AUBURN - Smokers will have to keep their butts away from county buildings. The Cayuga County Legislature passed a resolution during its monthly meeting Tuesday to prohibit smoking within 35 feet of all buildings owned by the county.

The resolution, which was drafted by the Government Operations Committee, was made in response to the amount of people who smoke in front of and near county buildings. In the county offices on Genesee Street and the Cayuga County Nursing Home, the smoke will sometimes come into the building through the windows, according to Legislator George Fearon, R-Springport.

“The county is in a position where it needs to set an example,” Fearon said during the meeting.

During discussion over the issue, Legislator Peter Tortorici, R-Auburn, questioned where county employees who choose to smoke would be able to do so. He also asked if county employees are now going to have to clean the adjacent public sidewalks, where people will be allowed to smoke.

“We already do,” replied County Manager Wayne Allen. “The building staff does their best to keep the sidewalks clean.”

In other news:

• The Legislature authorized the purchase of voting machines that are compliant with the Help America Vote Act Plan B requirement for the state. The county elections board ordered 50 ImageCast voting machines manufactured by Sequoia Voting Systems.

Legislators also approved a resolution requesting state and federal funding for added costs of training personnel, storage and maintenance of machines. The resolution is directed at various members of the U.S. Congress and New York state officials.

Legislature Chairman Roger Mills said letters were sent to some of the officials mentioned in the resolution requesting some financial help for the voting machines. The Legislature has received written responses from U.S. Rep Michael Arcuri and state Assemblyman Brian Kolb.

“They said they are in the process of putting together their budgets, and they will keep our requests in mind,” Mills said during the meeting.

The explanation was greeted by laughs from the Legislature floor.

• A public hearing will be held in regards to a proposed law that would authorize Cayuga County Sheriff's Office deputies and corrections officers to reside in adjoining counties. Right now, employees of the office have to live in Cayuga County.

The Legislature voted Tuesday to authorize the hearing, which will be held at 6 p.m. March 25 in the Legislature chambers, which are located on the sixth floor of the county office building on Genesee Street.

Legislator Raymond Lockwood, R-Aurelius, said the law would make the county more competitive with other counties.

“It will enhance our pool of available applicants,” Lockwood said. “Other counties obviously have it, because they keep stealing ours.”

• Harris Beach PLLC will prepare and submit comment that will object to the Bureau of Indian Affairs' trust recommendation for the Oneida Indian Nation, according to a resolution approved by the Legislature.

Last week, the bureau recommended that more than 13,000 acres of land in Madison and Oneida counties be transferred into federal trust.

According to the resolution, the land is spread in non-contiguous, or “checkerboard,” clusters throughout the counties, which a U.S. Supreme Court decision stated would have “disruptive practical consequences.” The decision is also in violation of the letter and spirit of the Indian Reorganization Act, and would have serious implications involving the Cayuga Indian Nation, according to the resolution.

Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net