Putnam County officials are exploring the possibility of using new equipment to count ballots on Election Day.
The county could rent the equipment for the upcoming general election before making a long-term decision, County Clerk Brian Wood told commissioners at their meeting Thursday.
Wood initially thought the county might be able to purchase Kanawha County's old machines after they switch to new technology, but later found out it would be cheaper to purchase new ballot counting machines.
The current ballot counting method is slow and Putnam County is typically one of the last counties to have results in on election night. County election officials typically are working at the courthouse from the evening of Election Day to early morning.
The county would put each ballot counting machine at the individual precincts, with the exception of four precincts where use of the machine wouldn't be plausible. In total, the county would need 42 machines.
Also on Thursday, County Commissioners approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals for mental health and substance abuse services. Though they had previously approved the memorandum, the Supreme Court altered some of the grammar in the document.
The memorandum would allow Kevin White to be an officer of the court with a salary, benefits and expenses not to exceed $60,000.
White, who has managed the Prestera program in Putnam County for the last three years and has 25 years of community counseling experience, will lead a panel of mental health professionals in order to defer offenders with mental health issues to appropriate facilities instead of jail.
This will both help the county in the cost of housing these nonviolent offenders, and help the offenders with mental health issues the help they need.
At a previous county commission meeting, Putnam Circuit Judge Phillip Stowers said 80 percent of people in regional jails have treatable mental health issues. Most of these offenders are awaiting trial and cannot make bail to get out of jail.
Commissioners also approved a design and construction management agreement with Silling Architects to redo the parking lot the judicial building, Putnam County Schools Central Office and the Putnam County Courthouse share.
The current parking lot will be repaved and have new concrete islands to better designate parking areas.
Courthouse Drive will also be repaved and the entrance will be widened. Additionally, the parking lot will be sealed and striped and six light poles will be added.
Putnam County Commission will meet again at 9 a.m. July 26 in the Putnam County Courthouse in Winfield.
Reach Laura Haight at laura.haight@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4843 or follow @laurahaight_ on Twitter.