County receives federal funds for elections

By Diane Saunders
Staff Writer
Published on Wednesday, June 17, 2009 9:57 AM MST

Graham County will receive more than $50,000 in Help America Vote Act grants and a $25,952 HAVA reimbursement for the purchase of new voting machines.

The Graham County Board of Supervisors voted June 15 to accept the grants and reimbursement money.

The Help America Vote Act was signed into law in October 2002 in the wake of punch card ballots that election officials across the nation say caused vote count irregularities in the 2000 general election. The HAVA provides election assistance to counties.

Graham County Recorder Wendy John said the money — which will be disbursed through the office of Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett — is earmarked for the following:

• $12,500 to the Graham County Recorder's Office.

• $37,500 to the Graham County Elections Department.

• $25,952 reimbursement for new voting machines the county purchased to replace old punch card machines.

In another money matter, the supervisors approved $127,500 in budget cuts proposed by Superior Court Judge R. Douglas Holt.

The cuts reflect a reduction in indigent defense contracts for local attorneys. According to Holt's plan, $472,500 will be spent for defense of adults and $51,500 will be spent to represent juveniles.

In other business, the supervisors approved the following contracts:

• An intergovernmental agreement with Gila County for epidemiological — causes and control of epidemics — services to satisfy the requirements of the bioterrorism program. These services will be provided at a rate of $33.61 per hour. The new agreement replaces the previous agreement, which expired.

• A vocational training contract with the Eastern Arizona College funded by Workforce Investment Act funding. This funding pays tuition for full-time students at a rate of $760 per semester — an increase of $70.

• An agreement with Follett Higher Education Group, which operates the bookstore at EAC. Workforce Investment Act-sponsored nursing students will be able to charge up to $700 each semester, and other WIA-sponsored students can charge up to $400 for books each semester. There is a cap of $30,000 per term.

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