Legislature advances sewer‑district formation, adds referendum protections and reimbursement commitment

County staff and outside engineers briefed the Cayuga County Legislature on a long‑studied lake protection project that would form a multi‑town sewer district to protect shoreline water quality. Engineer Tim Carpenter said maps and a draft plan show an estimated project cost of about $33,000,000 to be shared among properties in the proposed district and subject to voter approval.

A county water and sewer authority representative told the legislature that using an existing village wastewater treatment plant would avoid constructing a new $10–$12 million facility and would produce multi‑million dollar savings in capital and operating costs. The authority later agreed to reimburse up to $15,000 of the cost of any special election or referendum required to form the district.

Legislators debated the timing of a mandatory referendum and the grant conditions that could affect project financing. Counsel and staff added amendments to: (1) set the referendum no earlier than April 2026 to align with grant timing and ballot logistics, (2) authorize the authority to reimburse up to $15,000 of referendum costs, and (3) reserve the legislature’s right to rescind the referendum authorization if a key $15 million grant is denied or indefinitely delayed.

With those amendments, the legislature approved the resolution directing the district formation effort and scheduling a voter referendum on formation. Sponsors emphasized that the voters within the proposed district — not the legislature — would decide whether the project proceeds and accepts the estimated cost per property included in the mapping plan.

County staff said they will post Q&A materials to the county website and continue public outreach as part of project preparation.