SULLIVAN COUNTY –– Legislators revisited the topic of pre-printing ballots and other preparations for the next election process on Thursday, which comes after  public criticism of long lines at the polls this past November.

District 7 Legislator Joe Perrello said they should invite the Board of Elections (BOE) to join in the discussion on what they may require in order to limit long voting lines and prevent equipment malfunction. Perrello noted the necessity of pre-printing ballots when the time comes.

Legislative Chairman Rob Doherty stated in addition to pre-printing ballots, there would not be any problem with printing a number of ballots on-site. He went on to say that pre-printing all the ballots needed for that day would be an untenable practice due to the lack of equipment to do so.

“The printers that we’re using [are] very difficult...so if one of those breaks down, the whole system breaks down,” he said.

Doherty added that 25,000 ballots were printed for last year’s election and 36,000 ballots were printed for the presidential race in 2020.

Vice Chair Michael Brooks said that pre-printing roughly 75 percent of the ballots as a precaution would assist in every step of the voting process. Brooks said that there are always going to be issues, but the hope is to get the voting process moving much smoother.

Public safety data

During Thursday’s Public Safety and Law Enforcement Committee meeting, Sullivan County Fire Coordinator John Hauschild shared 2022 fire stats. 

Hauschild stated that across the county, in the past year, there were 6,728 calls, leading to himself and his deputies being dispatched 823 times. He stated that the Sullivan County Fire Investigators were dispatched 70 times, which led to five arrests.

E-911 and EMS Coordinator Alex Rau reported to the committee that emergency medical services usage increased by nine percent in 2022 compared to 2021.

In her report to legislators, Wendy Brown, co-chair of the Sullivan County Drug Task Force relayed to the board information on a new director being named head of the Hope For Handcuffs program. 

Additionally, Brown stated that Ellenville Regional Hospital has taken an interest in joining a pillar within the Drug Task Force.

The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office report was given by Jail Administrator Hal Smith, who stated that over the past few months, the Sheriff’s Department had hired around 30 Corrections Officers, some of whom have not remained with the program since their joining - leaving nine openings.

DMV update

On Thursday, County Clerk Russell Reeves told legislators that business at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) remains steady.

However, he mentioned that it has “been an ongoing battle” to acquire equipment for the department from the State. Reeves stated that he plans to speak with the NYS DMV Commissioner to highlight Sullivan County’s struggles.