{"id":9663,"date":"2014-07-19T22:42:11","date_gmt":"2014-07-20T02:42:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/?p=9663"},"modified":"2014-07-19T22:49:31","modified_gmt":"2014-07-20T02:49:31","slug":"precinct-budget-finger-pointing-lcc-millage-2014-07-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2014\/07\/precinct-budget-finger-pointing-lcc-millage-2014-07-16.html","title":{"rendered":"Precinct budget finger-pointing @ LCC Millage 2014-07-16"},"content":{"rendered":"

\r\n\r\n<\/a>\r\nIt’s still not clear why the Board of Elections couldn’t afford to keep precincts open,\r\ninstead of\r\nclosing more of them every year<\/a>.\r\nBut after several days of finger pointing\r\nthis week, it looks like there will be funding to keep all the current\r\nprecincts open.\r\nThat’s good news, but if the fix was so easy, why was there ever a problem?\r\n

\r\nOldest first, here’s a timeline of highlights.\r\n

\r\n\r\nBack on 10 March 2014,\r\n\r\nDeb Cox spoke to the Lowndes County Commission<\/a>\r\nabout the\r\n\r\nBoard of Elections<\/a> budget.\r\nI just listened to that video again.\r\nShe did ask for more money for poll workers,\r\n\r\n<\/a>\r\n\r\nand there were comments about how early voting wasn’t revenue-neutral.\r\nBut I don’t see that she asked for money to keep precincts open,\r\nor ever mentioned precincts closing.\r\n

\r\n27 June 2014 I happened to see\r\n\r\na public announcement of a Special Called Meeting 8 July 2014<\/a>\r\nof the Board of Elections to discuss precinct consolidation,\r\nfor decision at a Regular Meeting for 22 July 2014.\r\n

\r\nSeveral people went to that 8 July 2014 Special Called Meeting,\r\n\r\nand discovered Mildred Hunter was among the precincts proposed to be closed<\/a>.\r\nThey also reported that the 22 July 2014 meeting had been rescheduled\r\nfor 18 July 2014, although I never found any public announcement for that.\r\nThey talked to the Board of Elections and the Lowndes County Commission,\r\nasking to keep Mildred Hunter open.\r\n

\r\n13 July 2014 they got\r\n\r\na note from Deb Cox saying Mildred Hunter precinct wasn’t being\r\nconsidered for “consolidation”<\/a>.\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/a>\r\nAt the millage hearing 6PM Wednesday 16 July 2014,\r\n\r\nDennis Marks asked for the Board of Elections to be funded enough\r\nnot to have to close precincts<\/a>.\r\n

\r\nElections Supervisor Deb Cox replied to Dr. Marks the next day:\r\n

\r\n

\r\nSent: Thursday, July 17, 2014 1:43 PM\r\n

\r\nGood news! Chairman Slaughter (thanks to you, I’m sure) just funded all the\r\nprecincts for this fiscal year. NONE will be closed! Deb\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\nBut Chairman Slaughter quickly begged to differ:\r\n

\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/a>\r\nFrom: Bill Slaughter\r\n
\r\nSent: Thursday, July 17, 2014 3:35 PM\r\n
\r\nTo: Dennis W Marks\r\n
\r\nCc: Deb Cox; Joyce Evans; Crawford Powell; Demarcus Marshall; Madlyn\r\nHightower; Ray Corbett; Carla C Jordan; Bikram Mohanty; Laverne Gaskins;\r\nGretchen Quarterman\r\n
\r\nSubject: Re: Precinct Consolidation\r\n

\r\nLadies & Gentlemen,\r\n

\r\nI need to make this real clear I have NOT agreed to any additional funding\r\nfor the board of election, I have agreed to a meeting which has not been\r\nscheduled by the Board of Elections to address their decision to close four\r\nadditional precincts!\r\n

\r\nI feel that decision has nothing to do with funding but goals that have been\r\nset by the Board of Elections!\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\nSo, remember that sureptitiously-rescheduled “Regular” meeting of the\r\nBoard of Elections?\r\nIt really did take place on 18 July 2014, and Dr. Marks reported:\r\n

\r\n

\r\nDate: Fri, 18 Jul 2014 11:07:30 -0400\r\n

\r\nAll’s well that ends well! The Lowndes County Board of Elections met this\r\nmorning with County Commission Chairman Bill Slaughter, Commissioner Joyce\r\nEvans, the County Manager Joe Pritchard, County Finance Director Stephanie\r\nBlack, and others in attendance. Chairman Slaughter spoke in favor of\r\nkeeping all current precincts open. The County Manager and the Elections\r\nSupervisor Deb Cox got into the weeds on the budget.\r\n

\r\nBottom line: Elections\r\nbudget is not being increased, but Chairman Slaughter did pledge to assist\r\nfrom contingency budget if needed. After additional supportive comments from\r\nother attendees and from Board of Elections members, the Board of Elections\r\nvoted to keep all current precincts open. \r\n

\r\nMy sincere thanks to everyone involved!\r\n

\r\nDennis\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\nThat’s great!\r\n

\r\nBut I have a question.\r\nIf keeping precincts open was a small enough budget item that\r\nit could be handled from contingency, why was precinct closing\r\never considered?\r\n

\r\nAnd will we see this same finger pointing next year?\r\n

\r\nFor that matter, how about re-opening some precincts?\r\n

\r\nOh, and it’s quite possible precincts would have been closed this year\r\nif I hadn’t happened to see that public notice.\r\nPerhaps both the County Commission and the Board of Elections\r\ncould use better communications with the public.\r\n

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