Letters to the Editor - April 24, 2013
Eliminating precincts and polling places
Can we be reasonable?
If this was only about budgeting, I would propose that we eliminate all but one County polling place, mail voting, voting machines / programming fees and absentee ballot mailing costs.
This would eliminate the machine inaccuracy problems and help the budget, but is it reasonable?
Should we replace 10 seldom used voting machines designed to assist handicapped voters at the cost of somewhere between $50-100,000, plus $6000 in programming fees cumulative, for each election? Why are we replacing unused machines? An election judge stated, “never has a person used the machine without assistance”, therefore compromising their privacy, which is the whole intent of the machine in the first place. What did we do prior to AutoMark machines? Can we aide the handicapped voter in a more personal and custom way with personal assistance? “It is Federal law and a county has been sued”, says the commissioner. If that is “the law” I would ask that our elected government officials go to work for “reason” and work to get the laws changed to reflect reason.
Is it reasonable to theoretically save $35K by closing nearly half the polling places in this county?
The Commissioner’s reasons for eliminating polling places and precincts were to save money and accommodate state law, requiring polling places to be similar in size. The proposal accomplishes neither goal. County costs may decrease, but the cost is shifted to the taxpayer as they are forced to travel to a distant location to vote. This proposal does not make poll numbers similar.
Leave polling places and precincts alone, get rid of the AutoMark machines and save Sanders County way more than they were going to save by eliminating 4 polling places and precincts, inconveniencing many voters in the process.
In addition, I suggest the Commissioners meet with redistricting personnel and have a reasonable conversation about the River Road West voters forced to poll vote in Thompson Falls. It is not reasonable for a voter to have to travel through Plains on his way to Thompson Falls to vote. This seems to force voters to vote absentee. Use our Camas Prairie AutoMark machines or savings from AutoMark elimination and create another precinct for disenfranchised River Road West voters.
Mark French
Paradise, MT
Closing precincts has severe problems
To the Editor,
I am writing regarding the Public Hearing hosted by the county commissioners on April 11 concerning their initiative to close four precincts in the county (Heron, Whitepine, Paradise , and Camas Prairie) and roll them into the remaining six. There are some valid points in this initiative, but I believe the problems are very severe. My biggest concern that this is being pushed very fast, with little voter education and awareness about an action that will profoundly affect their voting rights in perpetuity.
Is it possible that these precincts are being punished for their relative lack of support for the incumbent commissioner in the 2012 election? Of the four precincts on the list to be snuffed, Heron had the largest number of registered and actual voters in the 2012 election.
But Heron was carried by the “Republican” (presumably non-partisan) candidate 52% to 48% - the only precinct out of ten to not go for the incumbent. Is it a mere coincidence that the Heronprecinct is being targeted by the commissioners?
This closure will require Heron voters to drive 15 extra miles to Noxon, thereby discouraging marginally motivated voters from voting at all, or alternatively, encouraging many voters to vote absentee, a process that has earned widespread skepticism for its “accuracy”.
According to the commissioners, the main reason for this action is financial. There is allegedly a $30,000 savings per election to be realized by this initiative for all four precinct closures, but I think this number is inflated substantially, possibly to enhance the argument for closure. I would submit that few things other than keeping the peace should be higher on the priorities of county government than to protect and facilitate participatory democracy within its jurisdiction, but I suppose that is a reactionary idea. If needed, I will be glad to offer my services; give me a red pen, the county budget, and 24 hours, and I guarantee I will find the $30,000.
At the very least, commissioners owe the electorate a much more robust education about this issue. We were told at the meeting that they intend to make a decision in the next few days. This is unacceptable.
George Wallace
Heron, MT
Public comment on fair board meetings
The following are my recent comments made at the last Fair Board meeting (April 17, 2013). I would like to share these with the public as many residents are unaware of how their ability to redress a Board which exists for their interest has been severely hampered.
My public comment is on --- public comment. This new rule by the Board to allow a whole 3 minutes per person- once a month- BEFORE any actual Agenda items follows on the heels of several items which were brought to the attention of the Board by the PUBLIC. The Board indicated they would ‘take the items under advisement.’ To my knowledge, the Board has never addressed or corrected them and certainly has never contacted the PUBLIC that brought these things to their attention. However—they have instead made a rule change about public participation at these meetings.
I would like to remind all that it was the PUBLIC who was responsible for:
Pointing out the hiring and firing practices which gave the Manager unmonitored ability to hire/fire whomever he chose. Something completely contrary to standards established for every other County office. And something that once pointed out by the PUBLIC- the Board has now seen fit to change in their policy manual so standards are more in accordance to county guidelines.
It was the PUBLIC who was responsible for:
Pointing out to the Commissioners that the Manager and essentially- the County has been hiring unlicensed Contractors- exposing the County to unnecessary liability. Again, another change has now been made to the manner in which the Fair hires Contractors.
It was the PUBLIC who was responsible for:
Bringing to the attention of the Board an actual Audit finding from the 2010/11 fiscal year regarding the improper handling of Fair petty cash funds with regard to cash deposits, check register usage and the like. An actual AUDIT finding- which the Board has absolutely NO knowledge of until… the PUBLIC.
It was the PUBLIC who was responsible for:
Asking the appropriate questions which led to the 2011/12 fiscal year Audit findings of no less than 4 violations with regard to the Fair Foundation, non-profit run by the Fair Manager, Mike Hashisaki. The Board has been silent on this except for the public comment from Ed Schramm last month which was completely inaccurate and disingenuous to say the least. Also- one comment at last months’ meeting from the Manager in which he stated he is feeling devious (yes those are his words) and it seems he is working on a plan to figure out how to continue ‘business as usual’ even though the Auditor has been consistent in his recommendation that the county fair discontinue any dealings with the Fair Foundation.
So- real serious issues here – and what are we going to hear about tonight? More than likely, more grumblings about some Republicans selling milkshakes for a day… Why does such a petty thing matter so much as to be worthy of mention in 2 consecutive meetings?
Does anyone here have a personal interest in pursuing such an ongoing and public reprimand for such a minor infraction?
The answer seems simple: to throw you all off the trail of the really major items--- a technique that seems to be working quite effectively in fact.
Please note that after my comments were made, the Board said “Thank you for your comments”. Nothing more.... and Yes, they did spend approximately 10+ minutes discussing 1 day’s milkshake sales which as it turns out, was not even an issue within their oversight- it was in fact an issue for the Concessionaires....Oh- and the Fair budget was in the hole $17,000.00 this month.
Thank you-
Mary Halling,
Plains