VANDERBURGH COUNTY COUNCIL

SPECIAL MEETING

SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

The Vanderburgh County Council met in special session this 8th day of September 2010 in room 301 of the Civic Center Complex. The meeting was called to order at 8:48 a.m. by County Council President Russell Lloyd, Jr.

President Lloyd: I’d like to call to order the special meeting of the Vanderburgh County Council September 8, 2010. Attendance roll call please.

President Lloyd: For the Pledge of Allegiance, please stand. I’d like Councilman Goebel to lead us.

(Pledge of Allegiance was given)

ELECTION OFFICE

President Lloyd: Thank you. We have one item on the agenda for the special meeting, or no, we have two items, I’m sorry. The first item is a transfer, so I’ll turn that over to the finance chair, Mr. Shetler.

Councilmember Shetler: Yes, you’ll recall we discussed this, I believe, last year, late spring, the idea of on the voting by remote locations, if there was a shortage, if we couldn’t come up with some more efficiencies that the Clerk would come back and ask for an appropriation or a transfer to keep the remote locations active, and that’s what this is for. We need to put the money in there immediately and then I’m looking that we may have an appropriation come down the line here in a little bit on that. But this is, for the time being, a transfer from line 1170 to 1120, for an Election Assistant, $15,000. The County Clerk is here if anybody has any questions.

Councilmember Raben: I make a motion to approve.

President Lloyd: Okay, is there a second?

Councilmember Shetler: Second.

President Lloyd: Okay, motion Mr. Raben, second Mr. Shetler and Mr. Bassemier. Any discussion? I guess for the public’s point of view, this would allow early voting to start October 11, two weeks earlier than the current money that is available. So this would allow people to vote in the five public libraries prior to election day for three weeks instead of one week. So, any other questions? Madam Clerk, do you have anything to add?

Susan Kirk: I just want to let the Council know, that actually, even though you’re appropriating this money, you know, just like in 2008, if those 20,000 people that voted at the libraries voted by mail, it would have cost more money. So I don’t want the taxpayers to think that because you’re granting this, that it’s just, oh, it’s going to cost more. Actually, when you even it all out, it’s going to be about the same, whether we, you know, it’s just more convenient for the voters. Okay?

President Lloyd: Mr. Goebel, question?

Councilmember Goebel: Susie, is this a comparable time to the ‘08 election? The three week window or do we have a longer time in that presidential year?

Susan Kirk: Normally, in this election, I wish my crystal ball worked, because it would tell me how many people are going to show up. But the election board voted to either have early voting ten or fifteen days, depending on the election, only in general elections. So, because we’re not sure what the turnout is going to be, it may be big again, who knows? We would rather be prepared rather than not prepared.

Councilmember Goebel: Was there, in ‘08, though, a three-week window like now?

Susan Kirk: That’s when we voted over 20,000 people at the libraries.

Councilmember Goebel: Okay, thank you.

President Lloyd: And then the starting date for absentee voting would be October 4^th, which is 30 days prior?

Susan Kirk: Correct.

President Lloyd: And that would be in the Civic Center –

Susan Kirk: In the Election Office.

President Lloyd: Room 200?

Susan Kirk: 214.

President Lloyd: 214. Okay, any other questions? Typically, this not being a presidential year, you’d have less turnout.

Susan Kirk: That’s true. Normally, this is the lowest voter turnout, but you know, things are kind of stirring up a little bit and you’re never too sure, and we only have one day, it isn’t like we can say, oh yeah, we’ll come back and appropriate money. We have to be able to work. Hopefully, maybe we’ll be able to give you some back. Return some.

President Lloyd: Right, I think this is a good thing for the public that they can vote in the libraries, which they seemed to take that with gusto in ‘08.

Susan Kirk: It is. It’s, and like I said, when you weigh the cost, it’s really not costing that much because if they didn’t do it there, they’d be doing it by paper ballot, which we still have to have people hired up there to do it. So it’s really not going to be a bigger cost to the taxpayers.

President Lloyd: What are the hours for early voting?

Susan Kirk: Monday through Thursday it’s going to be from noon until seven, and on Friday it will be from noon until six.

President Lloyd: And then what’s the Election Office?

Susan Kirk: The Election Office is from eight to four, and then the two Saturdays prior to the Election we’ll also be open from eight to four.

President Lloyd: Okay. And there’s no, anybody can vote absentee for any reason? I mean, there’s no, you don’t have to be out of the county?

Susan Kirk: That is correct. Early voting, you can vote just because you want to vote early. Otherwise, if you’re voting by mail or by travel board, you have to have a reason.

President Lloyd: And you would have to live in that location, what, thirty days prior to the election. So, like if you register to vote, you have to register prior to October 4?

Susan Kirk: You do. You have to register thirty days prior to election. If you should move within that thirty days, when you go to the polls and vote, there is a VRG4 form that the poll workers will fill out, that will transfer your registration, so the next time you go to vote, you’ll go to the new spot.

President Lloyd: Okay. Any other questions from Council? Great, thank you very much. There is a motion and a second, any other discussion? Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Terry?

Councilmember Terry: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Bassemier?

Councilmember Bassemier: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Raben?

Councilmember Raben: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Kiefer?

Councilmember Kiefer: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Lloyd?

President Lloyd: Yes. The transfer passes seven/zero.

ELECTION OFFICE                                               REQUESTED       APPROVED

(Motion unanimously approved 7-0)

President Lloyd: Okay, and then we have an appointment to the Vanderburgh County Redevelopment Commission, and I’d like to appoint Jan Meeks, Realtor with Summit Real Estate to that board to fill the unexpired term of Bob Musgrave, who resigned. Any questions on that? All those in favor, signify by saying aye. Or, I’m sorry, we have to have a roll call. I’m trying to speed things up. We need a motion and a second for that.

Councilmember Shetler: So moved.

President Lloyd: Is there a second?

Councilmember Terry: Second.

President Lloyd: Okay, motion Mr. Shetler, second Ms. Terry. Any discussion? Roll call vote please.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Terry?

Councilmember Terry: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Bassemier?

Councilmember Bassemier: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Shetler?

Councilmember Shetler: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Goebel?

Councilmember Goebel: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Raben?

Councilmember Raben: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: Councilmember Kiefer?

Councilmember Kiefer: Yes.

Teri Lukeman: President Lloyd?

President Lloyd: Yes. Appointment approved seven/zero.

(Motion unanimously approved 7-0)

President Lloyd: Any other discussion before Council? If not, entertain a motion to adjourn.

Councilmember Shetler: So moved.

President Lloyd: Is there a second?

Councilmember Terry: Second.

President Lloyd: We are adjourned. Thank you.

(There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was adjourned at 8:55 a.m.)

VANDERBURGH COUNTY COUNCIL

Recorded and transcribed by Teri Lukeman.