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Elections board receives grants

Two state grants were awarded to the Washington County Board of Elections for expenses related to the pandemic.

Mandy Amos, director of the election board, and Karen Pawloski, deputy director, spoke to the Washington County Commission about the grants during the commissioners’ meeting Thursday morning.

The first grant of $40,000 is through the Help America Vote Act.

“It’s to be used for PPE for the poll workers and staff,” Pawloski said.

According to a directive from Secretary of State Frank LaRose, the grant is to be exclusively spent on additional costs associated with the national emergency related to coronavirus and to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19 for the 2020 federal election cycle.

Pawloski said the second grant was through the C.A.R.E.S. Act for $49,000. In his directive, LaRose said each county board of elections would receive a block grant of $40,000 to support continued compliance with security standards and additional improvements to cybersecurity, physical security and voter accessibility.

The board of elections would meet 8:30 a.m. Aug. 5 to discuss polling at the schools.

“We want to move the polling places to the schools since they are ADA compliant,” Pawloski said.

The board also is looking to hire temporary staff, two from each political party and 200 poll workers will be needed for November’s election.

In other commission news, County Engineer Roger Wright presented the bid specifications to repair three landslips on County Road 12. Estimated cost is about $166,000.

Washington County Job and Family Services will have 750 masks available for anyone from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday at 1115 Gilman Ave.

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