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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Board of Civil Authority - 12/06/2018BOARD OF CIVIL AUTHORITY 6 DECEMBER 2018 The South Burlington Board of Civil Authority held a meeng on Thursday, 6 December 2018, at 6:00 p.m., inthe Conference Room, Police Staon, 19 Gregory Drive MEMBERS PRESENT: P. Taylor, Chair; D. Kinville, A. Cli, B. Nowak, P. Benner, M. Mahoney, M. St. Germain, T.Barri, T. Chienden, M. Emery, L. Vera, C. Shaw, K. Nugent ALSO PRESENT: R. Nowak 1. Instrucons on exing building in case of emergency: Ms. Kinville provided emergency exing instrucons. 2. Agenda Review: Addions, deleons or changes in order of agenda items: No changes were made to the Agenda. 3. Comments & Quesons from the public not related to Agenda items: No issues were raised. 4. Approve Minutes from 18 October 2018: Mr. Shaw moved to approve the Minutes of 18 October 2018 as wrien. Mr. St. Germain seconded. Moonpassed unanimously. 5. Review Chair Responsibilies: Mr. Taylor advised that this will be his last 2-year session as J. P. New officers will be elected at the Februarymeeng. Mr. Taylor then drew aenon to a handout indicang the meeng and other commitments of theChair. This will be emailed again to members. Ms. Kinville noted that there can be different people serving as Chairs of the BCA and the Board of Abatement. 6. (previously #8 on the Agenda) Discussion of payment for elecon workers: Mr. Shaw said this is the right moment to be considering this with the naonal focus on elecons and the needfor elecon workers to do the right thing. He also noted that an BOARD OF CIVIL AUTHORITY6 DECEMBER 2018PAGE 2 improved pay scale might encourage more people to parcipate. Mr. St. Germain commented that askingpeople to work an enre day for $75.00 is not adequate. Members then considered whether to pay everyone, including BCA members and presiding officers, at the same rate. Mr. Chienden noted that in January the state minimum wage will go up to $11.50 per hour. Mr. Taylor feltthat was a viable opon as it was not arbitrary. Mr. Benner felt that presiding officers should be paid $15.00 an hour. This would have to be included in Ms. Kinville’s budget request to the City Council. Mr. Mahoney moved that Assistant Elecon Officials, front desk workers, and BCA officials be paid at theVermont minimum wage per hour for work at elecons and that presiding officers be paid $15.00 per hour. Ms. Nugent seconded. Moon passed unanimously. Members then considered payment to BCA members for aendance at meengs. They currently receive$10.00 per meeng. Ms. Vera said she would like to see this ed to the state minimum wage as well as a flat fee, not hourly. It was noted that when a BCA and an Abatement meeng are held on the same night that board members be paid for each meeng. Ms. Vera moved that BCA members in aendance at meengs be reimbursed for one hour at the Vermont minimum wage per meeng. Mr. Chienden seconded. Moon passed unanimously. Ms. Kinville noted that she will be represenng Vermont at a meeng in Washington, D.C. regarding the trainingof elecon workers and more. She noted that elecons are geng more and more complex and trained workers are needed. 7. (formerly #6) Review State Statute 17 V.S.A., Secon 2508 Campaigning during polling hours;voter access: Mr. Taylor noted there was an issue with 2 separate surveys being conducted. When surveyors moved inside inthe evening, it got very crowded. He suggested that for the February meeng they get some informaon fromthe State regarding surveys at elecons (e.g., what can be surveyed, where surveyors can be, etc.). Ms. Kinville noted that some people vote early because they don’t want to be bothered by people taking surveys or campaigning. BOARD OF CIVIL AUTHORITY 6 DECEMBER 2018 PAGE 3 8. Review of November 6th elecon and suggesons for 202 Presidenal Elecon including absentee ballots: Mr. Benner noted an incident where totals were given out at the end of the night to the front desk workers. In one district it was discovered that there were sll a number of unprocessed ballots in a sealed bag. Since tallies were already taken on the machines, these ballots had to be counted by hand. Mr. Shaw raised the possibility of doing absentee ballots the day before though this could raise issues withpeople seeing numbers already in the machines when the polls open on Elecon Day. Mr. Shaw cited the problem of folded absentee/early ballots jamming the tabulators.Ms. Vera said voters like to see the absentee ballots going into the machines during polling hours. Mr. Barri moved to suspend the BCA meeng unl the conclusion of the Board of Abatement meeng scheduled for 7 p.m. Ms. Vera seconded. Moon passed unanimously. The meeng was suspended at 7 p.m.and resumed at 7:40 p.m. Ms. Kinville noted that absentee/early ballots will become more and more of an issue and more tables may be needed. Mr. Taylor said there should be a table exclusively for absentee/early ballots. It was suggested thatearly ballots be processed before Elecon Day. Ms. Kinville said that in order to address early ballots beforeElecon Day, a BCA meeng would have to be warned 30 days prior. She suggested the possibility of justmarking the early ballots off the checklist (not pung them into tabulators) prior to Elecon Day. Ms. Kinville noted that in Vermont, it is called “early vong,” not “absentee vong.” Mr. Nowak felt this ismaking it too easy for voters. Ms. Kinville cited an issue with companies no longer giving employees me off tovote. She also noted that in terms of staff me, there is a cost of about $10.00 per early ballot. Ms. Kinville then raised the queson of whether to have someone full me at the same day registraon table atthe March elecon. This will be discussed at the February meeng. 9. Other Business:No other business was brought before the Board. As there was no further business to come before the Board of Civil Authority, the meeng was adjourned bycommon consent at 8:08 p.m. Clerk_________________________