On May 27, our county Legislature implemented a hiring freeze within the county. If you have been following local news related to our county government, you are aware that Cayuga County is facing some serious budget challenges on top of the unexpected costs associated with the closure of the county office building over one year ago. The fiscal crisis that the county is currently in has and will impact the services all county departments provide moving forward, including our sheriff鈥檚 office. Providing the critical public safety services that we are responsible for will undoubtably become even more challenging moving forward from a budgetary standpoint. We at the sheriff鈥檚 office will continue to do our part to address the fiscal crisis, while at the same time, seeking to find the most fiscally responsible ways to fulfill our mission of securing and maintaining a safe community.
Regarding the hiring freeze, the initial resolution presented to the Legislature exempted custody deputy positions in the jail as those positions are mandated by the state Commission of Correction. We must hire and maintain a certain number of deputies within our jail. I would like to thank Legislator Mark Strong for bringing an amendment to the resolution and adding an exemption for road patrol deputies. While not mandated by the state to fill, these positions are just as critical to securing and maintaining public safety throughout a nearly 700-square-mile land area, plus our lakes and waterways, that these deputies provide. I would also like to thank the legislative members who voted in favor of passing legislator Strong鈥檚 amendment. While it was not a unanimous vote to approve, it was passed, and the amendment was added. Providing public safety is a top priority for governments at all levels. Cayuga County is no exception.
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Every division of our sheriff鈥檚 office, including our custody and patrol divisions, is stretched thin as we continue daily to do more with less. It is evident to me that every department within our county government is in the same situation and struggling to maintain the level of service that our taxpayers expect with the same or fewer resources. Many of these services are mandated within numerous departments. I would like to personally thank the members of our sheriff鈥檚 office, all county department heads, and the dedicated staff working alongside them, for continually doing more with less. Your dedication and commitment do not go unnoticed.
As we move forward into the remainder of this year and plan for 2026, there will be many difficult decisions to be made as our county鈥檚 financial situation is addressed. We must identify our priorities in service delivery and fiscally responsible solutions to accomplish our missions in those areas. I will remain committed to making public safety a top priority; however, I do know that our agency must be as fiscally responsible as we can be.
It is clear to me that our county representatives, those working in county government, and those we serve, must all be part of the solution to resolving our budget challenges. Communication, partnership, and feedback will be essential. I welcome your feedback and thoughts about service priorities and our future fiscal planning. Feel free to message me anytime at sheriff@cayugacounty.us; write me at Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck, 7445 County House Road, Sennett, NY 13021; or call me at (315) 253-4337.
Stay safe and well.
