Board of Registrars

City of Chicopee, Massachusetts Registrars of Voters y Hall Annex – 274 Front Street – Chicopee, MA 01013 l: (413) 594-1550 Fax: (413) 594-1554 e-mail jsurdyka@chicopeema.gov Janina Surdyka Registrar (copy of the minutes of the meeting) February 24, 2016 Jacqueline DuBois, Chairperson of the Board of Registrars, called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Present: Jacqueline A. DuBois, Alfred W. Kendall, Edward A. Rybak and Janina Surdyka Minutes of the December 17, 2015 meeting were reviewed and approved as presented by the Clerk. Correspondence: - Election Division – United Independent Party Postcards - US Census Bureau – Block Boundary Suggestion Project - Auditing Department – Fiscal 2017 Budget Preparation Motion was made by Mr. Rybak, seconded by Mr. Kendall and unanimously approved to provide assistance to the US Census Bureau in the 2020 Phase 1 – Block Boundary Suggestion Project. On the motion of Ms. DuBois the members of the Board were in agreement to refer FY 2017 Department’s Budget to New Business. Clerk’s Report: The following is a count of registered voters for the March 1, 2016 Presidential Primary: Democrat Republican Green United Unenrolled Other Totals Rainbow Ind. Party Totals 13,024 3,854 65 160 18,122 130 35,355 On February 10, the last day for voter registration, 106 residents registered to vote: 33 at the office, 8 at RMV, 12 by mail and 53 online. On the same day at a special voter registration session at Westover Job Corp, 10 students from Chicopee and 1 from Springfield registered to vote. Registration statistics (including address and party affiliation changes) for the month of January are as follows: Registered in the office Received from the RMV Registered by mail Registered at public-assistance agencies Registered online Received from other City/Town Halls Deleted from voter registration roll (moved, died or in 108 response to confirmation notice) Since July 1, 2015 the Department collected $15,017.90 from passport applications and spent $12,297.55 for photo ink and paper, priority postage, 7 calendars, receipt books, 2 reams of business paper and $10,500.00 transferred to Special Services for conducting the Annual City Census. The present balance of this account is $130,566.40. On Thursday, February 4th, the Clerk participated in a Voter Registration Seminar conducted by the staff of the Election Division. This training included changes in the voter registration procedures unique for the Presidential Primary, new rules regarding pre-registration of 16 year olds, and processing candidates’ nomination papers. 18,778 Census questionnaires were mailed on January 22 and the office staff is in the process of updating residents’ records from mailed back information. 17.815 records out of 43,462 maintained by the Department are already updated. Property managers of 18 multi-dwelling units submitted their responses, with reminders to non-respondents to be mailed after Presidential Primary. Motion was made, seconded, and unanimously approved to accept the Clerk’s report as presented. Old Business: Clerk of the Board expressed her gratitude to three volunteers from the Senior Tax Work Off Program for opening and sorting thousands of 2016 Census questionnaires enabling office staff to process all voter registration changes received prior to February 10, 2016 voter registration deadline. New Business: - On the motion by Ms. Surdyka, seconded by Mr. Rybak, the members of the Board agreed to extend conducting of the annual City Census. - Motion was made by Mr. Rybak, seconded by Ms. DuBois to approve level funded FY17 Department budget except for additional $1,000.00 for overtime due to increased voters’ activity for the Presidential Election, pre-registration of 16 year olds and early voting. - Motion was made by Ms. Surdyka, seconded by Ms. DuBois and unanimously approved to purchase new multifunctional printer/copier/fax/scanner using the Passport Revolving Fund. Good of the Department: In celebration of Black History Month, members of the Board donated several gift cards for contest winners for 7th grade students at the Sgt. Kevin Dupont Middle School. Board’s Annual meeting is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on April 1. Meeting adjourned at 10:00 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Janina Surdyka, Clerk of the Board