Election To Dissolve Barbee Lakes Conservancy District Scheduled Dec. 10
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
The future of the Barbee Lakes Conservancy District will be decided by a freeholders' election Dec. 10.
The only question on the ballot will be whether or not to dissolve the district with voters marking "yes" or "no," board members decided Wednesday during a special meeting. The election will be in the Barbee Conservation Building with hours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The election came about because the board received a petition to disolve the district in October. That petition has been certified by the county's circuit court.
Dissolution is possible because no sewer construction plans have been established for six years. However the board recently gave a subdivision contractor more than $70,000 to install an 8-inch sewer pipe from CR 500N to North Webster. The line is large enough to carry Barbee Lakes-area sewage for treatment, too.
Ballots will be sent to the same address used for taxing purposes to property owners and will come with a newsletter from the board members.
Dick Long and Don Harris attempted to change and delete language in the newsletters they felt was inappropriate. They were overruled by Barry Hecker, Scott Fox and Bart Brugh.
The only changes made in the newsletter were about the election date and when absentee ballots should be returned.
If a freeholder is unavailable on Dec. 10, a properly signed absentee ballot may be sent to 139 B 33 Lane, the district office address, also the home of Fox. He said his residence was established as the district office address around 1999.
Long's suggestion that ballots be turned in to any board member was approved, providing it is legal. State statute calls for the ballots to be sent to the district office.
Regardless of the number of properties owned, a freeholder gets one vote. If the property is in more than one name, only one person votes. If a couple each own separate property, both have a vote. Names will be checked against a list. Three clerks, appointed by board chairman Hecker, will determine if a name has been inadvertently left off the master list.
For as many questions that were answered, others arose.
Someone asked what would happen if a person sent in a ballot and voted in person. Fox said names on absentee ballots would be checked off the list. Another resident said absentee ballots shouldn't be opened or counted until the election was closed.
It was suggested the material be sent registered mail or priority mail, but the board did not indicate they planned to send the ballots out other than via first class mail. Absentee ballots must arrive at the district office Dec. 9.
A legal advertisement about the election must appear in the Times-Union newspaper two times prior to the election.
Several people signed up to be clerks and they will be announced at the next board meeting, Nov. 21. The board also will appoint a deputy clerk. [[In-content Ad]]
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The future of the Barbee Lakes Conservancy District will be decided by a freeholders' election Dec. 10.
The only question on the ballot will be whether or not to dissolve the district with voters marking "yes" or "no," board members decided Wednesday during a special meeting. The election will be in the Barbee Conservation Building with hours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The election came about because the board received a petition to disolve the district in October. That petition has been certified by the county's circuit court.
Dissolution is possible because no sewer construction plans have been established for six years. However the board recently gave a subdivision contractor more than $70,000 to install an 8-inch sewer pipe from CR 500N to North Webster. The line is large enough to carry Barbee Lakes-area sewage for treatment, too.
Ballots will be sent to the same address used for taxing purposes to property owners and will come with a newsletter from the board members.
Dick Long and Don Harris attempted to change and delete language in the newsletters they felt was inappropriate. They were overruled by Barry Hecker, Scott Fox and Bart Brugh.
The only changes made in the newsletter were about the election date and when absentee ballots should be returned.
If a freeholder is unavailable on Dec. 10, a properly signed absentee ballot may be sent to 139 B 33 Lane, the district office address, also the home of Fox. He said his residence was established as the district office address around 1999.
Long's suggestion that ballots be turned in to any board member was approved, providing it is legal. State statute calls for the ballots to be sent to the district office.
Regardless of the number of properties owned, a freeholder gets one vote. If the property is in more than one name, only one person votes. If a couple each own separate property, both have a vote. Names will be checked against a list. Three clerks, appointed by board chairman Hecker, will determine if a name has been inadvertently left off the master list.
For as many questions that were answered, others arose.
Someone asked what would happen if a person sent in a ballot and voted in person. Fox said names on absentee ballots would be checked off the list. Another resident said absentee ballots shouldn't be opened or counted until the election was closed.
It was suggested the material be sent registered mail or priority mail, but the board did not indicate they planned to send the ballots out other than via first class mail. Absentee ballots must arrive at the district office Dec. 9.
A legal advertisement about the election must appear in the Times-Union newspaper two times prior to the election.
Several people signed up to be clerks and they will be announced at the next board meeting, Nov. 21. The board also will appoint a deputy clerk. [[In-content Ad]]