By RANDY BARTLEY
Staff writer
A ruling last week by the state Supreme Court, which extends the deadline to accept ballots for the general election, presents a challenge to Clarion County.
Under state law, absentee and mail-in ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted. However, the court ruled election officials statewide should count mail-in ballots that are received as late as Nov. 6, as long as they are postmarked by Nov. 3.
Ballots that arrive by the new deadline with missing or illegible postmarks will be counted.
Another ruling allows counties to employ satellite drop boxes, where voters may deposit ballots.
Responsibility for making the election work falls on county governments.
“The ruling will create more work for us,” Clarion County Commissioner Wayne Brosius said. “The instructions are printed on the envelopes, so we either have to change the envelopes used for the mail-in ballots or get new envelopes. We are waiting on the state to tell us how they want us to do that.”
Clarion County Commissioner Ted Tharan said how the process affects Clarion County depends on how well the U.S. Postal Service responds.
“If everyone holds their ballots and mails them the day before the election, it will be a problem,” he said.
“I think most people will get the ballots and send them right back to us. People can submit their ballots up until 8 p.m. on Election Day, and if the ballot is postmarked on Election Day then we can count ballots up to three days after the election.”
The drop boxes won’t be an issue in Clarion County because “we are not using them,” Tharan said. “I don’t think any of the other counties in this area are using them. I think only in the cities will they use them. What could go wrong with that?”
Tharan said it’s possible the winners will be determined on Election Night.
In the primary election, results in the county were delayed until all of the write-in votes were verified. That involved checking each mail-in ballot to be certain no one voted by mail and again in person at the poles.
“I think the election people know how many ballots they are sending out and how many they will have back in,” Tharan said.
On Tuesday, the commissioners filled the part-time election workers positions. Those workers will be paid $9.50 per hour.
A working space has been created for the election workers just inside the main door of the Clarion County Administration Building.
Multimodal grants
The Clarion County Board of Commissioners Tuesday approved two Multimodal Transportation Fund grants.
The first grant is from grant from the Commonwealth Financing Authority is to be used for the extension of Fiberboard Avenue in Paint Township, Clarion County to Route 66 and is not to exceed $3,000,000.
Tharan said the proposed new road would link the Kronospan plant with State Route 66 between Exit 8 of Interstate 80 and Route 322. The new road will eliminate the truck traffic using the current entrance on U.S. Route 322 west of Clarion. Tharan said it will be a new road and will not tie into any existing roads.
The new road is part of Kronospan’s expansion project.
The first project is for a 3,800 square foot drying system structure. A second project is the construction of a new RTO replacement and wood storage upgrade.
The total value of the combined projects is expected to be more than $1.1 million.
The second Multimodal Transportation Fund grant is also from the Commonwealth Financing Authority in the amount of $1,395,794 to be used for transportation, infrastructure and utility improvements in support of the Glassworks Business Park – Phase II development located along Grand Avenue in Clarion.
Miles Brothers LLC purchased the 28-acre site on Grand Avenue that once housed part of the Owens-Illinois Glass Plant and unveiled plans for a seven-pad Glassworks Business Park in 2016.
The American Precast Industries facility will be the first official tenant at the site.
Kristy Amato, Director of the Clarion County Planning Department, said the project would widen the road. Construction has not begun.
Other business
The commissioners agreed to waive GIS Data fees for LAIRD Recreation and Land Planning Services, LLC for Piney Rail Riders Corridor Map to use in preparation of a base map to conduct a feasibility study.
The study will examine a possible ATV route from Clarion to Brookville based, in part, on the defunct Piney Railroad line.
The commissioners also approved an agreement on behalf of CYS with Community Action for Environmental Review Record for housing units in the Housing for Homeless and Disabled Persons Project.
The houses in the Clarion Borough are operated by but not owned by CYS.