The Cayuga County Legislature, particularly the Republican majority, continues to disrespect the public's right to have a voice in its government.

The latest example came this week with the appointment of Patrick McIntosh to fill the vacant District 15 seat, following the death of longtime Legislator Steven Netti.

We have nothing against McIntosh. He brings solid credentials to the seat, and he has made some smart remarks about teamwork and bringing a non-political perspective to the Legislature. He very well may turn out to be a great fit for his district and the Legislature as a whole.

Our problem is with the way McIntosh was put into the position. It's a system that can be - and had been - abused.

Like they do with so many other important decisions, the Republicans arrived at this appointment behind closed doors. The public never heard from a short list of potential candidates. The public never got a chance to give feedback on the choice before it became final.

It's a disturbing tradition. The Republican majority so far this year has chosen the Legislature chairman, the Legislature clerk and the District 15 representative without any input from county residents. We're under no grand illusions that party politics will never play a role in these decisions, but there's a desperate need to scale back the level at which it influences this particular board.

In the fall campaign season, we had heard plenty from candidates - including those who prevailed and now sit on the Legislature - about the value of open government and staying in touch with constituents. A few went so far as to say they thought the practice of using party caucuses had been abused in the past.

So far, though, we've seen nothing new, and that's a major disappointment.