WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:20.040 - I will call the June 5th meeting of Monroe County Election Board order. 00:00:20.040 --> 00:00:24.720 - Now my mic's on, okay, fine. 00:00:24.720 --> 00:00:26.340 - So we're called to order. 00:00:26.340 --> 00:00:32.120 - We need to approve minutes of the May 1st Election Board meeting and the second vote 00:00:32.120 --> 00:00:33.120 - hearing. 00:00:33.120 --> 00:00:34.120 - Can we do that at once? 00:00:34.120 --> 00:00:35.120 - Do we have to do them separately? 00:00:35.120 --> 00:00:38.120 - Can we do that at once? 00:00:38.120 --> 00:00:43.960 - We've done them collectively in the past and I have read and reviewed the minutes. 00:00:43.960 --> 00:00:49.240 - I have no additions, corrections, or deletions. 00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:52.000 - So is that a motion to accept? 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:53.000 - It is. 00:00:53.000 --> 00:00:57.160 - Second that, those in favor, aye. 00:00:57.160 --> 00:00:58.160 - Aye. 00:00:58.160 --> 00:00:59.160 - Opposed? 00:00:59.160 --> 00:01:00.160 - That passes. 00:01:00.160 --> 00:01:01.160 - That's Ms. Kiley. 00:01:01.160 --> 00:01:02.160 - Yes. 00:01:02.160 --> 00:01:03.160 - Okay. 00:01:03.160 --> 00:01:22.920 - So, voterless maintenance started at the end of May and we're still working through 00:01:22.920 --> 00:01:23.920 - it currently. 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:30.280 - We are expected to be completed with voterless maintenance by September of 2025 and then 00:01:30.280 --> 00:01:37.520 - I did want to also give an update that we are currently processing our annual SVRS audit 00:01:37.520 --> 00:01:43.600 - and that has begun this week and it should be completed by December 31st. 00:01:43.600 --> 00:01:50.000 - That is connected, is that connected to the postcards we received in the mail? 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:55.360 - So the postcards will be part of the voterless maintenance portion of that that is just verifying 00:01:55.360 --> 00:01:59.680 - that every registered voter is still at their current address and if they are not, then 00:01:59.680 --> 00:02:04.040 - they can update or request to cancel their registration if they've moved out of state. 00:02:04.040 --> 00:02:12.760 - And then the SVRS audit is strictly auditing users that have access to SVRS, so all of 00:02:12.760 --> 00:02:18.000 - the employees in the office ensuring that there are not any on there that are seasonal 00:02:18.000 --> 00:02:27.240 - workers such as our leads during the election and just maintaining the order of SVRS. 00:02:27.240 --> 00:02:31.840 - Is there public comment on this? 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:38.560 - I see none. 00:02:38.560 --> 00:02:39.560 - New business. 00:02:39.560 --> 00:02:40.560 - Is the? 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:41.560 - All right. 00:02:41.560 --> 00:02:42.560 - Just to enter for a second. 00:02:42.560 --> 00:02:47.720 - Somebody texted me that audio is not coming through for the online portion of the meeting. 00:02:47.720 --> 00:02:50.720 - Can folks hear it? 00:02:50.720 --> 00:02:55.560 - Yes, we can hear you online. 00:02:55.560 --> 00:02:58.560 - Okay, thanks. 00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:01.160 - Thank you. 00:03:01.160 --> 00:03:18.600 - So the contract review and resolution. 00:03:18.600 --> 00:03:25.720 - I did not prepare a resolution for this agenda item, so I guess I can quickly prepare one 00:03:25.720 --> 00:03:39.360 - based on election board compensation. 00:03:39.360 --> 00:03:43.120 - Question I'm going to ask is what do we have to do with this? 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:49.880 - Do we approve it and then it goes to the commissioners to sign? 00:03:49.880 --> 00:03:54.700 - I think historically election board has not reviewed election related contracts, but this 00:03:54.700 --> 00:03:59.180 - is one where there was a request for the election board to review it. 00:03:59.180 --> 00:04:04.280 - So I think that would be the process that ultimately the contract is to be approved 00:04:04.280 --> 00:04:07.680 - by the commissioners. 00:04:07.680 --> 00:04:13.720 - Based on my understanding again from what I've done with the last week, Hart sells us or 00:04:13.720 --> 00:04:24.440 - leases us, sells leases, leases the stuff, and then we have used B&L to make it work. 00:04:24.440 --> 00:04:27.240 - So I guess the question is, do we support that? 00:04:27.240 --> 00:04:31.600 - Is that, am I reading that correctly? 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:40.800 - We actually do own the equipment and B&L services helps us with the IT portion of our election. 00:04:40.800 --> 00:04:42.200 - They're our IT vendor. 00:04:42.200 --> 00:04:51.200 - They also move our equipment prior to election day and then pick it up. 00:04:51.200 --> 00:05:00.640 - And then they also help us, I'm doing a very poor job of this, Mr. White is on the meeting 00:05:00.640 --> 00:05:06.060 - if you have specific questions, but they also help us with our IT during early and absentee 00:05:06.060 --> 00:05:10.760 - voting as well as on election day. 00:05:10.760 --> 00:05:18.360 - Based upon the meeting that I had last week with Kylie and with Mr. White, it's the company's 00:05:18.360 --> 00:05:24.880 - job is to when there's a glitch that occurs or something's not correct, they come in and 00:05:24.880 --> 00:05:25.880 - fix it. 00:05:25.880 --> 00:05:28.520 - Would that be... 00:05:28.520 --> 00:05:33.400 - They work with heart to address any issues that we might have. 00:05:33.400 --> 00:05:35.880 - They also help us with preventative maintenance. 00:05:35.880 --> 00:05:44.120 - Mr. White submitted a letter for the election board's review providing extensive detail 00:05:44.120 --> 00:05:47.920 - on what it is that he does. 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:50.400 - He has worked with us for more than 11 years. 00:05:50.400 --> 00:06:07.700 - He started under the previous Monroe County clerk and has continued with under my administration. 00:06:07.700 --> 00:06:10.640 - So you'll have to forgive me, I have a couple of different questions. 00:06:10.640 --> 00:06:12.080 - I really wouldn't... 00:06:12.080 --> 00:06:13.080 - Probably a couple of different questions. 00:06:13.080 --> 00:06:16.000 - I've had only a day or two to review this. 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:24.440 - There's a mention in the letter that is serving as a statement of work of a team of 20 and 00:06:24.440 --> 00:06:29.400 - just my fundamental question is whether that team of 20 are direct employees of the firm 00:06:29.400 --> 00:06:34.000 - or whether they're subcontractors. 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:41.800 - I think it would be fairest to ask Mr. White who has been made a presenter. 00:06:41.800 --> 00:06:43.560 - You hear me? 00:06:43.560 --> 00:06:46.200 - Yes, we can. 00:06:46.200 --> 00:06:52.120 - Yes, subcontractors. 00:06:52.120 --> 00:06:54.640 - Is there any... 00:06:54.640 --> 00:06:55.640 - Is there a way... 00:06:55.640 --> 00:07:02.200 - Do you have an existing employment agreement or assurances or indemnities with subcontractors 00:07:02.200 --> 00:07:07.600 - and machine access to include with the contract? 00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:15.800 - I'm unclear what you're asking. 00:07:15.800 --> 00:07:22.480 - Is there any sort of just like a memorandum of understanding and outlining of liabilities 00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:28.960 - and protections, what the employment agreement for those subcontractors looks like? 00:07:28.960 --> 00:07:32.240 - Do they have access to voting machines, voting software, that kind of thing? 00:07:32.240 --> 00:07:39.560 - They have access to the voting machines, the software is provided by Harkin, that's their 00:07:39.560 --> 00:07:43.200 - software provider, and it's gorgeous. 00:07:43.200 --> 00:07:55.560 - So not for that nation, but you have the ability to vote and select the proper polling location. 00:07:55.560 --> 00:08:04.800 - Sorry, that was a little bit unclear, the audio was just off and the transcript was 00:08:04.800 --> 00:08:05.800 - hard to understand. 00:08:05.800 --> 00:08:08.800 - Could you please repeat? 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:23.360 - Yes, each one signs an agreement that they are subcontractors and is defined by that, 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:27.360 - but they are limited in what they do. 00:08:27.360 --> 00:08:42.760 - The actual program is provided by Harkin and they load the information on the correct piece. 00:08:42.760 --> 00:08:46.700 - I think it was we load that information on the correct piece, I don't think it, I don't 00:08:46.700 --> 00:08:47.700 - think it. 00:08:47.700 --> 00:08:48.700 - Yeah, I think we got it. 00:08:48.700 --> 00:08:53.920 - Yeah, it's just some of the wording Mr. White, as you're using, it's not translating wellness 00:08:53.920 --> 00:08:57.080 - and I just want to clarify that. 00:08:57.080 --> 00:08:58.080 - You are. 00:08:58.080 --> 00:08:59.080 - I think we're fine. 00:08:59.080 --> 00:09:00.080 - I think I understand. 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:01.080 - Yeah, thank you. 00:09:01.080 --> 00:09:19.160 - Questions that I guess we could call if there's public comment on this, correct? 00:09:19.160 --> 00:09:40.560 - Public comment on the hello, Monroe County Commissioner Julie Thomas, I just wanted to 00:09:40.560 --> 00:09:46.640 - reiterate information that we sent in this letter in May. 00:09:46.640 --> 00:09:56.840 - And we have questions about whether you all had reviewed the contract and were fine with 00:09:56.840 --> 00:10:04.320 - it, whether there was a search for multiple vendors to find a good price, whether this 00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:09.640 - is something that could be done in-house, how many other counties do this with outside 00:10:09.640 --> 00:10:14.960 - IT versus inside IT. 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:27.840 - And our biggest concern was that there's $100,000 in non-election year cost that goes to this 00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:29.960 - particular company. 00:10:29.960 --> 00:10:40.440 - And yes, while HART may indeed offer some software updates this year in a non-election 00:10:40.440 --> 00:10:46.320 - year that happens, we don't understand the dollars. 00:10:46.320 --> 00:10:52.620 - And that's all we were asking for because we were asked to approve a contract that there 00:10:52.620 --> 00:11:00.600 - is missing information for us because for transparency sake, we want to make sure that 00:11:00.600 --> 00:11:05.560 - when we get asked a question by the public about why does it cost this much to do this 00:11:05.560 --> 00:11:09.240 - when you're also paying HART that, what is this person doing? 00:11:09.240 --> 00:11:11.280 - What is this company doing? 00:11:11.280 --> 00:11:18.440 - We want to be able to answer those questions and we felt like the contract had a lot of 00:11:18.440 --> 00:11:25.000 - gaps in it and Ms. Turner-King is aware of those gaps, so thank you so much. 00:11:25.000 --> 00:11:30.920 - Commissioner, did you receive a copy of the letter from Mr. White where he responded to 00:11:30.920 --> 00:11:33.240 - the commissioner's concerns? 00:11:33.240 --> 00:11:37.760 - No, I did not. 00:11:37.760 --> 00:11:44.960 - I just got a copy of the letter yesterday so I did not have time to distribute it. 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:53.200 - So Mr. White, are you, would you mind to summarize what you listed in that letter? 00:11:53.200 --> 00:12:11.880 - Yes, good afternoon, basically the current costs are normal election costs, and maintenance 00:12:11.880 --> 00:12:17.640 - of all these, and we test them all each year, make sure they're in good working order, and 00:12:17.640 --> 00:12:26.600 - do that here also to be corrected, and then, so we're expecting it to be hard for the state 00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:34.920 - to be approved by the state that will have to load it up with the equipment, and then 00:12:34.920 --> 00:12:43.400 - there are also anticipated election improvement groups that have already began due to improvement 00:12:43.400 --> 00:12:52.400 - the election office, and we handle that, and then, quite honestly, we've already done the 00:12:52.400 --> 00:13:02.640 - elections to provide the clerk's office on projects that will be provided information, 00:13:02.640 --> 00:13:11.440 - that kind of thing, for both centers, and the status now, we did a lot of work with 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:22.020 - those offices. So, that's what happens with the office here. On a regular day in and out 00:13:22.020 --> 00:13:30.280 - basis, the clerk provides the equipment that we purchase, and then they provide the software 00:13:30.280 --> 00:13:37.520 - which then will call, that is what their office did, and then day in and out, we include something 00:13:37.520 --> 00:13:43.400 - around, take it off the clerk, we do it, we support it, we pick it up, put it all in place, 00:13:43.400 --> 00:13:52.000 - and then we, with the tools, along with scanning buds, and the balance. 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:58.160 - So unfortunately, there is still, there continues to be some garbling, the translation between 00:13:58.160 --> 00:14:04.840 - what you're saying. I believe that they are reviewing, the election board is looking at 00:14:04.840 --> 00:14:11.000 - the letter that you presented, but is it fair to summarize it in a way that costs, whether 00:14:11.000 --> 00:14:17.460 - or not there's an election, there are still costs. Is that a fair thing to say? We continue 00:14:17.460 --> 00:14:24.800 - to pay for software and licensing, we do preventative maintenance, we could pay HART to come from 00:14:24.800 --> 00:14:33.040 - Texas and do that, but you work directly with HART for the off-election year responsibilities 00:14:33.040 --> 00:14:39.960 - with respect to the election equipment that we purchased under the contract with HART. 00:14:39.960 --> 00:14:45.480 - Is that fair? That is fair. 00:14:45.480 --> 00:14:53.560 - And is it also fair to say, when you see the $100,000, it is up to that amount, you have 00:14:53.560 --> 00:15:01.280 - given us an amount so that we can have an idea of how much it could cost, it may not 00:15:01.280 --> 00:15:06.600 - cost that much, as I understood it from your letter, we have never gone over that amount 00:15:06.600 --> 00:15:19.360 - where we had to go back and ask for additional appropriations. 00:15:19.360 --> 00:15:29.720 - It does not exceed that budget and allows you to change out the batteries and other preventative 00:15:29.720 --> 00:15:34.960 - maintenance as HART recommends what we need to do each year to get ready, whether it's 00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:41.760 - an election or non-election, the preventative things and that that is what your company 00:15:41.760 --> 00:15:47.920 - does and has done for the last 11 years without incident. 00:15:47.920 --> 00:15:53.960 - Is that fair? That is fair. 00:15:53.960 --> 00:16:07.280 - So under your time, Nicole, under your time, have they done what they said their contract 00:16:07.280 --> 00:16:14.960 - would do and have they been timely on an issue either on election day or early voting pops 00:16:14.960 --> 00:16:15.960 - up? 00:16:15.960 --> 00:16:16.960 - Absolutely. 00:16:16.960 --> 00:16:23.440 - They have more than fulfilled the terms of the contract that we have with them. 00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:26.040 - There has not been any issue. 00:16:26.040 --> 00:16:33.400 - And because we could we could pay a lot more, I would guess two to three times what B and 00:16:33.400 --> 00:16:41.040 - L charges us for heart to come here from Texas to do the things that we need to service our 00:16:41.040 --> 00:16:42.720 - equipment. 00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:50.640 - We actually are getting B and L at a lower cost than where Mr. White previously worked, 00:16:50.640 --> 00:16:54.400 - which was the Indiana voice and data. 00:16:54.400 --> 00:17:04.800 - So we kind of, I guess, got bang for our buck by going with B and L because what they charge 00:17:04.800 --> 00:17:14.960 - is exponentially less than what we would charge and as to only so many vendors make election 00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:24.520 - equipment and everybody is not does not have the experience or background to work on that 00:17:24.520 --> 00:17:25.520 - equipment. 00:17:25.520 --> 00:17:27.240 - B and L does. 00:17:27.240 --> 00:17:33.720 - This is just short of just short of bringing heart in here to service their own equipment 00:17:33.720 --> 00:17:35.720 - and work with us. 00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:42.000 - We are getting an incredible deal and he's been good to us for the last 11 years. 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:51.680 - His ethic is beyond reproach and we are incredibly fortunate that he continues to lend his talents 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:54.320 - and services to Monroe County government. 00:17:54.320 --> 00:18:02.460 - He retired from city technology, the city of Bloomington technology and I really do not 00:18:02.460 --> 00:18:03.680 - short of bringing heart here. 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:11.760 - I really do not believe we can do better than B and L. Thank you. 00:18:11.760 --> 00:18:20.200 - So it does not seem like the quality of service provided is really in question. 00:18:20.200 --> 00:18:21.920 - I hope not. 00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:23.200 - The contract seems like it is being executed. 00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:28.920 - I think there is more of a question to the commissioner's comment that how costs are 00:18:28.920 --> 00:18:32.440 - being structured, how they are being documented. 00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:34.240 - Storage is mentioned a couple of different times. 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:37.800 - Is equipment stored at a county property somewhere? 00:18:37.800 --> 00:18:38.800 - Yes. 00:18:38.800 --> 00:18:45.200 - So the county is not paying a private storage facility for anything? 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:50.040 - We were paying a private storage facility for election-related items, not the equipment. 00:18:50.040 --> 00:19:00.640 - The equipment is stored in a county facility in the showers building. 00:19:00.640 --> 00:19:05.440 - How much are we paying directly for private storage or is it going to B and L? 00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:18.240 - So we were, so the annual contract for the storage unit came due for renewal. 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:29.240 - I negotiated with them to keep their prices set and they agreed if we would sign the contract 00:19:29.240 --> 00:19:33.080 - for two years, which would be until the end of my term, then they would not raise their 00:19:33.080 --> 00:19:37.800 - prices as they intend to do for their other storage customers. 00:19:37.800 --> 00:19:43.640 - When the time came to sign that contract, there was concern. 00:19:43.640 --> 00:19:49.440 - What I thought initially was the concern was that B and L did not feel that they had any 00:19:49.440 --> 00:19:55.800 - ownership or interest in the contract, I'm sorry, in the storage, the property that was 00:19:55.800 --> 00:19:57.600 - in the storage. 00:19:57.600 --> 00:20:03.160 - And so we were asked to move, I did not make that choice. 00:20:03.160 --> 00:20:15.400 - We were told we would be moving and so movers were hired and property was moved. 00:20:15.400 --> 00:20:23.080 - And as I understand it, that ended up costing more than if we had maintained the contract 00:20:23.080 --> 00:20:24.400 - with the storage facility. 00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:32.360 - Sure, if you could just clarify for me, the costs for the storage, like the actual disbursement 00:20:32.360 --> 00:20:39.480 - of money for the cost of storage, was it disbursed to B and L or was it disbursed to the storage 00:20:39.480 --> 00:20:40.480 - facility? 00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:44.760 - We were paying, the invoice would come to us from the storage facility. 00:20:44.760 --> 00:20:46.960 - Okay, that's what I was looking for. 00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:51.560 - I didn't know if that was also a subcontract where B and L was paying a storage facility 00:20:51.560 --> 00:20:56.160 - and the money was passed through the LLC or if the county was paying storage directly. 00:20:56.160 --> 00:20:58.160 - It was coming out of my contractual. 00:20:58.160 --> 00:20:59.160 - Understood. 00:20:59.160 --> 00:21:00.160 - Thank you. 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:04.320 - Mr. Udak, I can provide some additional commentary on this as I dealt with the storage contract. 00:21:04.320 --> 00:21:05.320 - Please. 00:21:05.320 --> 00:21:10.200 - So originally, the storage contract was with a company in Ellitsville and it was not in 00:21:10.200 --> 00:21:13.960 - Mr. White's or B and L's name. 00:21:13.960 --> 00:21:18.200 - Right, that's, yep. 00:21:18.200 --> 00:21:23.080 - The items were moved to the Showers Building as there was available space to house these 00:21:23.080 --> 00:21:26.920 - items at no additional cost to the county. 00:21:26.920 --> 00:21:30.800 - And so that was one of the reasons they were moved and there was also a concern that there 00:21:30.800 --> 00:21:36.880 - was county property in this outside storage facility when no other department has a storage 00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:41.640 - facility of that capacity and in order to maintain a storage unit, there are certain 00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:46.280 - state statutes including a public hearing that we have to have in order to maintain 00:21:46.280 --> 00:21:48.280 - that storage unit. 00:21:48.280 --> 00:21:53.920 - Yeah, my concern is less that we had a storage facility or that a storage facility was paid. 00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:59.800 - It was more what was the flow of money relative to cost structure that's outlined in the letter 00:21:59.800 --> 00:22:01.600 - here in the contract as it exists. 00:22:01.600 --> 00:22:05.320 - But it's clear that is a separate expense that's coming out of the clerk's budget. 00:22:05.320 --> 00:22:09.360 - It has nothing to necessarily do with the contract and that was one point I was confused 00:22:09.360 --> 00:22:13.640 - on because there's mention of moving equipment back and forth and I just know who was managing 00:22:13.640 --> 00:22:31.180 - that contract and how it was being paid, but that makes sense, thank you. 00:22:31.180 --> 00:22:33.440 - Any other comments or questions? 00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:42.120 - Okay, so what do we need to do then with or was this just information? 00:22:42.120 --> 00:22:46.080 - I think my recommendation to the election board is if you're in support of this contract 00:22:46.080 --> 00:22:51.520 - then you should, as a board, state such. 00:22:51.520 --> 00:22:56.800 - If you need me to make a motion, I am in full and complete support of the B&L contract. 00:22:56.800 --> 00:22:57.800 - I have reviewed it. 00:22:57.800 --> 00:23:02.100 - I've spoken with Mr. White. 00:23:02.100 --> 00:23:06.880 - This year's contract was actually based on one that was written by the county attorney 00:23:06.880 --> 00:23:13.840 - previously, so most of the language stayed intact, there were some things that Mr. White's 00:23:13.840 --> 00:23:17.440 - attorney asked be included to protect him. 00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:25.980 - I am also in agreement with that and again, it is not to exceed budget. 00:23:25.980 --> 00:23:34.520 - We do not intend to spend what was quoted but up to so that we wouldn't have to ask 00:23:34.520 --> 00:23:37.320 - for additional appropriations. 00:23:37.320 --> 00:23:43.560 - I will second that motion that we approve it. 00:23:43.560 --> 00:23:51.120 - I agree with the strong suggestion that at least a memorandum of understanding with regard 00:23:51.120 --> 00:23:59.240 - to liability with subcontractors, at least protecting if not outright indemnifying the 00:23:59.240 --> 00:24:03.760 - county from any kind of liability with those subcontractors be included before it is signed 00:24:03.760 --> 00:24:07.160 - by the commissioners. 00:24:07.160 --> 00:24:09.160 - Aye. 00:24:09.160 --> 00:24:11.160 - Aye. 00:24:11.160 --> 00:24:13.160 - Opposed? 00:24:13.160 --> 00:24:15.160 - Okay. 00:24:15.160 --> 00:24:24.140 - The motion carries. 00:24:24.140 --> 00:24:27.040 - Have any other public comment for the day? 00:24:27.040 --> 00:24:30.160 - I think you have one more item. 00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:32.160 - What item is? 00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:41.940 - Okay, well, and I've had a conversation about the hearing this board. 00:24:41.940 --> 00:24:48.760 - I would be perfectly content to wait until your appointment has been made and then we 00:24:48.760 --> 00:24:49.760 - can have a discussion. 00:24:49.760 --> 00:24:53.640 - I mean, it seems to me that it's supposed to be or it usually is done two years for 00:24:53.640 --> 00:24:56.080 - one party, two for the other. 00:24:56.080 --> 00:24:57.840 - We can work with that either way. 00:24:57.840 --> 00:25:02.760 - I mean, I don't care if it's the first two, the second two, if it doesn't matter, particularly 00:25:02.760 --> 00:25:08.920 - if it's someone who has more experience, I do letting him have the first two years. 00:25:08.920 --> 00:25:11.800 - I'm not been out of shape either way about it. 00:25:11.800 --> 00:25:16.040 - Yeah, I think it's I think it's appropriate to wait. 00:25:16.040 --> 00:25:20.880 - I don't I don't think my making a decision about that makes sense in this way. 00:25:20.880 --> 00:25:26.560 - I appreciate the patience with it to be quite it's not a huge deal. 00:25:26.560 --> 00:25:27.560 - Sure. 00:25:27.560 --> 00:25:28.560 - You call it to order. 00:25:28.560 --> 00:25:29.560 - You call them. 00:25:29.560 --> 00:25:30.560 - I mean, it's. 00:25:30.560 --> 00:25:31.560 - Yeah. 00:25:31.560 --> 00:25:35.920 - And there's no like code actually governing who chairs the board, right? 00:25:35.920 --> 00:25:36.920 - Correct. 00:25:36.920 --> 00:25:37.920 - There is no code. 00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:43.800 - The election board adopted a resolution in twenty seventeen and then when Miss Bankhart 00:25:43.800 --> 00:25:50.240 - took was appointed in July, she was originally came in as the chair. 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:57.000 - She chaired thirty seconds of a meeting before she relinquished early the chair to the Democratic 00:25:57.000 --> 00:25:58.000 - Party. 00:25:58.000 --> 00:26:01.520 - Well, I would prefer to wait until you have we have the permanent appointment and then 00:26:01.520 --> 00:26:02.520 - we can. 00:26:02.520 --> 00:26:10.320 - Well, that person and I can have a discussion about how to do it just if it's if it's legal, 00:26:10.320 --> 00:26:14.120 - we can have a discussion privately and then make it you know, we can just move to it that 00:26:14.120 --> 00:26:17.120 - if that works. 00:26:17.120 --> 00:26:22.040 - It may not with two sitting members of the board, I think that would probably have to 00:26:22.040 --> 00:26:23.040 - be noticed. 00:26:23.040 --> 00:26:24.040 - Right. 00:26:24.040 --> 00:26:25.040 - Correct. 00:26:25.040 --> 00:26:31.460 - Yeah, so the conversation probably has to happen in public, but yeah, but but I'm not 00:26:31.460 --> 00:26:32.460 - trying to hide anything. 00:26:32.460 --> 00:26:35.600 - It's just, you know, I don't think it's a huge deal. 00:26:35.600 --> 00:26:37.200 - No, I agree with you. 00:26:37.200 --> 00:26:38.280 - I think it's appropriate to wait. 00:26:38.280 --> 00:26:43.280 - I think that's the I think patience is the right attitude and much more to say on it 00:26:43.280 --> 00:26:44.280 - beyond that. 00:26:44.280 --> 00:26:45.280 - Thank you. 00:26:45.280 --> 00:26:46.280 - Thank you for catching that, ma'am. 00:26:46.280 --> 00:26:47.280 - You're welcome, sir. 00:26:47.280 --> 00:26:48.280 - And now for other public comment. 00:26:48.280 --> 00:26:49.280 - We're sorry we interrupted you. 00:26:49.280 --> 00:26:50.280 - Go ahead. 00:26:50.280 --> 00:26:58.420 - Danny, one thing I would suggest that the letter for the appointment for today be read 00:26:58.420 --> 00:27:10.920 - into the minutes. 00:27:10.920 --> 00:27:14.880 - Want me to read the letter into the minutes, or would you prefer to read your own letter 00:27:14.880 --> 00:27:17.880 - into the minutes? 00:27:17.880 --> 00:27:19.880 - I can read it. 00:27:19.880 --> 00:27:26.440 - So I wrote a letter this morning, appointing myself for a short term to the board, it reads 00:27:26.440 --> 00:27:27.440 - as follows. 00:27:27.440 --> 00:27:32.400 - To whom it may concern, this letter serves as notice that on June 5th, 2025, I'm appointing 00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:35.780 - myself to the Democratic Party seat on the Monroe County Election Board effective through 00:27:35.780 --> 00:27:38.040 - June 30th, 2025. 00:27:38.040 --> 00:27:41.480 - A formal notice of a permanent appointee will be made to county staff no later than that 00:27:41.480 --> 00:27:42.520 - date. 00:27:42.520 --> 00:27:46.240 - As of the writing this letter, the chair has made no other formal appointment to the position. 00:27:46.240 --> 00:27:50.000 - Thank you, Samuel Udak, chairman of the Monroe County Democratic Party. 00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:57.560 - I will move that's added to the record. 00:27:57.560 --> 00:27:58.560 - Second. 00:27:58.560 --> 00:28:00.040 - Those in favor? 00:28:00.040 --> 00:28:01.040 - Aye. 00:28:01.040 --> 00:28:02.040 - Now. 00:28:02.040 --> 00:28:10.240 - Hi, I'm Cheryl Langdon, Monroe County citizen. 00:28:10.240 --> 00:28:15.040 - I have yet to hear about any investigation concerning what happened to me during my employment 00:28:15.040 --> 00:28:20.360 - as a Monroe County employee at Election Central as the Democrat representative in my office. 00:28:20.360 --> 00:28:26.440 - I want to share openly to everyone that I didn't vote for Trump last year. 00:28:26.440 --> 00:28:31.280 - And I'm here to share the Monroe County Commissioner's public statement shared last night on social 00:28:31.280 --> 00:28:33.960 - media and today in this room. 00:28:33.960 --> 00:28:39.480 - Quote, "The Trump administration has added Monroe County to its so-called sanctuary jurisdiction 00:28:39.480 --> 00:28:45.800 - list, threatening over $6 million in federal funding due to our commitment to lawful and 00:28:45.800 --> 00:28:48.840 - inclusive policies." 00:28:48.840 --> 00:28:52.620 - Commissioner Thomas said, I quote, "We follow the law. 00:28:52.620 --> 00:28:57.640 - We will not be intimidated by political theater or unconstitutional threat." 00:28:57.640 --> 00:29:00.240 - Commissioner Jones said, "This is not about safety. 00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:01.800 - It's about control. 00:29:01.800 --> 00:29:06.320 - We'll continue protecting our people, not scapegoating them." 00:29:06.320 --> 00:29:11.280 - Commissioner Madera said, quote, "We will not be complicit in criminalizing people based 00:29:11.280 --> 00:29:13.920 - on fear and xenophobia. 00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:19.960 - Monroe County remains committed to respect, dignity, and safety for all residents. 00:29:19.960 --> 00:29:28.720 - With the hashtags #DefendDignity, #InclusiveCommunities, #StandWithImmigrants, #NoHateInOurState." 00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:33.000 - My response is, no hate in our state? 00:29:33.000 --> 00:29:38.140 - Here were the voices when hate against conservative Americans was at a high pitch. 00:29:38.140 --> 00:29:42.900 - When people were being dragged on social media, in their own homes, and at their Monroe County 00:29:42.900 --> 00:29:46.560 - government jobs, you all said nothing. 00:29:46.560 --> 00:29:49.160 - Fellow Democrats said nothing. 00:29:49.160 --> 00:29:53.520 - And when you say nothing, when one person or group is marginalized, nothing will be 00:29:53.520 --> 00:29:56.800 - said when it's your turn. 00:29:56.800 --> 00:29:59.120 - It's called cause and effect. 00:29:59.120 --> 00:30:00.920 - It's called science. 00:30:00.920 --> 00:30:05.760 - Now budgets suffer because of the political theater that was created by the Democrats 00:30:05.760 --> 00:30:07.400 - in the first place. 00:30:07.400 --> 00:30:08.800 - What a shame. 00:30:08.800 --> 00:30:14.120 - Nothing was said against the auto-pin Biden regime when his executive office allowed an 00:30:14.120 --> 00:30:21.360 - open invasion against American people, and his executive office actively violated conservative 00:30:21.360 --> 00:30:26.720 - Americans' constitutional rights to free speech on social media. 00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:32.680 - The Biden administration openly targeted these conservative Americans, and as a Democrat, 00:30:32.680 --> 00:30:34.920 - that's a shame to see that. 00:30:34.920 --> 00:30:38.800 - My fellow Americans. 00:30:38.800 --> 00:30:43.760 - Biden's regime committed treason against our nation's sovereignty and against all of us. 00:30:43.760 --> 00:30:49.500 - Shame on any party and any member of my party, the Democrat party, who supported the treason 00:30:49.500 --> 00:30:51.800 - committed by the Biden regime. 00:30:51.800 --> 00:30:58.160 - We are the ones that put Trump in office because there was bullying, and people refused to 00:30:58.160 --> 00:31:04.160 - listen to fellow party members in the Democrat party, people like me. 00:31:04.160 --> 00:31:09.280 - The Democrat party created this mess, and they have only themselves to blame. 00:31:09.280 --> 00:31:11.880 - Thank you. 00:31:11.880 --> 00:31:22.200 - Julie Thomas, Monroe County Commissioner here once again, but we wanted to provide some 00:31:22.200 --> 00:31:30.400 - information for all of you and for the public, because as we know with the groundbreaking 00:31:30.400 --> 00:31:37.640 - for the new convention center, the Napa building election operations will be demolished very 00:31:37.640 --> 00:31:48.600 - soon, and we want to assure you all that there are plans in place, and this is, for those 00:31:48.600 --> 00:31:53.000 - who don't know, Richard Kreider, who is our fleet and facilities manager, and if you would 00:31:53.000 --> 00:31:57.120 - quickly just walk through what our plans are, that'd be great. 00:31:57.120 --> 00:31:58.680 - Thank you. 00:31:58.680 --> 00:32:09.480 - So, our plans are to renovate the east side of the first floor of the showers building 00:32:09.480 --> 00:32:14.560 - for early voting. 00:32:14.560 --> 00:32:16.000 - It's been a little bit of a process. 00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:23.640 - We started in January working myself with clerk staff on getting to a point where we 00:32:23.640 --> 00:32:32.760 - could hire an architect to start doing some real programming, and through that process, 00:32:32.760 --> 00:32:35.400 - we've added some more space than what we originally thought. 00:32:35.400 --> 00:32:41.320 - It was obvious and apparent that we needed more square footage, so we've extended that, 00:32:41.320 --> 00:32:48.640 - and I think where we need to be square footage-wise, and if we can maintain the architect's program, 00:32:48.640 --> 00:32:54.440 - we're looking at a finish in construction December 20, 2025. 00:32:54.440 --> 00:32:55.440 - My apologies. 00:32:55.440 --> 00:32:59.760 - You can't have it done before you start? 00:32:59.760 --> 00:33:00.760 - Correct. 00:33:00.760 --> 00:33:04.760 - I have a question, if I could please. 00:33:04.760 --> 00:33:12.080 - One of the things we had talked about was possibly having multiple early voting sites. 00:33:12.080 --> 00:33:14.720 - If you're the person, I think that maybe you should know this. 00:33:14.720 --> 00:33:21.040 - How much trouble would it be if we decided we wanted to, rather than a month, do two 00:33:21.040 --> 00:33:24.960 - weeks early voting, and have three or four sites? 00:33:24.960 --> 00:33:30.820 - Do we have the space to do that currently? 00:33:30.820 --> 00:33:31.820 - Commissioner-owned buildings? 00:33:31.820 --> 00:33:38.320 - Do you have anything to say? 00:33:38.320 --> 00:33:43.280 - All of our buildings are downtown, so I would imagine if you wanted to do something in the 00:33:43.280 --> 00:33:49.720 - community, you would want to use space that is a church or a school or something else. 00:33:49.720 --> 00:33:56.080 - I don't know, but yeah, everything we have is downtown, and I'm sure we can make things 00:33:56.080 --> 00:34:00.720 - work if you want a couple sites, but to everything being downtown, it doesn't seem to make a 00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:02.720 - lot of sense to do that. 00:34:02.720 --> 00:34:07.820 - But we like the showers building because there's plenty of parking, access off the sidewalk. 00:34:07.820 --> 00:34:10.520 - It's still downtown. 00:34:10.520 --> 00:34:11.520 - It's very convenient. 00:34:11.520 --> 00:34:18.880 - So we're really excited that this will be the new future home of election operations. 00:34:18.880 --> 00:34:23.560 - Sorry. 00:34:23.560 --> 00:34:29.640 - I was going to bring you up to speed on previous efforts, but I can wait until you have your 00:34:29.640 --> 00:34:31.640 - finishing remarks. 00:34:31.640 --> 00:34:41.320 - I just want to make sure that you're all aware and the public's aware that we're not getting 00:34:41.320 --> 00:34:42.560 - caught flat-footed here. 00:34:42.560 --> 00:34:45.920 - We are well aware that the Napa building would be demolished very soon. 00:34:45.920 --> 00:34:52.880 - And so, yes, we began this process in earnest and it is on schedule, thanks to Mr. Kreider 00:34:52.880 --> 00:34:56.480 - and all the folks he was working with. 00:34:56.480 --> 00:35:01.520 - Did the commissioners own the Napa building? 00:35:01.520 --> 00:35:02.520 - Was that purchased or leased? 00:35:02.520 --> 00:35:03.520 - Okay. 00:35:03.520 --> 00:35:07.240 - So is there any, there's no real significant cost difference between operating out of showers 00:35:07.240 --> 00:35:09.240 - versus the Napa building? 00:35:09.240 --> 00:35:15.260 - I will say I appreciate working with you, Richard Kreider. 00:35:15.260 --> 00:35:20.240 - It's been great just getting together and being able to communicate our concerns and 00:35:20.240 --> 00:35:23.000 - them being answered pretty quickly for us. 00:35:23.000 --> 00:35:25.200 - You're welcome. 00:35:25.200 --> 00:35:27.200 - Feelings mutual. 00:35:27.200 --> 00:35:30.920 - Thank you. 00:35:30.920 --> 00:35:37.520 - Just to bring both of you up to speed, there have been efforts, other efforts, to have 00:35:37.520 --> 00:35:42.920 - multiple early voting sites. 00:35:42.920 --> 00:35:52.040 - The previous administration, she had a very well-intentioned early voting operation where 00:35:52.040 --> 00:36:00.000 - she moved, I believe it was a trailer or some kind of motorcade thing to different areas 00:36:00.000 --> 00:36:01.440 - around Monroe County. 00:36:01.440 --> 00:36:06.220 - That did not, the feedback on that was not good. 00:36:06.220 --> 00:36:13.560 - And after the pandemic, when the commissioners recommended that we have more rural early 00:36:13.560 --> 00:36:23.240 - voting sites, I consulted with the Allen County clerk because he has four different sites, 00:36:23.240 --> 00:36:29.200 - north, south, east, west, or I believe he splits it up into quadrants, north, west, northeast, 00:36:29.200 --> 00:36:30.200 - southwest, southeast. 00:36:30.200 --> 00:36:35.260 - I wanted to do something like that during early voting where one week we were on the 00:36:35.260 --> 00:36:43.880 - northwest side, northeast side, and through that four weeks of early voting, the incarnation 00:36:43.880 --> 00:36:49.560 - of the election board at that time was not, it was not palatable due to cost. 00:36:49.560 --> 00:36:57.040 - Now, in my mind, I saw the same team going to each location. 00:36:57.040 --> 00:37:07.560 - I then suggested like maybe north, middle, south, dividing the county up into thirds. 00:37:07.560 --> 00:37:18.240 - That also was not palatable, but it is something that I think is amenable to voters, makes 00:37:18.240 --> 00:37:22.680 - it easy because it comes close to their town or their side of town. 00:37:22.680 --> 00:37:28.320 - And the only thing that I, please excuse me, that I would say would be that we want to 00:37:28.320 --> 00:37:35.960 - make sure to use sites that we would not use on election day because that could be confusing. 00:37:35.960 --> 00:37:40.180 - And we have places that we used to use, but we don't. 00:37:40.180 --> 00:37:48.120 - So a place on campus, we have that one site, I can never think of the name of it, Ms. Guy. 00:37:48.120 --> 00:37:50.560 - Center of representative governments. 00:37:50.560 --> 00:37:56.160 - We've never used that before as an early voting site, but I'm sorry, as an election day site, 00:37:56.160 --> 00:38:00.000 - but that might be something right near campus. 00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:11.440 - Or the church that we used to use off of the bypass. 00:38:11.440 --> 00:38:17.880 - Things that -- >> I would think that we could probably work 00:38:17.880 --> 00:38:23.760 - with churches without having to really add cost to it. 00:38:23.760 --> 00:38:29.460 - >> So one concern about churches is that the equipment has to be able to be locked and 00:38:29.460 --> 00:38:35.360 - stored and generally during early voting, it's easiest and best to keep it set up once 00:38:35.360 --> 00:38:36.820 - it's set up. 00:38:36.820 --> 00:38:40.040 - So that's the only thing that we're really concerned about because if we have it start 00:38:40.040 --> 00:38:43.800 - on a Saturday, then that next day, Sunday, they have service. 00:38:43.800 --> 00:38:48.640 - So where do they plan to store and keep our equipment and the process of getting it set 00:38:48.640 --> 00:38:49.640 - back up. 00:38:49.640 --> 00:38:59.400 - I know during my work with the vote center committee, we had spoke about doing the public 00:38:59.400 --> 00:39:04.560 - libraries because we can use them and as long as they have a room that is sectioned off 00:39:04.560 --> 00:39:08.480 - that can be locked, then we would be fine. 00:39:08.480 --> 00:39:13.040 - You know they have security because it is a public library and that was one thing that 00:39:13.040 --> 00:39:17.560 - we really lean towards but just making sure that our stuff is able to be locked, secured 00:39:17.560 --> 00:39:20.120 - and not have to be disturbed. 00:39:20.120 --> 00:39:24.440 - The Southwest Library branch has these very large modular meeting rooms where the walls 00:39:24.440 --> 00:39:29.680 - are removable and they literally have a security guard posted at a desk immediately outside 00:39:29.680 --> 00:39:30.680 - the room you would want to use. 00:39:30.680 --> 00:39:31.680 - We have time to talk about this. 00:39:31.680 --> 00:39:32.680 - Yeah. 00:39:32.680 --> 00:39:33.680 - Correct. 00:39:33.680 --> 00:39:34.680 - Yeah. 00:39:34.680 --> 00:39:35.680 - Low cost options for libraries. 00:39:35.680 --> 00:39:40.360 - Also, I know that like Ellisville is another location that has like questioned multiple 00:39:40.360 --> 00:39:45.840 - times over especially 2024 where their early voting location was in Ellisville because they 00:39:45.840 --> 00:39:48.400 - had figured that there would be one and there wasn't. 00:39:48.400 --> 00:39:53.160 - So that is another one that we really looked at that really think that there should be 00:39:53.160 --> 00:39:57.520 - one at least in Ellisville and then somewhere on the south side of town and then we have 00:39:57.520 --> 00:40:00.920 - election operations in the center of downtown. 00:40:00.920 --> 00:40:08.240 - Well, and that you're pointing out about the equipment being secured for that length of 00:40:08.240 --> 00:40:09.240 - time. 00:40:09.240 --> 00:40:11.240 - You have had success. 00:40:11.240 --> 00:40:18.080 - Would you agree with the convention center where we did the the training where we had 00:40:18.080 --> 00:40:19.080 - our training? 00:40:19.080 --> 00:40:23.740 - We had great success with the convention center then and I know you'll know what I'm talking 00:40:23.740 --> 00:40:24.740 - about. 00:40:24.740 --> 00:40:29.320 - The public may not, but on the one side where we just did training for this past presidential, 00:40:29.320 --> 00:40:32.980 - there's rooms that that's the cook room, right? 00:40:32.980 --> 00:40:36.000 - So one could be for early voting. 00:40:36.000 --> 00:40:40.960 - One could be for training. 00:40:40.960 --> 00:40:46.000 - Because they locked our they guarantee that we would have we would be able to lock up 00:40:46.000 --> 00:40:47.600 - the equipment at night. 00:40:47.600 --> 00:40:48.600 - Correct. 00:40:48.600 --> 00:40:49.600 - Yep. 00:40:49.600 --> 00:40:50.600 - Thank you. 00:40:50.600 --> 00:41:00.480 - Or not unless there's additional public comment. 00:41:00.480 --> 00:41:01.880 - Not at this time. 00:41:01.880 --> 00:41:03.960 - Is there a motion to adjourn? 00:41:03.960 --> 00:41:04.960 - So moved. 00:41:04.960 --> 00:41:05.960 - Second. 00:41:05.960 --> 00:41:06.960 - Opposed? 00:41:06.960 --> 00:41:07.960 - Those in favor? 00:41:07.960 --> 00:41:08.960 - Aye. 00:41:08.960 --> 00:41:10.800 - Opposed? 00:41:10.800 --> 00:41:38.060 - We are adjourned. 00:41:38.060 --> 00:41:45.060 - [Music] 00:42:15.060 --> 00:42:17.640 - (upbeat music)