Date of Meeting: 10/29/2021

Format: In-person

Meeting Summary:

Representatives for the Kent Marijuana Initiative Petition requested the board to reconsider four signatures that had previously been deemed invalid which resulted in the group falling 4 short of the 800 signatures required to put the issue on the ballot. Chair Smith reviewed the background of this matter and stated that the Assistant Prosecutor, the Board's legal counsel, was not able to attend today's meeting. Thus, her recommendation was that the matter be tabled until the board was able to meet with its attorney to discuss some questions they had. Member Suffecool encouraged the board to move expeditiously with their meeting with the attorney and the subsequent board meeting to respond to the petition organizers' request. The board voted unanimously to table the reconsideration. If the requisite number of signatures are certified, the timing of the issue on the ballot (May 2022 or November 2022) is determined by the Kent City Charter/Law Director, not the Board of Elections.

The board performed logic and accuracy testing on randomly selected machines for the November 2, 2021 General Election. All was in order.

Theresa Nielsen asked the board for permission to use 20 table privacy voting stands for the League of Women Voters of Kent's VOTER GIRL program on November 13, 2021 at which Girl Scouts in Northeast Ohio earn civics badges appropriate to their age group. Permission was granted.

The board discussed holding a holiday lunch for the staff (8 full-time, including the directors, and 3 full-time part-time). Bonuses for the staff will be discussed at the next meeting on November 2nd.

The board moved to recess. The board must be in session during an election; thus the move to recess so they would be in session at the beginning of the November 2, 2021 election.

Which members of the board/council were present: Chair: Denise Smith; Members: Randi Clites, Doria Daniels, Amanda Suffecool; Staff: Faith Lyon and Theresa Nielsen

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: Yes

Name of Observer: Jane Preston Rose