AUBURN - Candidates for the Cayuga County Legislature's 15th District agreed that something had to be done with the county office building but disagreed about what approach to take.

Incumbent Patrick McIntosh, R-Auburn, supported a feasibility study to see what is the best way to handle the situation.

“We need to look at our options,” McIntosh said. “If it's going to be long-run more cost effective to build a new complex ... as opposed to trying to renovate ... then I think we really need to consider that. I know that a lot of folks don't want to see that happen.”

Though it may be a tough decision, it is important to do what is best for the whole county rather than make a decision based on what a few people say, McIntosh said.

Democratic challenger Cynthia Aikman, on the other hand, is committed to listening to her constituents, she said.

“The residents of the 15th have loudly said they want the county office building where it is,” she said. “In terms of my .... work it will be to keep the county office building in downtown.”

The candidates also discussed the important role manufacturing plays in this community.

Manufacturing brings smaller jobs, McIntosh said.

“It's absolutely realistic,” he said of his strategy to attract businesses to the community. “It's absolutely feasible. It's like anything, if you believe that you can't do it, you're not going to do it.”

McIntosh believes that it's important to get high-paying manufacturing jobs back to Auburn, he said. Without them, service businesses won't survive, he said.

“Anyone that's followed my career knows that I'm a big manufacturing cheerleader,” Aikman said. “However, as we move into the 21st century, I don't think it can be our only focus.”

Aikman believes that it's important to diversify and consider other sectors, she said.

Rather than focusing on attracting businesses, the focus should be on attracting young, educated people to the area, Aikman said.

Another topic where the candidates disagreed was the idea of a first-stop organization to help boost economic development.

At this point, Aikman would not support the organization but believes that some funds should be allocated to figure out how to attract businesses to Auburn, she said.

“Until we're clear about what that individual's job would be - is it marketing? Is it attraction? Is it retention? - we've set up other people in the past who ... have failed at that job and I don't want to set us up again to have someone fail,” Aikman said.

McIntosh is in favor of having an organization that is dedicated to this issue, he said. But he believes the county needs to do more.

“We need to be more proactive and get out and look for businesses to bring into our community. On economic development, I think we need to take a more simplistic approach,” he said.

McIntosh believes it is important to talk to successful business people in the county and find out what makes them successful. The county could use this information to put together a presentation and go to other businesses to attract them to the community, he said.

McIntosh and Aikman agreed that while the pay of $10,100 may not be enough, legislators are not in it for the money.

“The selfish answer, no it's not enough, it's a lot of work. But I think if you're taking the position for the pay, you've got the wrong approach and the wrong attitude,” McIntosh said. “$10,100 is a nice gesture, and whether it's equal to the amount of time that's actually put into it, of course it isn't, but that isn't the reason I'm involved with it.”

Staff writer Gitana Mirochnik can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 237 or gitana.mirochnik@lee.net