Serving the High Plains

County approves official canvass

The Quay County Commission on Monday unanimously approved the official canvass for last week’s general election after the clerk proclaimed it “the easiest we ever had.”

County Clerk Ellen White said the election in the county contained no provisional ballots, no late ballots and no ballots that required “curing,” or correction.

After previous elections, county commissioners spent time — sometimes up to 45 minutes — during their meeting approving or rejecting provisional ballots.

White estimated a portion of an estimated 800 inactive voters would be purged from the rolls in March. She said most of those are registered voters that were mailed absentee-ballot applications but deemed undeliverable. A total of 6,093 voters are registered in Quay County, but she estimated the actual number is 5,331.

White said she sent out about 840 absentee ballots during the general election, and only about 25 were not returned.

She said some residents requested absentee ballots because they incorrectly assumed no in-person voting would occur. Once they realized polling places would operate as normal, they surrendered their absentee ballots and voted early or on Election Day.

White also noted partisan differences regarding voting methods.

With those requesting absentee ballots, 430 were Democrats, 267 were Republicans and 79 were unaffiliated or with other parties.

During early voting, a total of 1,271 were Republican, 657 were Democratic and 210 were independents or other parties.

On Election Day, 540 Republicans voted, along with 291 Democrats and 155 independents or other parties.

Commissioner Sue Dowell praised the clerk’s office and the nearly record-high participation in the election by residents.

In other business:

• County manager Richard Primrose said he’d received 18 applications for federal CARES Act funds that would reimburse local businesses for coronavirus-related expenses.

“I was hoping for considerably more,” he said.

Primrose said he’d sent letters to each entity in Quay County with a business license, informing them of the grant program. He said the Village of Logan mailed similar letters.

He said the county recently submitted its application to reimburse COVID-related expenses during the previous fiscal year through June 30. He said applications from the businesses soon would be submitted. COVID-related expenses through Dec. 31 are eligible for reimbursement; another round of applications likely would be offered if money is left over.

Quay County in September received $152,550 in CARES Act funds for its coronavirus expenses, and it received another $372,750 for businesses’ expenses during the pandemic.

• Commissioners approved a volunteer fire assistance grant application of $19,833.10 for Fire District No. 1 to buy wildland firefighting equipment. County Fire Marshall Lucas Bugg said the grant comes with a 10% match.

Bugg also told the commission the Porter fire department received $200,000 and Forrest fire department received $88,000 in state fire protection grants. He said only 51 fire departments in the state received grants out of 131 applicants.

Commissioners approved a state-mandated policy of distributing Narcan or naloxone nasal spray to inmates released from the county jail. Both drugs are used to treat opioid overdoses.

Quay County Detention Center administrator Christopher Birch, who recommended approval of the policy, said the drugs, which he deemed as “safe,” are given to freed inmates if they meet the criteria and undergo training.

Birch said the state covers the expense of the drugs now, but anticipated the county eventually would have to take over their costs.

• The commission went into a closed executive session near the end of its meeting to discuss filed or threatened litigation.