AUBURN - The county Legislature Ways and Means Committee discussed - and ultimately tabled - a resolution to freeze the hiring of personnel for vacancies caused by retirements for the remainder of 2008.

County Manager Wayne Allen said tough times are ahead and it's important to keep that in mind as legislators begin thinking about the 2009-10 budget.

“You're going to have some great difficult choices to make,” he said. “Your revenues are not coming in as projected, there may be a possibility that your workforce may have to be reduced. ... This gives department heads an opportunity to explain why they need to fill a position.

“You need to start thinking about budget and where you want to go,” he later added. “This is the first step in that process, to start to scrutinize where you need to fill and not fill.”

Legislator Dan Schuster, D-Auburn, said this resolution was all bark and no bite in that department heads would have to ask approval to fill positions, which is what currently is required.

“It's not really changing practice at all,” he said. “It's just sort of passing a resolution so that keeps it in our minds - which is good thing to do - but it doesn't really change the practice at all.”

Legislator Peter Tortorici, R-Auburn, agreed with Schuster's take on the resolution, and added that bite. He proposed a hiring freeze for all vacancies, not just ones from retirements. A two-thirds supermajority would be able to rescind that freeze if a department wanted to hire personnel.

Committee Chair Francis Mitchell, R-Genoa, pulled the resolution from the agenda following the discussion. It may return to the floor during the full meeting of the Legislature next Tuesday.

In other news:

* The committee passed a resolution to allow all-terrain vehicles access to a small stretch of Cayuga County-owned trails in Sterling by a vote of 6-1 with Schuster dissenting.

The resolution will go to the full Legislature for final approval.

The area in question would stretch west along the Hojack Trail from Oswego County to the Cato-Fair Haven Trail, then north along the Cato-Fair Haven Trail into Fair Haven. Only hikers, pets on leashes, bikers and horses are allowed on the county's 30 miles of trails. Snowmobiles and cross-country skiers are allowed in the winter.

If passed, clubs such as the Oswego Valley ATV Club will be able to maintain the trails from April to October, leveling them, adding gravel, building bridges and adding the appropriate signage. Clubs will also be able to police the trails.

* The committee unanimously passed a resolution to bid a contract to conduct a feasibility study for a new county office building.

The full Legislature has final approval over the measure.

If passed, the study will likely scrutinize each of the county buildings - there are several buildings through Cayuga County, mainly in Auburn, that house county departments, though many have offices in the administrative building at 160 Genesee St. - and provide legislators with options that are both efficient and cost-effective.

Such options include a complete renovation of the multi-building system or building a new county headquarters on county-owned property on County House Road in Sennett.

Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net