The county Legislature Health and Human Services Committee will convene a special meeting Thursday to discuss hiring two different people to lead the county mental health services department and its corresponding advisory board.

Last week, the Legislature and the county Community Services Board -- the governing body that oversees mental health services -- interviewed candidates for the directors of mental health and the CSB. Though each position has specific responsibilities, one person was expected to fill both roles.

But Health and Human Services Committee Chairwoman Ann Petrus suggested Tuesday that may not be the best way to run those agencies. Committee members will discuss at Thursday's meeting, slated for 6 p.m. at the Cayuga County Office Building on Genesee Street, Auburn, whether or not the position should follow in the mold set by former director David Blair, who held both roles until he agreed in March to retire.

"I know there has been conversation just recently: Would it be better to do this by a separation of jobs," she said. "We're just thinking -- at least I am -- if that's the case, then let's sit down and talk about it and see what we want to do with it. Can we do it legally and go from there.

"So it's really what both entities (the committee and CSB) consider to be a positive for that job description or what they need for the services to be rendered."

Legislators have been tinkering around with the job description for the mental health director so whomever ultimately fills that position will serve at the pleasure of the Legislature. A resolution to alter the job description for the director of the CSB to reflect the same was pulled in June pending an opinion from the attorney general on its legality. Local mental health officials said at the June meeting that the state mandates that the director of the Community Services Board can only answer to the board.

While Petrus could not say if an opinion from the attorney general played any part in having this discussion, she did say the committee is "trying to do what's best for everyone."