County approves leasing of election poll pads
May 16—WEATHERFORD — Parker County commissioners Monday agreed to spend $159,000 — the bulk coming from contingency — for updated equipment in the November election.
Elections Administrator Crickett Miller had approached the court earlier this month to alert them that the iPads her office uses are at their max when it comes to security updates due to the age of their operating system.
IT Director James Caywood noted devices usually reach that point anywhere from three to five years after they are produced. Apple stopped support for fifth generation machines — what the county is using now — and Miller said they were notified in October by KNOWiNK, which provides the polling software.
Miller presented two options: the purchase of 105 Poll pads, at $151,815 over a three-year period, or leasing at $158,951 over the same span.
The pros, she pointed out, included receiving a new iPad every three years, ensuring the machines are always up to date with the latest security upgrades.
$40,000 of the cost will be provided from Miller's budget, with the remainder coming from contingency.
In other election-related business, commissioners also approved using First Baptist Church Brock as an Election Day voting site in place of the Precinct 3 barn. Miller noted that change so far is only in effect for Election Day, though her office is still working on early voting.
The court also approved an electioneering regulation on signage at county-owned buildings.
Under the new guidelines, no one may post a sign at a driveway or area that obstructs vision from ingress or egress of traffic. Political signs that do not follow the regulation may be removed by county staff and placed in temporary storage, where arrangements for pick-up can be made up to five days after the voting period.
Commissioners had previously discussed a range of potential regulations, including limiting size and number.
County Attorney John Forrest said he'd looked at case law, noting if a sign is in a common area and doesn't obstruct a building, restricting could be a violation of the first amendment.
"We left it broad for that purpose," he said.
In other business, the court: — Approved District Attorney Jeff Swain, District Clerk Sharena Gilliland, Precinct 4 Commissioner Mike Hale, Judge Graham Quisenberry and Purchasing Agent Kim Rivas as a steering committee for a Justice Center Master Study.
Committee members would be available to answer any questions by HDR, the architecture and engineering firm chosen to complete the study, in helping them get to the point of marketing for a bond. — Authorized advertisement for a request of bids related to the Hydrology 2025 Committee.
"This is for the [committee] to hire an engineering firm to fill in the blanks of how much water we need, how to move forward in determining the needs and trying to get more water sources into the county," Precinct 3 Commissioner Larry Walden said. "Everybody asks ... how much water do you need? 'A lot' and 'as much as we can get' are not good answers."
Forrest added this would allow the county to secure actual numbers to show the necessity of having a water study and water needs as opposed to continuing to use wells. — Heard an update from Freese & Nichols regarding transportation bond projects. Several items in Precincts 1 and 3 are in the design phase, with construction on Farm-to-Market 920 at Willow Creek expected to be completed by the end of June.
