With a flip of the coin, the Hancock County Commission decided on the appointment of a Community-at-Large member to the Brooke Hancock Metropolitan Planning Commission. Patrick Arneault was chosen to fill the position over Ray Gaytka when Assistant Prosecutor Mike Lucas called the toss. Commission President Paul Cowey said the Commission had reviewed the resumes of both men for the position and they both were excellent candidates, thus the decision to decide the appointment by a coin toss.
Changes were approved to Precincts #23, 24, 25 and 28 as a result of Legislative Redistricting due to the 2020 Census. A legal ad was published to alert the public of those changes and calling for anyone opposed to make his/her feelings known, No member of the public appeared to protest. Written notification will be sent to all registered voters in those precincts alerting them to the change and their polling place prior to the Primary Election in May 2022.
Approval was also given to the Emergency Absentee Voting Policy. State statute authorizes the Commission to adopt a policy stating a voter may vote absentee if he/she is in a hospital or other licensed health care facility in a county adjacent to Hancock County or within 35 miles of the county seat for medical treatment or in a nursing home within the county and is unable to vote in person on election day.
In other business the Commission:
**Named Charles Bailey of Chester as a public official representative to the CHANGE, Inc. Board of Directors. As a community action agency, one-third of CHANGE’s Board is required to be public officials or representative appointed by public officials;
**Agreed to send a letter of support for a fiscal year 2023 Community Corrections Grant for the Lee Day Report Center. The grant will provide an array of services, including alternative sentencing, for criminal offenders sentenced by the Circuit and Magistrate’s Court;
**Did not take action on a resolution for matching funds for Northern Panhandle 5C Network Project for broadband expansion;
**Approved the 2022 Commission Meeting Schedule;
**Approved a Pitney Bowes postage meter contract;
**Reappointed Will Allison to the Hancock County PSD Board;
**Accepted the resignation of Steven Dixon from the position of part-time dispatcher;
**Transferred Tim Steele from part-time dispatcher to full-time dispatcher;
**Hired Linda Stear as an employee in the Hancock County Clerk’s office.
