CABELL COUNTY COMMISSION

SPECIAL MEETING

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2007

 

PRESENT:                 W. SCOTT BIAS, PRESIDENT

                                    ROBERT L. BAILEY, COMMISSIONER

                                    NANCY CARTMILL, COMMISSIONER

                                    STEPHEN ZOELLER, COUNTY MANAGER

                                    SHARON ROSS, ASSISTANT COUNTY MANAGER

                                    FOR BILLABLES AND PAYABLES

                                    KAREN S. COLE, COUNTY CLERK

                                    TERESA POWELL, CHIEF DEPUTY COUNTY CLERK

                                    MARY MILLER, VOTERS REGISTRATION SUPERVISOR

 

W. Scott Bias, President, called the Special Meeting of the Cabell County Commission to order at 10:00 a.m.

 

#029                            DISCUSSION/ACTION OF VOTING DISTRICTS OF

                                    CABELL COUNTY  

 

Karen Cole, County Clerk, stated that since the Commission sets the policy for polling places and precinct boundaries she needed to inform them of several changes that needed to take place before the 2008 Primary Election. 

 

Ms. Cole informed the Commission that with the closing of the Cammack Middle School, Precincts #6, #7 and #10 would need to be temporarily moved to another location.  Ms. Cole went on to say that Precinct #7 was the largest precinct with 1452 registration voters and the largest precinct in voter turnout.  Ms. Cole stated that state code would not allow more than 1500 voters in a precinct, where electronic voting equipment was used, and she expected Precinct #7 to go over the 1500 before the 2008 Primary Election.

 

Ms. Cole also stated that Precinct #59 was a very large precinct with 1302 registered voters.  Ms. Cole further stated several precincts were in the 1100’s, however, she did not expect those precincts to meet the maximum number of voters.  Ms. Cole informed the Commission the two largest precincts could be split alphabetically and could be housed in the same location, however, they must have separate ballots and a separate set of election officials.

 

Robert L. Bailey, Commissioner, stated he was concerned about Precinct #6-W, located at Woodlands, due to complaints he had received.  Ms. Cole stated there had been some problems with the residents visiting the Community Room, where precinct #6-W was located, however, most of the complaints were from outside residents who did not want to go to Woodlands because of the long lines.  Ms. Cole further stated she had stressed to the election officials and to Woodlands that visiting with the residents in the precinct was not allowed and one of her employees had visited the precinct often on the day of the election and she believed the problems had improved during the 2006 General Election.

 

Commissioner Bailey stated he had requests from other senior housing wanting a precinct in their building.  Commissioner Bailey suggested moving Precinct #7 from Cammack to Trowbridge Manor at 1st Street and 8th Avenue. 

 

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2007

PAGE TWO

 

W. Scott Bias, President, asked if a precinct could be located somewhere on the campus of Marshall University.  Mrs. Cole stated there had been a precinct at the University, located in the Christian Center, however, the University charged a very high fee for use of the room.

 

President Bias asked if there could be a precinct for Marshall Students only and to have the precinct located at the University.

 

There was a lengthy discussion regarding the placement of a precinct at Marshall University and the problems that would arise due to the school being in session on Election Day and the lack of parking.  Ms. Cole also informed the Commission you could not combine the two precincts due to the magisterial line that runs through the campus.

 

Robert L. Bailey, Commissioner, suggested using the Underwood Center at 10th Avenue and 7th Street, which he believed would be large enough for two precincts, using the headquarters of the Cabell County Community Services Organization and the gym at the Renaissance Center on 8th Avenue for the three precincts currently located at the Cammack Middle School.

 

Ms. Cole stated that parking at the Renaissance Center was for residents only which may cause problems.

 

Commissioner Bailey stated he still would like to change precinct #06-W from the Woodlands.  Ms. Cole stated she would like to keep changes to a minimum because there were several changes that had to be made at this time. 

 

W. Scott Bias, President, stated the handicap parking and the regular parking were a problem at the Woodlands.  Ms. Cole stated that by state code only two handicap parking places were required for a precinct, which was the same as the Courthouse, but she would speak to the Woodlands to see if more parking could be blocked off for voters from the outside.

