Action near on election bureau post
With just two weeks before the municipal election, the Fayette County commissioners Tuesday moved a step closer to appointing an acting director of the county election bureau. The commissioners voted to place a motion on Thursday’s agenda to appoint an acting director of the elections bureau. The bureau has been without a director since Commissioners Vincent Zapotosky and Vincent A. Vicites fired former director Laurie Lint on Oct. 7. Commissioner Angela M. Zimmerlink did not sign off on the termination notice.
Because the acting director action did not list a name, Zimmerlink asked who would be placed in the position.
Vicites said he thinks voting machine technician Larry Blosser has put in a lot of effort in the office, and could be appointed as acting director until after the election cycle ends.
Zapotosky clarified that the election cycle would end when the official vote count is certified, which is 30 days after the Nov. 3 election. Zapotosky then said the acting title would be in effect until Dec. 1.
Vicites said somebody has to be leading the effort and Blosser has been doing the legwork.
Zapotosky said any action at this point would be to give Blosser a title, but no additional pay.
“He’s been doing all the work for four weeks,” Zapotosky said.
Zapotosky said Sam Murphy, who formerly worked for the election bureau and is now in the building and grounds department, would work for the election bureau to help with election-day matters.
Tammy Boyle of the human resource department said Blosser had previously asked for a job description for director.
Currently, Blosser is in the union and the director’s position is a non-union job. The commissioners said they would clarify if Blosser were permitted to stay in the union and serve as acting director.
When contacted after the meeting, Blosser said he had not yet been asked if he wanted to serve as acting director.
“I was questioning what’s what. I still have to sit down and talk to them. It’s all news to me,” Blosser said.
Blosser said numerous people have asked him about seeking the director’s position. Blosser, who has worked for the county since 1982, said he asked for a job description of director to see what the job entailed.
Currently, Blosser said he is working to train a new person in the office and is preparing for the election.
“Our priority is the election,” Blosser said of the election bureau.
Zapotosky said late Tuesday afternoon that the authorization had been given to post the director position.
The commissioners also voted to place on Thursday’s agenda a motion to enter into a contract for the treasurer’s office for dog licensing that will allow electronic payments and establish a database.
Diane Rossini, chief deputy of the treasurer’s office, said she has spoken with ePaymentNow, an Internet-based program for dog licensing.
Rossini said the total startup cost is slightly less than $10,000, and the county would need to pick up half of the cost, with the other half being paid by the county records improvement committee.
Rossini said the committee would have to officially take action to pay half of the cost, but some members have indicated they would if the county pays half. Rossini said the committee also might pick up the $1,500 annual maintenance fee for the program.
She said the program, which includes “PaDogLicense.com,” would give the treasurer’s office the ability to track lost pets, among other things, online.
Rossini said the county would have constant access to lost pets and could send out renewal letters.
Rossini praised Zimmerlink for getting the county to accept credit cards with GovPay, which is a credit card bill-paying service used by the clerk of courts and tax claim offices, and said she is “embarrassed” that her office opted out of GovPay.
Rossini said the dog license program does “what GovPay does and more” and estimated that the office could increase revenue by half when they have the ability to send out renewal letters.
When Zapotosky asked which offices were implementing GovPay, Zimmerlink clarified the two county offices and said that program is at no cost to the county, but there is a convenience fee for users. She urged Rossini to look at other online payment services instead of ePaymentNow.
Rossini said the office is mainly interested in maintaining an online dog-licensing program, adding that about 20,000 dog licenses are sold each year in the county.
Zimmerlink said she didn’t agree with using money from the general fund to pay for even half of the program cost, which is $9,996.
“I don’t think the county should pick that up,” Zimmerlink said, adding that the cost could be paid using dog license fees instead of from the general fund.
Vicites said the office has a budget of $260,000 a year, and using the general fund is the only way to pay expenditures because no state money is used to fund the office.
Rossini said other programs the office has looked into cost more, with one having a price tag of $30,000.
Vicites said he would consider the program if it helps the office.
Zapotosky said he thinks people want to comply with the licensing law and more people would reapply if they were reminded.
Rossini said the state wants tracking of records.
“I think if we are doing something the state wants, I’m for it,” Vicites said.