The Starke County Election Board should be able to close out a federal grant for polling site improvements soon. Help America Vote Act funds were used to make the Bass Lake Lions Club building used in North Bend Township handicap accessible.
The parking lot still needs to be paved. Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler gave the election board a quote of just under $4,000 for pug paving at the site. The work will be done as quickly as weather permits. The parking lot will need to be chip and sealed for two years after the paving is done. The election board should have grant money available to do that work.
A battery-operated doorbell still needs to be added so voters with disabilities can alert poll workers they need help, and some grass seeding needs to be done once the project is complete.
