County To Take A Look At New Voting Machines
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
If Kosciusko County wants to be reimbursed by the federal government for new voting machine equipment, the county has to act before Dec. 31, 2005.
Thursday, county clerk Sharon Christner asked the county council if they had made any decisions on which company's voting machines they want to inspect.
The election board reviewed the various machines but decided that the county council and commissioners should make the final decision.
Christner told the council the state has only until Dec. 31, 2005, to act for a chance for any reimbursement money.
Larry Teghtmeyer, councilman, said he was told at a conference recently that if the county spends money from the county general fund on the machines, they lose their chance of reimbursement. He said to get reimbursed, the county has to make sure they purchase the equipment correctly.
This fall, Christner said, polling sites will be surveyed to see if they are ADA compliant, and she said the county may fail. It's difficult to find places for the polls as there aren't many places to hold them.
Council president Harold Jones asked when the county council and commissioners could take a look at them. Christner said if they let her know when, she could set it up.
Teghtmeyer suggested looking at the voting machines after the budget sessions were over, but they need to get started on it as the more time they have, the better.
Christner will set up some time with two to three vendors after Aug. 12.
County auditor Sue Ann Mitchell reported the 2003-pay-2004 tax rates came in Wednesday. Her office is now in the process of finalizing the fall tax bills with the provisional bills that were sent out. She said they hope to have the final tax bills out in September.
The county already is working on the 2004-pay-2005 assessed values.
County assessor Laurie Renier said her office hopes to have the 2004 property values to Mitchell's office by Aug. 1. They had hoped to have the values to the auditor by July 1 but not all townships accomplished the task. Six townships haven't turned them in yet.
In other business:
• The local nonprofit organizations made their requests for 2005 for monies from the county. They already pitched their requests to the county commissioners. The requests for 2005 include: Cardinal Center, $110,000; Kosciusko County Historical Society, $21,850; The Animal Welfare League, $78,734; Kosciusko Development Inc., up to $60,000; 4-H, $47,400; Kosciusko Home Health Care, $53,000; Beaman Home, $33,500; The Kosciusko County Council on Aging, $34,273; Arrow Head RC&I, $500; and St. Joe River Basin, $500. Any monies the county council approves will be a part of the county commissioners' budget.
• Heard from Mitchell that the county shorted the Bowen Center approximately $23,000 last year and must pay that this year. The money is beyond the maximum levy so it won't hurt the county, she said.
• Approved a transfer of $1,500 for the Turkey Creek Township assessor for part-time help.
• Approved a transfer of $2,700 for Renier for an insurance shortfall in her budget.
• Approved an out-of-state trip for Renier to attend a conference in Portland, Ore., Oct. 24-28.
• Approved an additional appropriation of $2,000 for judges James Jarrette and Joe Sutton from the drug and alcohol user fees for books and equipment for the drug and alcohol program.
• Heard from Extension Educator Joan Younce that the rumors about Tracy George's position are not true. George was not about to be fired in "any shape or form" before she left. George was recruited by another company and left for higher pay. Her position of an educator has been posted and Younce said she feels it would be a major step backwards if the county did not fill it. It's not just a 4-H position but a youth development position, she said. As for herself, she said, she's not ready to retire - she has another 10 to 11 years left in her.
• Heard from Bill Holder, Geographical Imaging System director, that the county's Web site at www.kcgov.com since Dec. 5 has had 7,881 visitors; 65,290 visits; 485,483 page views; and in June there were 402 visits per day compared to 244 in January and 321 in May.
• Heard from Christner that she wants to spend money from her document preservation fund to add shelving to the basement to make room for files. She has approximately $41,000 in the fund. The council told her to go through the county commissioners for a decision.
• Heard from county administrator Ron Robinson that next week the west side of the courthouse will be closed for repairs to the sidewalk and landing.
• The council's budget meetings will be at 6 p.m. Aug. 9 and 10 and 7 p.m. Aug. 12. The budget will be finalized Sept. 16.
Members of the county council are John Kinsey, Larry Teghtmeyer, Tom Anglin, Harold Jones, Charlene Knispel, Maurice Beer and Brad Tandy. [[In-content Ad]]
If Kosciusko County wants to be reimbursed by the federal government for new voting machine equipment, the county has to act before Dec. 31, 2005.
