddeback questioned how much the manager's salary would run and if the position would require more staffing. He also expressed concerns about having to buy out a manager's contract if the Legislature isn't happy with that person.

“I don't know how you'd budget for something like that, but I don't want to be any part of it,” Cuddeback said.

Despite Wednesday's passage, Legislature Chairman George Fearon recognizes legislators “still have some major steps to make” before the county hires a manager.

There must be at least two more Legislature votes - one to set the manager's salary and advertise the position and another to actually hire the individual - before a manager comes on board. He said that there is a 50/50 chance of having a manager selected by July 1, the earliest date one would be allowed according to the local law.

In other news:

- The Legislature unanimously voted to approve a resolution that will change the way the county's board of ethics is now constituted.

The board, which serves as an advisory council when a member of the public has a grievance with a county employee, previously had no requirements for length of appointments, Fearon said, thereby allowing people to serve in a pope or Supreme Court-like fashion. Some members had also not signed their oaths, and so the board was technically not constituted.

The amendments set up a system whereby each member serves a five-year term. Members would be recommended by the majority and minority leaders and appointed by the chairman; terms would be staggered. Legislators also decided to no longer allow county employees to serve on the board.

Staff writer Linda Ober can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 237 or linda.ober@lee.net