07-07-2003 - Laserfiche WebLink

Commission Minutes--July 7,2003 2617 Mr. Montplaisir suggested that the committee consist of County Engineer Keith Berndt, Director of Equalization Frank Klein, and one or two members of the county commission. Commissioners Meyer and Sorum volunteered to serve on the committee. MOTION, passed Mr. Bennett moved and Mr. Vanyo seconded to appoint a committee consisting of Keith Berndt, Frank Klein, John Meyer and Robyn Sorum to bring back a recommendation at the August 4th Commission meeting on the procedures regarding farm land leases in the greenway area. Discussion: Mr. Meyer suggested that Keith Berndt serve as chairman and schedule the committee meetings, and that he contact Curt Cossette and Renold Cossette to give them an opportunity to attend, as well. On roll call vote, the motion carried unanimously. 14. PARKING LOT, Shared parkina with Fargo Park District west of the county annex Mr. Montplaisir proposed a joint venture between the Fargo Park District and Cass County Government for additional parking. The Fargo Park District owns the land south of the Emerson Smith Building and directly west of the Cass County Annex. The park district would clear the lot and provide the land, while Cass County would pay for improvements at an estimated cost of $134,000.00. About 32 parking spaces would be gained in all, with 11 on the west side being assigned to the park district, 13 on the east side being assigned to Cass County, and the center parking spaces being used as needed. A written agreement would have to be negotiated concerning the use, maintenance and upkeep of the lot, according to Mr. Montplaisir, who brought this matter to the board's attention for information purposes at this time. 15. ELECTION PLANNING, "Help America Vote Act" (HAVA) Mr. Montplaisir reported that he chairs a State planning committee, which has been working on the implementation of HA V A (Help America Vote Act) and the recently approved North Dakota statutes concerning elections. He provided copies of the HA V A Plan, which was prepared as a joint venture by the North Dakota Secretary of State's Office and the North Dakota Association of Counties. A public comment period on the plan runs from today through July 25th, after which time the State planning committee will make any necessary changes and forward it to the Governor and Secretary of State. It will then be submitted to the Federal Election Administration Commission and published in the Federal Register. Cass County Government will benefit from the HA V A Plan by receiving payment for election equipment in the amount of approximately $10,000.00 for each precinct, up to a total of 61 precincts. The equipment to be used in each precinct includes a ballot scanner for the optical scan ballots and direct recording equipment for people with disabilities. Cass County will also need equipment to run an absentee precinct, and unless the current number of 66 precincts is reduced to Cass County's target number of 61, the county would have to pay the equipment costs of $10,000.00, plus approximately $750 per precinct for election staffing, printing and programming costs in those five extra precincts. The board will need to consider the possibility of consolidating some precincts, likely in the rural areas which have 22 precincts alone, according to Mr. Montplaisir. He said consideration must be given to making the most use possible out of that expensive election equipment, mandated and paid for by the Federal Government. He provided a list of all Cass County precincts, vote totals from the June and November, 2002, elections, and comments on each precinct.