Macoupin County Finance Committee met July 3.
Here is the minutes provided by the committee:
I. CALL TO ORDER
PRESENT: Deihl, Boehm
ABSENT :
II. AGENDA ITEMS
1. FY 18-19 Month 10 Budget Review
Clerk Duncan walked through the General Fund budget review. At the month mark, 83% is the percentage that would be the target. Most were near that percentage. Duncan also reminded the Board that all officials and department heads were asked to tell the Board if they didn't believe they would make it through the fiscal year with their current budget during the budget hearing process.
2. Seat Rull
Motion by Harding, seconded by Armour to seat Gary Rull at 5:12 p.m.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Bill Harding, Vice Chair
SECONDER: Todd Armour, Member
AYES: Thomas, Harding, Armour, Kiel, Lewis, Rull, Tranter
3. FY 2019-2020 Tentative Budget for General Fund and Special Funds
Clerk Duncan explained that the only updates to the tentative budget from the last meeting was adjusting the personal property tax replacement disbursement from the state as well as lowering the federal prisoner reimbursement expected. The Circuit Court had agreed to lower it's budget by $20,000. This left a deficit of $11.
On the special funds, the only change to the tentative budget presented last meeting was the addition of a column reflecting the current balance of the fund.
Motion by Tranter, seconded by Harding to recommend the tentative budget for the General Fund, decreasing the County Administration budget by $15.00.
RESULT: MOTION TO RECOMMEND [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Mike Tranter, Member
SECONDER: Bill Harding, Vice Chair
AYES: Thomas, Harding, Armour, Kiel, Lewis, Rull, Tranter
4. Resolution Amending FY 18-19 Special Fund Appropriations
Clerk Duncan explained this resolution was adjusting three special funds appropriations to allow them to finish out the fiscal year. There was sufficient balances in these funds to cover those costs.
Motion by Lewis, seconded by Tranter to recommend the resolution to the full Board.
RESULT: MOTION TO RECOMMEND [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Shielda Lewis, Member
SECONDER: Mike Tranter, Member
AYES: Thomas, Harding, Armour, Kiel, Lewis, Rull, Tranter
5. New Voting Machines and Precinct Boundary Changes
Clerk Duncan explained that he had spoken with Chariman Dragovich the night before and Dragovich would like to make sure that any precinct changes were done by statutory requirements. The statute currently requires a precinct have no fewer than 500 voters and no more than 800 voters. Every June, the Board is supposed to redraw precinct lines to get that accomplished, and they have not been doing that so many of the current precincts are not within that range. Duncan pointed out these precinct lines haven't been changed since 1976 so it has been quite a while. Based off of that request, Duncan had calculated that the number of precincts the County should have countywide is 47. He provided a sheet to all committee members showing how each township with more than one precinct would be effected to get within the 500 to 800 voter range.
Using the 47 precincts for figuring out how many new machines would be required, Duncan had calculated out the costs for getting the new machines. Duncan said even with increasing the number of precincts we would be reducing down to by 7, the machines could still be paid in full should the Board choose to reduce the number of judges would work a primary election from 5 per precinct to 3. Duncan isn't a real fan of this idea, but if it is what is required to get the new machines, he would support it. $15,040 would be saved over a two year period by reducing the judges used to 3 per precinct. $29,120 would be saved by having less judges work due to there being fewer precincts. $7,440 would be saved in a reduction to the election services contract as there would be less precincts. Duncan also said he could reduce the County Clerk's budget by $20,000 to cover the remainder of the costs of the yearly lease payment. This meant if the precinct lines were redrawn, machines would be paid for in full.
Thomas said that based on the amount being spent, this would require a bid to be put out for the machines. Duncan said a bid had been put out. Back in June of last year, the Board approved putting it out for bids. Duncan than read from the February 7, 2019 Finance meeting where he reported back that the bids had been received. Duncan had put the issue on the back burner but had sought out the bids after the rearranging for GIS Manager, the voting machines had no place to be stored in the Courthouse. Duncan said they had received two bids and both companies had presented first to his office and then he had invited all Board members to a presentation of both options he held back in May for election judges. Lewis and Wieseman both showed up. Duncan also reminded the Board that any voting machine system being used had to be certified by the State Board of Elections. There are currently only a four options that have that certification.
Dragovich asked what the benefits of the new machines might be. Duncan explained that for voters, the main benefits would that if they used the touchscreen option, they would receive a paper ballot they could hold in their hand, review, and then place in the new tabulator just like if they voted by paper. This was a major complaint by voters. Voters would also like that if they undervote their ballot, instead of the ballot being kicked out as it is with the current machines, the ballot would be held in the machine and a message on the screen would alert the voter they undervoted and let them either count their ballot as is or have the ballot returned to them for them to review again. This would solve a major complaint of voters that when their ballot is returned unexpectedly, anyone around would be able to see it, meaning their ballot isn't private. There were additional benefits for both the judges who work the polls and the election office itself. Duncan reiterated though that the biggest solution the new machines would offer is machines that work fully. The current machines are not working throughout the day and not counting all of the ballots. Duncan's office has been able to catch ballots that weren't counted on Election Day and get them counted before officially certifying, but if nothing was done soon, their would be races effected by the machines not counting ballots and that would lead to loss of confidence in the electoral system.
Thomas said he believed that precinct lines could only be changed in June per the state statute. Duncan said that was true when dealing with just changing precincts for the sake of changing precincts. Duncan read from state statute regarding getting new voting machines and it states that when the Board is purchasing a new option, they can change precinct boundaries. There is no mention of it only being done at the June meeting. Thomas said he wanted the State's Attorney's opinion on that matter.
Dragovich asked if it would be cheaper to purchase the machines outright. Duncan said it might be, it would depend on how the savings would be decided based upon if the precincts changed or not.
Motion by Armour, seconded by Lewis to recommend to the Board that they make a commitment as a Board to bring the precincts within the statutory guidelines.
RESULT: MOTION TO RECOMMEND [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Todd Armour, Member
SECONDER: Shielda Lewis, Member
AYES: Thomas, Harding, Armour, Kiel, Lewis, Rull, Tranter
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