Thursday, county clerk Sharon Christner asked the county council if they had made any decisions on which company's voting machines they want to inspect.
The election board reviewed the various machines but decided that the county council and commissioners should make the final decision.
Christner told the council the state has only until Dec. 31, 2005, to act for a chance for any reimbursement money.
Larry Teghtmeyer, councilman, said he was told at a conference recently that if the county spends money from the county general fund on the machines, they lose their chance of reimbursement. He said to get reimbursed, the county has to make sure they purchase the equipment correctly.
This fall, Christner said, polling sites will be surveyed to see if they are ADA compliant, and she said the county may fail. It's difficult to find places for the polls as there aren't many places to hold them.
Council president Harold Jones asked when the county council and commissioners could take a look at them. Christner said if they let her know when, she could set it up.
Teghtmeyer suggested looking at the voting machines after the budget sessions were over, but they need to get started on it as the more time they have, the better.
Christner will set up some time with two to three vendors after Aug. 12.
County auditor Sue Ann Mitchell reported the 2003-pay-2004 tax rates came in Wednesday. Her office is now in the process of finalizing the fall tax bills with the provisional bills that were sent out. She said they hope to have the final tax bills out in September.
The county already is working on the 2004-pay-2005 assessed values.
County assessor Laurie Renier said her office hopes to have the 2004 property values to Mitchell's office by Aug. 1. They had hoped to have the values to the auditor by July 1 but not all townships accomplished the task. Six townships haven't turned them in yet.
In other business:
• The local nonprofit organizations made their requests for 2005 for monies from the county. They already pitched their requests to the county commissioners. The requests for 2005 include: Cardinal Center, $110,000; Kosciusko County Historical Society, $21,850; The Animal Welfare League, $78,734; Kosciusko Development Inc., up to $60,000; 4-H, $47,400; Kosciusko Home Health Care, $53,000; Beaman Home, $33,500; The Kosciusko County Council on Aging, $34,273; Arrow Head RC&I, $500; and St. Joe River Basin, $500. Any monies the county council approves will be a part of the county commissioners' budget.
• Heard from Mitchell that the county shorted the Bowen Center approximately $23,000 last year and must pay that this year. The money is beyond the maximum levy so it won't hurt the county, she said.
• Approved a transfer of $1,500 for the Turkey Creek Township assessor for part-time help.
• Approved a transfer of $2,700 for Renier for an insurance shortfall in her budget.
• Approved an out-of-state trip for Renier to attend a conference in Portland, Ore., Oct. 24-28.
• Approved an additional appropriation of $2,000 for judges James Jarrette and Joe Sutton from the drug and alcohol user fees for books and equipment for the drug and alcohol program.
• Heard from Extension Educator Joan Younce that the rumors about Tracy George's position are not true. George was not about to be fired in "any shape or form" before she left. George was recruited by another company and left for higher pay. Her position of an educator has been posted and Younce said she feels it would be a major step backwards if the county did not fill it. It's not just a 4-H position but a youth development position, she said. As for herself, she said, she's not ready to retire - she has another 10 to 11 years left in her.
• Heard from Bill Holder, Geographical Imaging System director, that the county's Web site at www.kcgov.com since Dec. 5 has had 7,881 visitors; 65,290 visits; 485,483 page views; and in June there were 402 visits per day compared to 244 in January and 321 in May.
• Heard from Christner that she wants to spend money from her document preservation fund to add shelving to the basement to make room for files. She has approximately $41,000 in the fund. The council told her to go through the county commissioners for a decision.
• Heard from county administrator Ron Robinson that next week the west side of the courthouse will be closed for repairs to the sidewalk and landing.
• The council's budget meetings will be at 6 p.m. Aug. 9 and 10 and 7 p.m. Aug. 12. The budget will be finalized Sept. 16.
Members of the county council are John Kinsey, Larry Teghtmeyer, Tom Anglin, Harold Jones, Charlene Knispel, Maurice Beer and Brad Tandy. [[In-content Ad]]