Date of Meeting: 5/21/2021
Format: In-person
Meeting Summary:
The BOE office is being renovated; a generator is being installed (the current building generator does not cover the BOE office); a new Hanel machine is coming from Germany to replace the aging machine that stores registration cards.
A ballot review was conducted prior to certification of the May 4, 2021 primary election:
UNCOUNTABLE ABSENTEE BALLOTS: 13 were uncountable: 1 returned undeliverable, 2 needed corrections - the voters were sent a letter about the need for correction and there was no response, 4 had late or missing postmarks (the BOE has a bar code reader that reads the code printed on processed mail which helps identify some that do not have a postmark), and 6 were nursing home voters who declined to vote or were no longer available when BOE representatives (1 Democrat and 1 Republican) went to their facilities.
COUNTABLE ABSENTEE BALLOTS: 1842 received prior to the election and 20 received during the 10 day period following the election for a total of 1862.
PROVISIONAL BALLOTS: 76 were cast: 71 were counted, 5 were uncounted as the individuals were not registered any place in Ohio and thus ineligible to vote.
Machines were tested to be sure the results obtained were as expected.
CHANGES IN POLLING PLACES: Kentway (senior citizen residence) will again become a polling place (those precincts were moved to the UCC church temporarily for elections during the past year because of COVID); Franklin School has been sold to The Davey Tree Expert Company and, as a result, the five precincts that voted there will be moved to Central School on N. Mantua St in Kent. Accessibility and parking are very good at the new location.
The board received a notice from Dean DePerro about his intention to retire and immediately rehire to the position of Coroner. The last day of current employment will be May 31, 2021 and the rehire day will be June 1, 2021.
There will be no August election.
Which members of the board/council were present: Denise L. Smith, Chair; Randi Clites, Doria Daniels, Faith Lyons, Theresa Nielsen. Amanda Suffecool was excused because she was travelling out-of-town
Was there a public notice of the meeting that included the time and place of meeting: Yes
Was an agenda of the meeting or handouts available to visitors: Yes
Are minutes from previous meetings posted/available: Minutes of the meeting are not available until the BOE members have approved them at their next meeting (typically a month later). Minutes are not available online but may be requested.