July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Redkey to switch to primary (9/20/05)
Change approved by town council
By By Robert Banser-
REDKEY — A change in election procedures, dropping the party caucus plan, was approved on first and second readings Monday night by town council members here.
Suspending their normal rules, council members rushed the measure through in order to meet the deadline for using a primary election system, like Portland and Dunkirk, in town elections next year.
Redkey Democratic Party chairman Gerald Kirby and Redkey Republican Party chairwoman Marlys Saxman both said the change was necessary, as they agreed the town had outgrown the caucus system.
Democrats have had to use a caucus to nominate candidates in recent elections, and controversy still persists from the last Democratic Party caucus which decided a close race between incumbent clerk-treasurer Brenda Adkins and challenger Sandy Kirby who formerly held that office in the community.
Complaints about the caucus system focused on its limited access to voters, especially senior citizens who would have had to attend a crowded meeting in the Redkey Fire Station in order to cast a ballot. Some seniors could only attend if they brought their own oxygen equipment to the meeting, and there was no provision for absentee voting.
Kirby said for the last Democratic caucus about 140 people were crammed into a hot, steamy fire station for about an hour. “That’s not right. That’s not the people of Redkey. That’s the people who were able to get out on that particular night at 7 p.m.,” Kirby said.
Redkey town attorney John Brooke said he also favors the primary election system. However, he noted that once changed, Redkey would have to stick with the primary election rules for a minimum of 12 years and there would also be a cost to have the Jay County Election Board oversee the balloting process.
Also Brooke explained that the council’s rules of procedure could be suspended to allow for both readings and votes on the matter at Monday night’s session. Councilwoman Dottie Quakenbush introduced the motion, and it was seconded by Councilman Darrell Smith, both Democrats. All the votes on the issue were unanimous.
Similar action was needed and taken to approve first and second readings Monday on an ordinance amending garbage collection fees for residents. The fees were increased from $6.50 a month to $8 a month in order to keep up with a recent price increase by BestWay Disposal Company, the private contractor for the Redkey service.
Fast action was needed on this measure because the town was losing money on the service, every time it received a bill from BestWay. “Let’s suspend the rules on this one, too, because we’re going into the hole,” council president Violet Erlenbush said. This increase also was approved unanimously.
Another major topic of discussion Monday night was the need to straighten out water billing procedures so they would be fair to the overall community, as well as individual residents and property owners.
Brooke said he and the council members were interested in putting more teeth in Redkey ordinances to collect back water bills. Having service to delinquent accounts cut off after 60 days, unless some partial payment agreement has been reached, will be part of those procedures, Erlenbush said.
Brooke said Adkins has agreed to give him a list of delinquent accounts with names and addresses so that he can send letters and attempt to make some arrangements for payment. Some people are not aware of how much money they owe for past water service, town council members said.
Redkey resident Clayton Phillips said he know of individual cases where some of the tenants in his rental properties have not received a water bill in more than a year. Phillips said the bills were never sent to him either. Other landlords also complained of similar problems.
Brooke said he was going to negotiate with customers individually and then bring the results of those negotiations to the council for final approval.
The town attorney said he has already told the council members that he wouldn’t feel comfortable about filing liens against Redkey properties in light of past problems with water billing procedures in the community.
“Some of these people may feel they owe some money, but not what the clerk-treasurer says,” Brooke said, adding that his office would have an 800 telephone number for residents with delinquent bills to call.
Water billing procedures will be changed, Erlenbush said, and “the whole goal is not to let this happen again.”[[In-content Ad]]
Suspending their normal rules, council members rushed the measure through in order to meet the deadline for using a primary election system, like Portland and Dunkirk, in town elections next year.
Redkey Democratic Party chairman Gerald Kirby and Redkey Republican Party chairwoman Marlys Saxman both said the change was necessary, as they agreed the town had outgrown the caucus system.
Democrats have had to use a caucus to nominate candidates in recent elections, and controversy still persists from the last Democratic Party caucus which decided a close race between incumbent clerk-treasurer Brenda Adkins and challenger Sandy Kirby who formerly held that office in the community.
Complaints about the caucus system focused on its limited access to voters, especially senior citizens who would have had to attend a crowded meeting in the Redkey Fire Station in order to cast a ballot. Some seniors could only attend if they brought their own oxygen equipment to the meeting, and there was no provision for absentee voting.
Kirby said for the last Democratic caucus about 140 people were crammed into a hot, steamy fire station for about an hour. “That’s not right. That’s not the people of Redkey. That’s the people who were able to get out on that particular night at 7 p.m.,” Kirby said.
Redkey town attorney John Brooke said he also favors the primary election system. However, he noted that once changed, Redkey would have to stick with the primary election rules for a minimum of 12 years and there would also be a cost to have the Jay County Election Board oversee the balloting process.
Also Brooke explained that the council’s rules of procedure could be suspended to allow for both readings and votes on the matter at Monday night’s session. Councilwoman Dottie Quakenbush introduced the motion, and it was seconded by Councilman Darrell Smith, both Democrats. All the votes on the issue were unanimous.
Similar action was needed and taken to approve first and second readings Monday on an ordinance amending garbage collection fees for residents. The fees were increased from $6.50 a month to $8 a month in order to keep up with a recent price increase by BestWay Disposal Company, the private contractor for the Redkey service.
Fast action was needed on this measure because the town was losing money on the service, every time it received a bill from BestWay. “Let’s suspend the rules on this one, too, because we’re going into the hole,” council president Violet Erlenbush said. This increase also was approved unanimously.
Another major topic of discussion Monday night was the need to straighten out water billing procedures so they would be fair to the overall community, as well as individual residents and property owners.
Brooke said he and the council members were interested in putting more teeth in Redkey ordinances to collect back water bills. Having service to delinquent accounts cut off after 60 days, unless some partial payment agreement has been reached, will be part of those procedures, Erlenbush said.
Brooke said Adkins has agreed to give him a list of delinquent accounts with names and addresses so that he can send letters and attempt to make some arrangements for payment. Some people are not aware of how much money they owe for past water service, town council members said.
Redkey resident Clayton Phillips said he know of individual cases where some of the tenants in his rental properties have not received a water bill in more than a year. Phillips said the bills were never sent to him either. Other landlords also complained of similar problems.
Brooke said he was going to negotiate with customers individually and then bring the results of those negotiations to the council for final approval.
The town attorney said he has already told the council members that he wouldn’t feel comfortable about filing liens against Redkey properties in light of past problems with water billing procedures in the community.
“Some of these people may feel they owe some money, but not what the clerk-treasurer says,” Brooke said, adding that his office would have an 800 telephone number for residents with delinquent bills to call.
Water billing procedures will be changed, Erlenbush said, and “the whole goal is not to let this happen again.”[[In-content Ad]]
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