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March 23, 2009

Commissioners to mull creating a two-person election office

By Kelly Young

kyoung@jacksonvilleprogress.com

Just two short weeks after gathering together for the purpose of setting goals for the 2010 budget, the leadership of Cherokee County will get the opportunity to turn one of those goals into a reality at Monday’s commissioners court meeting.

During a meeting on March 5, several commissioners expressed interest in hiring an election administrator for the county. At next week’s meeting, County Clerk Laverne Lusk and County Voter Registrar Linda Little will present their research on the subject and ask the court to do just that.

“Linda Little has done quite a bit of research into this, checking around with some other counties to see how they handle their elections, and we will be presenting that information to the commissioners on Monday,” Lusk said. “All we are asking for at this time is that they create the department — hiring would be handled later. We are asking for two positions for the department, the elections administrator and one employee.”

According to Lusk, the commissioners court would establish a committee to interview the applicants for the new positions and to make the ultimate decision regarding who would get the jobs. She said that committee would include herself and Little, County Judge Chris Davis, Democratic Party Chairperson Caesar Roy and Republican Party Chairperson Josie Schoolcraft.

It would be the commissioners’ prerogative to set the level of the election administrator’s salary as they see fit, but Lusk said they will be asking for $30,000. If action is taken to create the new department, the two new positions will not start working until the beginning of the new budget year, Oct. 1.

“They would take all the election responsibilities off of me and the voter registrar. Since HAVA (Help America Vote Act) came into play in 2006, dealing with elections has become a full-time job,” she said. “I have mixed emotions about this because I have always enjoyed working on the elections, but I really think our county needs this new department.”

The commissioners will enter into executive session on Monday to discuss their options, and will return to regular session if they decide to take any action regarding the election administrator position.

In February, Cherokee County’s representative on the North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority, Barry Hughes, appeared before the court to present his group’s annual report and to ask the commissioners to establish a list of transportation project priorities.

Hughes will be back at Monday’s meeting to hear which local projects are most important to the county. The five projects under consideration are — the widening of U.S. Highway 69, south of Wells; a roadway to the west of Jacksonville to provide Highway 69 relief around town; a rail spur at the Jacksonville Industrial Park; an expansion of 10.72 miles of U.S. Highway 175; and the widening of U.S. Highway 79 between Jacksonville and New Summerfield.

The Jacksonville City Council has also been asked to rank the same five projects in order of importance, and Hughes will likewise be attending the city’s April council meeting to hear their priorities.

Other agenda items include:

• considering laying utility lines in each precinct;

• the monthly report from James Campbell, sheriff;

• the monthly report from Ricky Moore, license and weight officer;

• the monthly report from Lynn Kelley, constable for Precinct 1;

• the monthly report and racial profiling report from Jack White, constable for Precinct 2;

• the monthly report from Jamie Beene, constable for Precinct 4;

• approval of the airport advisory board meeting of Jan. 27;

• approval of Darrel Schimnowski to serve as a reserve deputy;

• an interlocal agreement between the county and city of Rusk for conducting a local option election in May;

• approval for the Department of Family and Protective Services to use the courthouse lawn at noon on April 7 for Child Abuse Prevention Month;

• acceptance of completion of public records classes for Jack White, constable for Precinct 2;

• approval for one or more precincts to purchase rollers from Cooperative Purchase Agencies;

• approval for one or more precincts to purchase rollers from Ritchie Brothers Auction n Houston;

• approval for Precinct 3 to purchase a used mixer from Franklin County;

• approval for one or more precincts to take seal coat bids;

• approval of a plat in the Thomas Jones Subdivision No. 1;

• the minutes from previous meetings; and

• paying the bills.

The Cherokee County Commissioner’s Court regularly meets at 10 a.m. the second and fourth Mondays.

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