AUBURN - A last minute change led some legislators to charge others with using “legislative tricks” to pass a resolution that changed a part-time position to a full-time job during Monday's Cayuga County Legislative meeting.
Legislator Michael Lepak proposed an amendment to a resolution that would turn a part-time clerical job into a full-time account clerk typist position without the pre-approval of a committee. Minutes before the group voted on the measure, they received an updated version.
Chair George Fearon and Legislators Linda Murphy, Bernard Smith, Ann Petrus, Ray Lockwood, Fran Mitchell, Steve Cuddeback and Lepak voted to accept the amended proposal with the full-time clerk. Legislators Chris Palermo, Peter Tortorici, David Pappert and Dan Schuster voted against it.
“I know that I vote against adding positions a lot, but I know they could really use this,” Lepak said.
Purchasing agent Kim Taggerty said she is overwhelmed with work and the office needs another worker.
“Enough's enough,” Pappert said regarding adding unbudgeted positions. “We've got to start saying no.”
Another change to the resolution centered on payment, which directly affects how many votes the measure needs.
The replacement for the resigned part-time clerk in the legislature's office will make nearly $26,500. This will exceed the budgeted amount by more than $13,100.
The measure detailed paying for this position by the salary adjustments account, which is money set aside for things such as wage raises or contracted increases, Fearon said. Pappert asked why the proposal did not pay the wage from the contingency fund.
Changes to the contingency fund require a two-thirds vote. With three absences, this would have required eight favorable votes.
Pappert unsuccessfully brought to a vote a proposal to switch the stipend from the salary fund to the contingency, losing 7-5.
He suggested the person who brought the proposal knew it would not receive that many nods, and circumvented that fact with trickery by funding the position through the salary adjustment fund, which requires a simple majority vote.
Tortorici suggested the group table the measure so they could explore it further. This failed 7-5.
“The taxpayers need some relief, they need some help, and you're throwing gas on the fire,” Pappert said.
In other news:
- The legislature unanimously agreed to allow Sheriff Dave Gould to purchase seven vehicles. The cars were included in this year's budget.
Gould will buy five marked new motor vehicles and two unmarked ones with related equipment for no more than $160,000. The department's older cars will go to the county auction.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net
Chair George Fearon and Legislators Linda Murphy, Bernard Smith, Ann Petrus, Ray Lockwood, Fran Mitchell, Steve Cuddeback and Lepak voted to accept the amended proposal with the full-time clerk. Legislators Chris Palermo, Peter Tortorici, David Pappert and Dan Schuster voted against it.
“I know that I vote against adding positions a lot, but I know they could really use this,” Lepak said.
Purchasing agent Kim Taggerty said she is overwhelmed with work and the office needs another worker.
“Enough's enough,” Pappert said regarding adding unbudgeted positions. “We've got to start saying no.”
Another change to the resolution centered on payment, which directly affects how many votes the measure needs.
The replacement for the resigned part-time clerk in the legislature's office will make nearly $26,500. This will exceed the budgeted amount by more than $13,100.
The measure detailed paying for this position by the salary adjustments account, which is money set aside for things such as wage raises or contracted increases, Fearon said. Pappert asked why the proposal did not pay the wage from the contingency fund.
Changes to the contingency fund require a two-thirds vote. With three absences, this would have required eight favorable votes.
Pappert unsuccessfully brought to a vote a proposal to switch the stipend from the salary fund to the contingency, losing 7-5.
He suggested the person who brought the proposal knew it would not receive that many nods, and circumvented that fact with trickery by funding the position through the salary adjustment fund, which requires a simple majority vote.
Tortorici suggested the group table the measure so they could explore it further. This failed 7-5.
“The taxpayers need some relief, they need some help, and you're throwing gas on the fire,” Pappert said.
In other news:
- The legislature unanimously agreed to allow Sheriff Dave Gould to purchase seven vehicles. The cars were included in this year's budget.
Gould will buy five marked new motor vehicles and two unmarked ones with related equipment for no more than $160,000. The department's older cars will go to the county auction.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net
The Citizens' Say
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matt wrote on Mar 28, 2007 1:19 PM:
Millie wrote on Mar 28, 2007 8:28 AM:
Kevin Kelly wrote on Mar 28, 2007 3:12 AM:
You got that right... wrote on Mar 27, 2007 9:36 PM:
peeved wrote on Mar 27, 2007 7:27 PM:
Bill Balyszak wrote on Mar 27, 2007 3:16 PM:
editorial snoop wrote on Mar 27, 2007 2:31 PM:
RK wrote on Mar 27, 2007 2:15 PM:
I smell a rat wrote on Mar 27, 2007 12:56 PM: