The Starke County Election Board has received approval for the first phase of grant work.
During their meeting Monday morning, board members recommended accepting the grant funds to the Starke County Commissioners. The renovations come courtesy of a Help America Vote Act grant with the funds are being used to upgrade a door, parking lot, and wheel chair ramp at the North Bend Township Community Center and polling site.
Board member Peg Brettin says the Election Board may need to review work to the second phase.
“The second phase that we will need is the parking lot that they’re going to be doing,” says Brettin. “Then that parking lot will connect with the back side of the North Bend community building for accessibility for handicapped individuals.”
Board members noticed a potential problem the work could face in the upcoming weeks involving the ability to connect the ramp with the parking lot.
The Election Board is also finalizing preparations for the municipal primary elections. Reviewing documents for training election workers and volunteers still needs to be completed.
Brettin says training will take two courses.
“You just kind of have to hope that nothing goes wrong,” says Brettin. “Most of the people who are working for the election on Election Day are experienced individuals. I don’t think we’ll have many questions, hopefully.”
Election site workers will be training on April 30th and May 2nd.
This is Starke County Clerk Vicky Cooley’s first election. Board members spent time reviewing necessary documents and possible decision making that may be involved on Election Day.
