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Two signatures or one?

Nov 30, 2010 1:03 am
Debora Gilbert's article in The Columbia Paper is titled "Some supes voice second thoughts on voucher change" yet only notes one supervisor with such an opinion. Clearly, though, Democratic election commissioner Virgina Martin voices many second thoughts in the article that details how a recent motion by Leo Pulcher (R-Stockport) changed the requirement that pay vouchers for part-time election workers be signed by commissioners from both major parties; now the vouchers require only one signature. The articles details how Republican elections commissioner Jason Nastke, "promoted the resolution without her knowledge." Mr. Pulcher told The Columbia Paper that the resolution was introduced because, "workers had not yet been paid for the primary elections in September. He said the change would help expedite payments and represent a return to a practice used in the past." Nastke could not be reached by The Columbia Paper for comment.

“None of us were too happy, especially in the Democrat Caucus, that it was pulled over like this,” said Ray Staats (D), supervisor of Clermont, the one supe to voice a second thought on the voucher change. It seems odd for the quick alteration, since this comes 11 months after Ms. Martin and Hudson Democratic Party Chair Victor Mendolia (a WGXC programmer) found irregularities in payments to election workers that:
"included disparities between workers for the two parties with identical job descriptions. They also found changes in amounts and obvious attempts to block out original figures. The irregularities go back to 2008. Ms. Martin and Mr. Mendolia found the documents in the wake of the departure of Democratic Deputy Election Commissioner Geeta Cheddie, now a Hudson Alderwoman. Up until that time, deputy election commissioners had routinely signed pay vouchers using the name of the commissioner from their party. The practice of having two commissioners sign vouchers went into effect last summer, according to Ms. Martin. 'It's the taxpayers' money, they have a right to know and be confident that we are spending it only when necessary. It's important we make sure people are paid what is fair and that county tax payers don't pay a penny more than is necessary,' Ms. Martin said in a statement issued earlier this year."
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