Precinct Line East Of C’ville Will Be Tweaked For Voters’ Convenience
District 5 Supervisor Gaylon Gray (right) shows Board Attorney John Crow the proposed change to the precinct during a recessed Board of Supervisor meeting held last Friday in Coffeeville.
Precinct Line East Of C’ville Will Be Tweaked For Voters’ Convenience
By David Howell
Editor
COFFEEVILLE – Super-visors agreed to tweak a precinct line east of Coffeeville that will make it easier for 11 voters to cast their ballot. District 5 Supervisor Gaylon Gray made the recommendation at a recessed meeting last Friday. Gray explained the voters live only three miles from the Coffeeville courthouse, but have to drive nine miles to the Skuna Valley/Vann’s Mill precinct to vote.
Following a unanimous vote, Board Attorney John Crow advised that he would submit the paperwork to the U.S. Justice Department for approval to move the precinct line.
The discussion also prompted District 3 Supervisor Lee McMinn to revisit a contentious topic last year to eliminate two voting precincts, Skuna Valley/ Vann’s Mill and Scobey.
“Y’all don’t want to talk about closing Skuna Valley?” McMinn asked. “Sure would be a good time to do it.”
“No, no. Not ever going to be a good time. You don’t want to make it hard on folks to vote, you want to make it easy,” District 5 Supervisor Gaylon Gray answered.
McMinn was the lone supporter of a recommendation last November by election commissioners to close the two precincts. The topic was discussed at multiple meetings before supervisors authorized the expenditure of $75,000 to purchase new voting machines for the county’s 11 voting precincts including Skuna Valley/ Vann’s Mill and Scobey with McMinn voting against the expenditure.
Also at last Friday’s recessed meeting, supervisors discussed the possible impact of House Bill 796, also called the early voting bill that would allow voters to cast ballots during a 14-day period before any election at the circuit clerk’s office. If the bill passes, voters will no longer have to state a reason to vote early under the state’s absentee law to vote early.
Circuit Clerk Daryl Burney has been an outspoken opponent of the bill and told supervisors it will cost more money to hold an election if it passes. Burney shared his concerns at the recessed meeting, explaining the county would have to hire extra help at his offices to handle the early voting overflow prior to each election.
“I am hoping that bill will be killed. Like I had told y’all, it is going to cost the county more money. We just can’t handle all of the election in the office, it’s better in the precinct,” Burney reiterated.
Other business discussed at the recessed meeting included:
• Approved adding uninsured motorist coverage to the county’s general liability policy at a cost of $4,872 annually. The option was not offered on the previous policies, Tyler Wortham explained to supervisors. Earlier this month, supervisors renewed the general liability policy at a cost of $143,029.
• Agreed to pass a resolution to apply for a Community Development Block Grant. North Central Planning and Development District representative Chris Pope explained the county could apply for water or sewer projects, street improvements, fire hydrants or work on public buildings. While a specific need was not identified at Friday’s meeting, Pope told supervisors the resolution would keep the window open to submit an application for a potential grant.
• Signed a form with Mechanics Bank to set up direct deposit for the county’s payroll.
“This is an effort to go paperless, everybody’s money will go in their account,” Washington explained.
“Do all our employees have bank accounts?” Gray questioned.
“I think so,” Chancery Clerk Amy McMinn answered, adding she had asked for comments from the county workers and received positive feedback.
• Corrected a homestead exemption request for a disabled veteran who had provided proof he was 100 percent disabled from his service. Tax Assessor/Collector Linda Shuffield explained the applicant will be exempt from taxes on the property on which he files homestead exemption.
• Approved a request from the Department of Human Service to use the Multi-purpose building on April 16 without paying rent. The DHS request said the purpose of use for the facility was for a child abuse awareness program. Typically the county doesn’t waive the rental fee for use of the building, but Washington and Lee McMinn voiced favor for the request as DHS is another county agency.
• Agreed to advertise for a landfill operator at the county’s rubbish pit to replace an employee that is retiring.
