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At the beginning of the meeting, Cayuga County Legislature Chairwoman Aileen McNabb-Coleman said there would be an executive session to discuss the emergency and the "sale or acquisition of real property." 

When the county Legislature returned from executive session, McNabb-Coleman announced another special meeting will be held after legislative committee meetings Wednesday, Sept. 4.Ìý

The special meetings are being held as the county office building remains closed for the foreseeable future. The building has been closed since May after vermiculite, which contains asbestos, was found throughout the structure.Ìý

McNabb-Coleman told legislators at the regular meeting Tuesday that the purpose of the special meeting was to discuss "possible options for locations to lease" while the building is closed for cleanup and roof repairs.Ìý

Departments housed in the county office building have been forced into temporary locations. One employee who spoke at the meeting Tuesday said her department has 32 employees working in three rooms at the Old Post Office.Ìý

County leaders searched the county, specifically within Auburn, for temporary sites that departments can use while the building is closed.Ìý

"We have come up with some good ideas, some good plans and we are finally ready to give you that information," McNabb-Coleman told lawmakers.Ìý

Meanwhile, the costs of the ordeal are rising. McNabb-Coleman acknowledged it would be expensive to lease space for departments, while also paying for repairs to the county office building.Ìý

There was opposition to additional funding for the repairs at the meeting Tuesday. A resolution called for using an additional $500,000 from the county's fund balance for the roof repairs. The county Legislature approved an initial $500,000 investment and most of that money has been spent or committed to the project.Ìý

The Democratic majority supported the resolution, but the four members of the Republican caucus — Hans Pecher, Robert Shea, Mark Strong and Tom Winslow — voted against the measure. Because the resolution required a two-thirds vote to pass, it fell short of that threshold by one vote.Ìý

There could be another vote on the resolution at a future meeting, but it was not considered at the special meeting Thursday.Ìý