July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Polling site switched for Jefferson Township (11/07/05)
Jay County Commissioners
By By MARY ANN LEWIS-
It’s official.
Residents of Jefferson Township will be voting at the Freeman Scouting Facility next spring.
But for now, Pike Township voters will continue to vote at the Bluff Point Community Center after the township trustee voiced his objections.
Jay County Commissioners today heard Gary Gibson, an official with a board governing the scout cabin, and Leon Leach, district manager for Waste Management, which developed the site, say they would do whatever it takes to bring the building up to state standards.
The possibility of having residents of both Jefferson and Pike townships vote at the scout cabin had been discussed, but Bob Lyons, Pike Township’s trustee, said he would do “whatever it takes” to keep the polling site at the Bluff Point Community Center.
State requirements call for all polling sites to be handicapped accessible and earlier this year, commissioners created a to-do list for all polling sites in the county to meet state requirement. About all the scout facility needs is a paved parking lot and a ramp at the end of the sidewalk.
Leach said LPI Paving and Excavating will pave an area in the parking lot of 105-feet by 20-feet and build an access ramp on the north end of the sidewalk at a cost of $3,700.
“I have no problem putting money into it,” Leach told commissioners Milo Miller, Gary Theurer, and Faron Parr.
Gibson told commissioners, “I’m concerned about liability (during elections). If it’s a scout function, we have insurance.”
County attorney Brad Burkett said he was told by the county’s insurance provider that all sites that are used for county purposes, such as polling places, are covered under the county’s insurance policy.
“We will provide you with a certificate of insurance,” Burkett told Gibson.
Jay County Clerk Jane Ann Runyon said officials at the Jay County Conservation Club, where Jefferson Township voters previously cast their ballots, did not want to spend money to bring the facility up to state requirements.
Lyons said he was concerned about making residents of his township drive an extra distance to vote.
“I want to keep our voting place,” he said. “We’ll do whatever it takes to fix it up.”
Commissioners told Lyons if the necessary changes are made, the site would remain open as long as they could legally allow it. If the state still recommends its closure, it will be done then.
“We’ll leave it at Pike as long as they bring it up to code,” Miller told Lyons.
Also today, auditor Freda Corwin told commissioners that the county’s computer software services provider has been sold. Manatron Inc., Kalamazoo, Mich., has acquired all of the assets of Plexis Group LLC effective Nov. 1, and Corwin expressed concern about the status of the county’s contract with Plexis.
County attorney, Brad Burkett, assured Corwin, “If they (Manatron) can’t supply what our contract calls for, the contract is void.”
If that happens, the county will be looking for another provider.
Also today, commissioners heard courthouse custodian, Roger McBride, say he had received some price quotes on the tuck-pointing on the courthouse.
McBride said about 10 percent of the outside surface of the courthouse needs repair.[[In-content Ad]]
Residents of Jefferson Township will be voting at the Freeman Scouting Facility next spring.
But for now, Pike Township voters will continue to vote at the Bluff Point Community Center after the township trustee voiced his objections.
Jay County Commissioners today heard Gary Gibson, an official with a board governing the scout cabin, and Leon Leach, district manager for Waste Management, which developed the site, say they would do whatever it takes to bring the building up to state standards.
The possibility of having residents of both Jefferson and Pike townships vote at the scout cabin had been discussed, but Bob Lyons, Pike Township’s trustee, said he would do “whatever it takes” to keep the polling site at the Bluff Point Community Center.
State requirements call for all polling sites to be handicapped accessible and earlier this year, commissioners created a to-do list for all polling sites in the county to meet state requirement. About all the scout facility needs is a paved parking lot and a ramp at the end of the sidewalk.
Leach said LPI Paving and Excavating will pave an area in the parking lot of 105-feet by 20-feet and build an access ramp on the north end of the sidewalk at a cost of $3,700.
“I have no problem putting money into it,” Leach told commissioners Milo Miller, Gary Theurer, and Faron Parr.
Gibson told commissioners, “I’m concerned about liability (during elections). If it’s a scout function, we have insurance.”
County attorney Brad Burkett said he was told by the county’s insurance provider that all sites that are used for county purposes, such as polling places, are covered under the county’s insurance policy.
“We will provide you with a certificate of insurance,” Burkett told Gibson.
Jay County Clerk Jane Ann Runyon said officials at the Jay County Conservation Club, where Jefferson Township voters previously cast their ballots, did not want to spend money to bring the facility up to state requirements.
Lyons said he was concerned about making residents of his township drive an extra distance to vote.
“I want to keep our voting place,” he said. “We’ll do whatever it takes to fix it up.”
Commissioners told Lyons if the necessary changes are made, the site would remain open as long as they could legally allow it. If the state still recommends its closure, it will be done then.
“We’ll leave it at Pike as long as they bring it up to code,” Miller told Lyons.
Also today, auditor Freda Corwin told commissioners that the county’s computer software services provider has been sold. Manatron Inc., Kalamazoo, Mich., has acquired all of the assets of Plexis Group LLC effective Nov. 1, and Corwin expressed concern about the status of the county’s contract with Plexis.
County attorney, Brad Burkett, assured Corwin, “If they (Manatron) can’t supply what our contract calls for, the contract is void.”
If that happens, the county will be looking for another provider.
Also today, commissioners heard courthouse custodian, Roger McBride, say he had received some price quotes on the tuck-pointing on the courthouse.
McBride said about 10 percent of the outside surface of the courthouse needs repair.[[In-content Ad]]
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