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Selectmen approve contingency to add Planning Board zoning amendments to March 11 ballot
Summary
After the Planning Board's zoning amendments were omitted from printed ballots, the Springfield Board of Selectmen approved a motion to pursue reprinting and reprogramming with VotingWorks if possible (Plan A); if not possible, they will hand-count a paper ballot (Plan B).
The Springfield Board of Selectmen voted Feb. 24 to pursue adding Planning Board zoning amendments to the March 11 ballot after town staff discovered the amendments were not included in the original ballot run.
Whit Smit told the board the proposed zoning amendments were not included when ballots were created and that the town must decide how to proceed before election day. The board discussed two contingency options: "Plan A will be to have ballots printed and the voting machine reprogrammed to accept the zoning amendments ballot. Plan B is to print a paper ballot for the zoning amendments and hand count them at the close of the election." Annika Munholand, the town clerk/tax collector, and Whit Smit were assigned to contact VotingWorks to determine whether reprinting and reprogramming remain feasible.
Selectman Poul Heilmann moved "to go with plan A if it is possible, if not we will go with plan B." The motion was seconded by Selectman Steve Dzubak; Poul and Steve voted in favor. No further board members voted on the motion during the meeting record. The board directed that, with either plan, ballots for the zoning amendments must be available to include with any absentee ballots.
The board did not set a contingency deadline in the minutes; clerk staff were to contact VotingWorks the following day and report back to the Selectmen. The Planning Board's amendments were scheduled for a town vote on Tuesday, March 11.
