Two weeks ago tonight, the Cayuga County Legislature by a 12-3 vote passed over the second of four hurdles to put a county manager in place this year. What is remarkable is the lack of opposition and, more importantly, debate.

One had to listen carefully to what was said by legislators in support of the proposal, at the very poorly attended public hearing Feb. 8. While three of four speakers spoke against the proposal (with one question being asked by someone in attendance), most of their concerns were clearly ignored and unaddressed. Some legislators seemed more focused on just getting to a vote that night.

The issue of a public referendum was referred to over and over again, with the same old response that if the Legislature is not giving up any of its powers, then there is no ability (i.e., read need) to go to the public. One had to hear this excuse only so many times to figure out that some in the Legislature may want to go with what is being proposed because it deliberately leaves out the public.

By not giving up any of their power to the manager (which begs the question why have a manager?), they have parsed enough to avoid a public referendum. Legislator Daniel Schuster, D-Auburn, who voted for the measure, may have said it best when he said this position may be a bit weak, but it is a step in the right direction.

Is it? Those who think the county manager will have the ability to operate the county as Auburn's city manager is currently set up are mistaken on several fronts. The position is not structured that way. If it was, the public would have to vote on this change. Secondly it is likely that with 15 bosses, the manager will have to have more political skill than Bill Clinton not only to survive, but to get anything done.

Just as big a problem is that while some in that body suggest that the manager will be just that, a manager, and legislators will provide long-term planning and oversight, they need to look in the mirror and ask themselves if they will allow that. Anyone who has attended any of the county's monthly meetings or committee meetings know that this is a group, right or wrong, that defines “micro-management.” Some department heads know if they don't pander to the demands, questions and whims of some legislators, they will get nothing approved or done.

In the end, the greatest enemy to the idea of a county manager is not a public who doesn't understand the job, not a media who will question the manager's decisions once hired, and not department heads who may do end-runs to legislators to get what they want. It may come from the seeds sewn this month by legislators who want a county manager, but are unwilling to give the position the powers and scope it needs to work.

Cosentino is a former mayor of Auburn and can be e-mailed at cozguytho@aol.com