The City of New London finance and personnel committee approved purchasing five additional touch screen voting machines at its Dec. 3 meeting.
City Clerk Sue Tennie reported a higher demand in the last election, by voters preferring to use touch screen machines.
Clerks around the state reported similar observations.
The Nov. 4 election saw above average voter turnout statewide (63 percent in New London, and 72 percent in Hortonville).
Touch screen voting machines help minimize waiting time for voters.
Currently New London has five machines, one at each of the polling locations in the city. The Federal Government provided the funding for those five machines in 2006.
Tennie reported that the vendor for the city’s machines, Command Central, is offering special pricing on refurbished machines through Dec. 19.
They are regularly priced at $2,250 each. Command Central is offering them for $1,950 each through Dec. 19.
Tennie requested the purchase of five of the machines at a total cost of $9,750.
Five thousand dollars of the purchase would be funded through a reimbursement from the Government Accountability Board (GAB).
In 2006 when the city acquired the first five machines, they sent $5,000 to the GAB to purchase an attachment called the HAAT, which electronically added the election totals between machines. Tennie reported that the HAAT attachment never came to realization. Therefore, GAB is closing out the accounts and refunding the money.
She said that in addition to the $5,000 reimbursement, there is approximately $1,300 left in the 2014 election budget that could be used towards the purchase.
City Treasurer Judy Rake recommended the balance of $3,450 for the machines, be taken from the unassigned Fund Balance.
Alderman Tom O’ Connell made a motion to recommend to City Council that the five touch screen voting machines be purchased at a cost of $1,950 per machine for a total of $9,750. Alderman Mike Barrington seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.
The committee held a general discussion on how to proceed with the old city garage once the new facility is built.
Members reviewed a drawing that showed the developable area of the property.
No formal action was taken, however the preliminarily agreed that the best course of action will be to likely clear the property and sell it for future private development.
On Tuesday, Dec. 2, the city parks and recreation committee discussed the likelihood of DNR approval for placing a slow-no-wake buoy at the mouth of the Embarrass River in New London.
Last month they heard a request from a citizen who lives in the nearby condominiums along East Water Street. The city is required to receive a permit from the DNR before placing any buoy in the river. Park and Recreation Director Chad Hoerth contacted the DNR regarding the request. There has never been an incident involving a boating safety injury at that location. Hoerth had not received a formal response from the DNR before the meeting. Alderman Bob Besaw recommended not proceeding with the slow-no-wake buoy request at this time. Alderwoman Lori Dean seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.