AUBURN - The proposed Cayuga County budget for 2009 will include a new economic development agency, according to county officials.

But what the agency will look like and how its members are picked are still undecided.

The county Legislature held a special Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday to discuss an updated proposal to revive the Cayuga County Development Corporation.

This was the latest in what have become frequent discussions of the issue, which became a priority almost two months ago when $500,000 in private money for the project was taken off the table.

While no official decision was made, Ways and Means Chairman Francis Mitchell indicated the new budget will likely include the approximately $225,000 needed to fund an agency.

About $67,000 of that will come from the county Industrial Development Authority and some from the Planning Department budget.

The full Legislature will have to approve the budget for the agency to be created. And before that, the proposal could still be tinkered with.

Legislators discussed possible modifications for about 90 minutes, with some disagreements on the CCDC's funding and its board members. Legislator Raymond Lockwood said he won't support the measure unless all the appointments go through the Legislature.

According to the proposal, the 13-member board would include six members appointed by the Legislature and six appointed by the board itself. The final member would be the mayor of Auburn.

But Lockwood said the Legislature is putting up the money, so it should have the ultimate say. That might mean voting on recommendations from the board, he said.

“He who has the gold makes the rules,” said Lockwood, whose sentiments were supported by Ann Petrus, Christopher Palermo and others.

Legislator Patrick Mahunik disagreed, saying the organization is designed to be a collaboration between private and public sectors and the other agencies must “buy in” to the concept for it to succeed.

“If we make this another arm of the county government, we are going to alienate a whole group of people,” Mahunik said.

Some Legislators also warned of adding such a program during dire economic times. Everyone is concerned about state funding cuts, Peter Tortorici reminded his colleagues.

“Things could come back to us after we get a budget in place,” Tortorici said. “I just can't see why we are in such a rush to get this thing done.”

The idea behind the new organization is to have a first stop for businesses interested in or already working within the county. The CCDC would be able to assess these businesses' needs and forward them to the proper government entity or organization in the county, the city or appropriate municipality.

According to the draft agreement, the CCDC would be responsible for retaining and expanding current businesses, developing and attracting new ones and promoting business opportunities and local development entities.

The community organization, A Call to Action: A Blueprint for Our Region's Future, pulled the private funding over disagreements about its structure and the role private money should play in the process.

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