Kristina Martino / The Citizen.

AUBURN - Religious advisers of various denominations will provide religious services to Cayuga County Jail inmates.

The Cayuga County Legislature unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday night to provide religious services at the jail at the Cayuga County Public Safety Building.

According to a state law, inmates at the jail have a right to hold any religious belief and are entitled to exercise them.

Sheriff Rob Outhouse will begin signing contracts with various religious advisers to conduct religious services and will compensate them $35 per week.

Religious advisers will be allowed to conduct religious activities at least once per week.

"We see a need to provide inmates with religious guidance as long as the practices abide by the jail's rules and policies," Outhouse said.

For 10 years, a local reverend has practiced at the jail without a contract, Outhouse said. Outhouse is now looking to contract an imam, a Muslim leader, because the jail currently has 10 Muslim inmates.

Some inmates are not from the county and may have religions that are not widely practiced in this county, Outhouse said.

"The resolution will allow the county to make contracts providing access to religions that are not in the county," Outhouse said.

Read the full report in Wednesday's edition of The Citizen.