CLAY N.Y. -- Everywhere you look in the town of Clay, you're bound to see the signs. The town is split. Some say go for it! Bring the Sheriff's Department in. Others say keep the town of Clay Police Department right where it is.
"For $50 a year, I just can't see where it's even worth looking at. But people think different," said Town of Clay residenet Jerry Richards.
"Any time a politician or any town or county or state official can lower my taxes, I'm certainly in favor of it," said his neighbor, Michael Banks.
"I really don't know any of the sheriffs by name. I know a slew of the town police by name. They're a bunch of good guys and do a good job," said Richards.
On June 23rd, the Town of Clay will vote to decide if their police department stays or goes. A merger is possible where the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office would patrol the town and the current department would be dissolved. Signs all over the town boast how residents will vote. News 10 Now's Joleene Des Rosiers spoke with two residents -- one for the merger and one against the merger.
"Right now they're looking at $1.2 million savings over the first 18 months of the merger. Savings is savings, no matter how you look at it," Banks said.
"I just wouldn't want to see them change and go into the Sheriffs and stuff because they do such a good service towards us. And I feel with them going into the Sheriffs, maybe we'd lose a little bit of that," Richards said.
"I think the PBA, some of the members, have ulterior motives that they're not sharing with the residents of the town of Clay," added Banks.
The vote is scheduled for June 23rd.