AUBURN -- Although Thursday's public hearing was for the proposed budget, almost all the speakers focused on the budget's effect on diversity in Memorial City Hall and beyond.

The majority of comments that preceded the Auburn City Council's work session were aimed at the importance of maintaining the Human Rights Commission executive director's position.

If next week, the council approves the recommended 2007-08 budget as proposed, Karen Sheftic-Burns would lose her part-time job as the office's sole paid staff.

This change would not disestablish the office, but rather force the agency to become a volunteer-driven commission, similar to the city Planning or Zoning boards, City Manager Mark Palesh clarified.

Sheftic-Burns calls this move a "smoke screen" because the agency will remain in city code, but not funded nor staffed.

She was the first of eight citizens to comment during the 35-minute public hearing portion. The 11-year employee told council her $24,000 annual salary hardly makes a dent in the $46.9 million budget. Sheftic-Burns requested $41,202 for the budget, which includes her salary and operating costs.

"Eliminating the office is sending a very negative message and it's sending us back," Barbara Bowen of the Human Services Coalition of Cayuga County said.

Abdur-Rahim Muhammad asked for council's "serious reconsideration" regarding the proposal to cut the human rights position.

"You have to ask what do we stand to gain by the elimination of the human rights as opposed to what we stand to lose," Muhammad said.

There was concern for other employees during the hearing.

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