Cayuga County Ways and Means approves audit-term cut and several budget amendments including restored highway and security staffing

Cayuga County’s Ways and Means Committee met in regular and special sessions and approved a package of routine year‑end resolutions and several substantive amendments to the tentative 2026 budget.

The committee voted to amend a proposed five‑year extension of the county’s audit contract with Drescher and Malecki, shortening the term to three years. A legislator argued a shorter term avoids binding future legislatures; the amendment carried and the contract extension as amended passed.

Finance staff gave routine reports before votes. Grace, a county finance staff member, said sales‑tax receipts through November were “about 22.18% over last year, year to date,” and cautioned that meeting budget targets will depend on remainder‑of‑year activity. Treasurer Dave Dempsey thanked the committee for approving a recent hire to backfill long‑time staffer Melinda Castreva, saying the new employee had three weeks of overlap training and is “pretty much up to speed.”

On budget amendments, committee members accepted a supplemental agreement with the New York State Department of Transportation to add plowing miles and increase county revenue. Committee members voted to increase the highway revenue line from $550,000 to $750,000 and to add the corresponding salary and fringe lines so the highway department can restore one MEO position previously cut in the tentative budget. The motion passed with vocal support from members who said the extra revenue would reduce the need to draw down the highway fund balance.

The committee also approved a department proposal to add $67,000 to the Department of Social Services referral services line to fund a third security guard and increased the associated reimbursement revenue line to reflect approximately 50% state reimbursement. The sheriff—speaking to the committee about lobby and magnetometer staffing—said the courthouse/security area could not be safely staffed with only two guards and described operational limits on unarmed security personnel; that testimony helped carry the amendment.

Health and Human Services submitted a bundle of seven resolutions that the committee approved, including creation and backfill authority for WIC staff (100% grant funded), contracts for rabies services and clinical assessments, an IT equipment purchase for DSS, and a $7,277 state‑aid transfer to Unity House, a contracted mental‑health provider.

Other routine items moved through the committee: closing completed capital projects, authorizing corrections of omitted taxes (≤ $2,500), levying water and sewer district taxes, apportioning Cayuga Community College costs for tax purposes and approving a two‑year HVAC maintenance contract for county buildings.

What’s next: Ways and Means will consolidate the amendments into WM‑1 and carry its recommendation to the full legislature. The committee scheduled a follow‑up meeting Monday at 4 p.m. to finalize any remaining amendments before the legislature meeting the following day.