Elections officials raise workers' pay

A state official said one issue should not have been on the ballot in Rogers.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- The Columbiana County Board of Elections has approved a pay raise for its workers and health insurance for new board members, despite the county's pending financial crunch.
Without discussion, board members Atty. Jerry Ward, Dr. Anthony Rich and Alfred Fricano voted Thursday to give the board's six workers a 3 percent raise starting in January. Board member Dennis Johnson was absent.
John Payne, the elections director, said the move would cost a total of $5,000.
Two board seats will be filled by the county Democrat and Republican parties in March. The board voted to allow the people who fill the seats to decide if they want to obtain health insurance through the county program.
The terms of Ward, the board chairman, and Rich, are expiring. Rich left right after the meeting ended, and Ward would not say if he expects to serve again.
The board was meeting to certify the results of the November election, in which voters defeated a 0.5-percent sales tax.
The commissioners plan to put the tax on the May ballot and borrow against its collection to keep county offices operating in 2006.
Replacement issues
In other developments, an attorney for the Ohio Department of Taxation, Edward Samsel, said one issue voters in Rogers approved should not been on the ballot.
Rogers asked for two replacement issues for fire protection and current expenses. East Liverpool residents also renewed the school district's emergency levy. The issues were approved by wide margins.
All the issues were placed on the ballot to be collected for five years, starting with tax year 2006, which is collected a year later.
The fire levy and school issue ended in tax year 2004, but would be collected in 2005. That would leave a gap in the renewed funding the taxpayers approved.
The collections will go on without interruption, Samsel said, since there had been "substantial compliance" with election law.
But under Ohio law, Samsel said the Rogers current expense levy should not have gone on the ballot until the November 2006 election.
Recounts
There were no changes in the outcomes of almost all races. But the board on Monday will have a recount that is required when voting results are within a half-percent.
The recount includes a Sunday liquor sales option at the 7th Street Drive Thru in East Liverpool's 3-C precinct.
Election night results show the issue passed by one vote, 38-37. A second count showed the issue was a tie with 39. The ballots will be hand counted.
The Beaver Board of Education race included five candidates for two seats. Craig Dietz had 1,730 votes, followed by John Campbell with 1,290 and Patrick L. Williams with 1,282. A later count showed Campbell and Williams were 10 votes apart.
Payne said he is looking into how poll workers in Yellow Creek Precinct 4A allowed one man to vote after he cast an absentee ballot. Another four provisional votes from people who had moved into Yellow Creek Township's East Precinct were nullified. Payne said the veteran workers did not follow the proper steps in handling the ballots.
Payne said the votes would not have altered the outcome of any contests.
The board will also receive its new optical scan voting machines on Tuesday. They will be used for the first time Feb. 7 when the Minerva schools have a special election.
wilkinson@vindy.com