The Starke County Election Board continues debating the issue of meeting scheduling. Last week, Board Member Harrison Fields questioned President Marcia Bedrock after the board’s next meeting was moved from November 27 at 9:30 a.m. to November 20 at 2:30 p.m.
“If you want to change a day, call me on the phone,” Fields said.
“I did talk to you on the phone,” Bedrock replied.
Fields answered, “Not about this, you did not. Excuse me, you did not.”
“I did mention that I would have to change the meeting day,” Bedrock said.
Clerk Bernadette Welter-Manuel told Fields that it’s well within the board president’s authority to change the time of a meeting.
“Can you show me the I.C. code that says that?” Fields asked.
“Can you show me one that says that they can’t?” Welter-Manuel replied.
“No, but can you show me one that says that she can do this?” Fields asked again.
Fields continued to call for better communication, which led to a heated exchange with the clerk. “I have another life besides this,” Fields said. “And just to change on your own whim, without any communication – that’s all I’m asking for.”
“But you’ve had how many weeks?” Welter-Manuel asked. “How many weeks did you get in advance?”
I’m not talking to you, Bernadette. I’m talking to the chairman,” Fields said. “Excuse me. Excuse me. I’m talking to the chairman, not you. All I ask is communication. You have no idea what I’m doing on that day at 2:30 in the afternoon.”
“You have a proxy,” Welter-Manuel interjected. “Send him.”
Fields again replied, “I am not talking to you, Bernadette. Excuse me.”
Going forward, Bedrock offered to send Fields meeting reminders by certified mail at her own expense, “So that in talking on the phone, if something is missed, you will have a certified copy of meetings that I call.” Bedrock reminded Fields that extra meetings will be needed, as the election board works on a proposed vote center plan.
In the end, Bedrock agreed to move tomorrow’s meeting back to 9:30 a.m. and send a proxy in her place. Tomorrow morning’s election board meeting will be held in the second floor meeting room in the Starke County Courthouse.
