The Cayuga County Sheriff's Office has decided to stick with the village of Cato's municipal building for its northern county substation.

But deputies probably won't be responding out of Cato until after the village expands its building, Sheriff David Gould said.

Drawings are being done by Auburn architect Jill Fudo to expand the tiny village hall to accommodate substation space for the sheriff's office and the New York State Police, a larger front office, a mayoral office, a larger meeting room and an upgraded bathroom, said Carl Lincoln, mayor of the village of Cato.

“We're going to have to add on more space because we hopefully can get the troopers too. Right now I'm doing plans to add onto our building and see if we can acquire a grant to do that,” Lincoln said.

The state police is

considering adding a substation in the Cato village hall because of complications dispatching troopers out of Wolcott, Wayne County, to answer northern Cayuga County calls due to different communication systems used in the counties. Both agencies also want deputies and state troopers to work out of the same space.

A state police decision has not yet been made about moving into the village hall, Lincoln said.

Gould had originally planned on bringing the sheriff's northern and southern substations on-line at the same time. But because it will take much longer for the Cato site to be ready, the substation at the Moravia Village Justice Center will be open much sooner, Gould said. The opening of the Moravia substation is pending legislature approval. The sheriff's southern substation previously was in Venice.

Gould's predecessor, Rob Outhouse, used a fleet system where patrol deputies were assigned to cars and reported to the Public Safety Building in Sennett at the beginning of their shifts. Deputies have only used the Cato building infrequently since then, but the office's equipment is still at the village hall, Lincoln said.

“All of their computers and their equipment is still there and Gould is utilizing it more at the present time,” Lincoln said. “Basically, it helps us out because we can't afford a police department so if we've got sheriffs going in and out most of the day, they have to go through one way or the other.”

Gould estimates his office could save $50,000 by spending less on gasoline and by lessening wear and tear on vehicles if deputies are scheduled to start work at substations located closer to their residences.

“The biggest part is the provided safety from deputies being on the post all the time,” Gould said.

While the Cato village hall does not yet have high-speed Internet to allow officers to file reports, there is cable 50 feet away from the building that could be hooked up for the use of the police agencies, Lincoln said.

“It's not a problem,” Lincoln said. “They basically have to decide when.”

Staff writer Amaris Elliott-Engel can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or at amaris.elliot-engel@lee.net