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St. Francois County authorizes new election equipment and tabulation contracts
Summary
The commission authorized contracts to replace aging election machines and to purchase tabulation equipment, approving immediate funding of $127,800 for voting machines and a sole‑source tabulator agreement with Atkins & Sons financed over two years with a 10‑year amortization plan.
St. Francois County commissioners authorized two contracts to replace aging election equipment and to buy new tabulation hardware during their meeting. The board approved immediate funding for $127,800 of a larger $153,300 package to secure ballot‑printing machines that will issue ballots and receipts, and it approved a sole‑source purchase with Atkins & Sons for tabulation equipment.
The equipment was presented by Speaker 2, who said the machines “will be able to read license or another photo ID, put your information in, and… it will print your ballot and it will also issue a receipt to that ballot.” He told the commission the 10‑day notice required for sole‑source procurement had elapsed with no competing proposals and recommended authorizing the contracts so grant funds could be used in the current fiscal year.
Speaker 2 said the full vendor package totaled $153,300 but only $127,800 needed approval now; training and later payments cover the remainder. On the tabulation hardware, Speaker 2 named Atkins & Sons as a sole‑source provider, citing integration with existing equipment and a quoted price referenced in discussion as $117,005.33 (at one point cited as $117,553). He said the vendor offered a two‑year payment option and that the county would amortize equipment costs over 10 years, noting neighboring counties use different amortization schedules.
Commissioners approved both motions by voice vote. No roll‑call tally was recorded in the transcript; approval was taken by the chair’s call for ayes and unanimous vocal responses.
County staff said the contracts include vendor training and ongoing service; they also said the county will prorate the cost to municipalities and other local entities that use the county’s election services. The county indicated it pursues sole‑source procurement in this instance to maintain compatibility with existing systems and to avoid larger conversion costs.
The commission did not provide an exact delivery schedule in the public discussion beyond the supplier’s representations that machines would be available for implementation in the coming fiscal period.