 

Robert L. Bailey, Commissioner, asked if another place could be found near Woodlands that could be used for a polling place, could precinct #06-W be moved from the Woodlands.

 

Nancy Cartmill, Commissioner, stated she did not believe it was fair to move precincts to Trowbridge Manor and the Underwood Center for seniors to vote and then to move the Precinct #6-W from the Woodlands’ seniors.

 

Robert L. Bailey, Commissioner, requested Ms. Cole speak with someone at Woodlands to see if there was another room that could be used for a precinct and if they could add more parking for the outside voters. 

 

 

 

 

 

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2007

PAGE THREE

 

Commission Bailey stated he would discuss with CCCSO about the use of their buildings for a precinct and he further stated there may be a problem with the parking at the Underwood Center as parking would have to be on the street.

 

Karen Cole, County Clerk, stated she and her staff would check out all locations to make sure they were handicap accessible, they had adequate parking and that the buildings could be used as a precinct.   

 

Ms. Cole stated she believed the 2008 Primary Election would be huge and she informed the Commission that several years ago they had extended the hours during early voting and she would like the Commission to do the same for the  2008 Primary Election.

 

Tom Bell, Chief Tax Deputy, suggested using the Waggoner’s Brothers building as a precinct.

 

Robert L. Bailey, Commissioner, stated he believed the Owens Illinois Club House could be used to place Precinct #6.

 

Karen Cole, County Clerk, asked if it was the Commission intentions to split Precincts #7 and #59 and the Commission stated they were in agreement to split both precincts.

 

W. Scott Bias, President, stated he would like to split Precinct #11.  Ms. Cole stated precinct #11 could be split into precinct #11-A and precinct #11-B and still be located at the First Presbyterian Church.

 

Karen Cole, County Clerk, informed the Commission that a new housing development named Summit Ridge, located off Mount Union Road, had been annexed into the City of Huntington in 2000 and her office had just received this information.  Ms. Cole stated the residents would be placed in the closest municipal precinct which would be Precinct #6-W, because any other municipal precinct would be crossing magisterial lines and delegate lines.

 

Nancy Cartmill, Commissioner, asked how many residents would that include and Ms. Miller, Voter Registration Supervisor, stated it would include ten residents. 

 

Karen Cole, County Clerk, informed the Commission she received a letter from Congressman Rahall informing her of complaints from several residents residing in Lesage. Ms. Cole stated the residents complained because they vote in Precinct #57, located at the Pleasant View Church on Barker Ridge, but the residents stated they were closer to Precinct #56, located in Greenbottom.  Ms. Cole stated the letters from the residents indicated the voters lived closer to the Greenbottom precinct, however, the residents addresses were not street addresses only route numbers or box numbers.  Ms. Cole stated she would need to drive to Union Ridge to see where the houses were located.

 

Ms. Cole stated she also had received requests from Madison Manor residents to be moved from their precinct at Central School to the Department of Motor Vehicles building. 

 

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2007

PAGE FOUR

 

Mary Miller, Voter Registration Supervisor, stated that she believed the TTA buses picked up residents to take them to vote and Commissioner Bailey stated rides were provided for all high rise residents in Cabell County.

 

Karen Cole, County Clerk, informed the Commission there was a bill in congress, that if passed, would make the Federal Government over-see every state’s elections.  Ms. Cole went on to say if the bill passed the county’s voting equipment would be obsolete.  Ms. Cole stated that if the Federal Government should oversee the elections, it would include mandated audits within 24 hours of an election and hand-counts. Mrs. Cole further stated she believed this action was to force states back to the paper ballot.

 

The Commission, Ms. Cole and her staff agreed to meet at a later date to finalize the intended precinct changes.

 

W. Scott Bias, President, adjourned the special meeting at 11:30 a.m., until the next scheduled meeting on Thursday, February 22, 2007, at 10:00 a.m. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                        _______________________________________

                                                                            PRESIDENT, COUNTY COMMISSION 

 

 

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