(WKTV) - It's back to the drawing board if the Oneida Indian Nation and Oneida County want to strike a deal.  That could prove to be a big "if".
    
After three weeks of talks, and much debate, the "Partnership Plan" between the county and the nation is officially dead.
    
The deal never made it to the full board for vote, instead it was rejected by the Ways and means committee of the legislature.
    
Oneida County Executive, Anthony Picente, says he still stands by the deal he struck with the Oneida Indian Nation. That deal, the "Partnership Plan" would have given $55 million, in cash to the county, and put land into trust for the Oneida Indian nation.
    
However, now that the plan was voted down by the legislature, Picente says he doesn't know where to go next.
    
"I saw everybody say what was wrong with it, but nobody come up with a solution of how we move it forward. And I'll wait for that." Picente said.
    
Democratic Minority Leader, Michael Hennessy, who was one of the biggest critics of the deal and pushed hard to get the deal voted down, says he plans to start the ball rolling himself on a future deal.
    
"I am going to be setting up a meeting in the next few days with local officials to see what can be done to settle this." said Hennessy.
    
Hennessy stated Wednesday, he thinks waiting for various court decisions is one way to get more for the county than the "Partnership Plan" did. He says if that doesn't work, Oneida County should start enforcing state laws, like Seneca County did with cigarette taxes, toward the Oneida Indian Nation.
    
"They (Oneida County law enforcement) have been advised of 'lets wait until this case in Seneca County gets heard, on the Supreme Court level,' and move forward after that." Hennessy said.
    
As for future negotiations between Picente, and Halbritter, Picente says they aren't moving forward yet.
    
"As he (Halbritter) said and I said, we are not closing the door on negotiations. I just don't know what they want me to negotiate. They (those who opposed the plan) have not given any specifics." said Picente.
    
Now that the plan has been voted down, it is done and cannot be amended. The only time the board will vote on an agreement between the county and nation in the future is if a new deal is drawn up.