2026-09-30 - Board of Supervisors of Elections

Speaker 2: Okay thank you very much. I'd like to welcome everybody to this month's edition of the Rockville Board of Supervisors of Elections meeting. It is Wednesday 30 September at 05:30 p.m.. My

name is Jim Millenax and I'm very happy to get this meeting started. Can we start the meeting, Sarah? Sara Ferrell: Yes, you can. Speaker 2: Okay, fantastic. Sara Ferrell: Why don't Judy is hold on a

minute. Is that on in the room the, the recorder there? Is that on? Speaker 2: Judy, can you help us out? Speaker 3: Yes it. Sara Ferrell: Okay, and everybody can hear me ok. Speaker 2: Yes yes we

all. Sara Ferrell: Okay. All right. Thank you. Speaker 2: Let's see. Why don't we go ahead and 1st of all introduce ourselves just for the record the record why don't. Speaker 4: Can send those.

Speaker 3: Hi David. Speaker 3: Julia Goldman? Speaker 1: Cindy Walters? Speaker 3: Julie penny? Speaker 2: Fantastic. I'm very happy to also welcome David Smith, who is joining us in as a observer

this evening. David J. Smith: But nice to meet you all so interested to perhaps joining. Speaker 2: Good board, so I'm very happy to hear that and thank you very much for your interest, you know, the

board doesn't make those decisions, but hopefully you'll get a good impression from what you see us doing here tonight. David J. Smith: Okay, I can stay for about a half an hour or 40 min, but I'm

pleased to be here and do you want to know anything about me or. Speaker 2: Yeah, would you mind, would you mind just me sharing a little bit of information? David J. Smith: So I'm a 22 year city

resident, wife and two kids, we live in silver Rock. I have I was much more active on boards about ten years ago I served as chair of the, of the Human rights Commission for about six years. And, so

that was back in the early 2000s when Janet Kelly was at the city. So if you. Speaker 1: Fair enough. David J. Smith: Did ML K day and everything so I had a great run and I ran some diversity training

and then about I served a two year term on the, the community police board. Speaker 1: Hey guys. David J. Smith: Advisory board, yeah, that was during the pandemic we might have met in person once. I

served two years there and then I kind of stopped and then I've recently retired. I've retired, I guess among other things I'm a retired lawyer, I was president of an NGO, retired academic, worn a lot

of different hats over the years and thinking about re engaging and election work is important to me, and, I know. David J. Smith: It's city elections, you know, it's different, but, just the same,

it's something that you know hopefully I can make a contribution to. So that's why I'm here to learn a little bit more about what you do. Speaker 2: Great. Well, thank you very much David and let me

just say really happy to have you join us virtually tonight and you know perhaps in person in the future with any luck, but, you know, you're, you've obviously got an amazingly qualified background,

seems like and you know your your record your record of involvement in, in the, you know, the activities of the city I think really is shows how how committed you've been over the years to, to making

Rockville a better place for everybody else. So hear about your interest and. Speaker 2: And, let's hope that the the whole process goes quickly and smoothly, that isn't always the case, but let's

hope it will be the case in this in this case. So Sarah, I see you have your hand up. Sara Ferrell: Thank you Jim. I just wanted to say David, I'll be reaching out to you for a phone interview. David

J. Smith: Review prior to submitting some information to our man. Sara Ferrell: Hearing council for appointment. David J. Smith: Process so look for a call for me if not. Sara Ferrell: By Friday by

Monday, ok? And it'll just be like a half an hour. David J. Smith: Review. Sure. Thank you. I appreciate it. No problem sir. Speaker 2: Right, so I'm gonna just go ahead and go through the agenda that

we have. Thank you very much for to Sarah and to Judy for preparing it. We'll start with questions to the board. I'm not sure if there have been any over the past month or so, Sarah. Sara Ferrell:

Yes, we received a request from the City of Gatersburgh, city Clerk and I, they, they were advised by. Sara Ferrell: To reach out to us and to try to set up a meeting for us to kind of meet and greet

with the city of Gatersburg Board of Supervisors of elections. And so I did say that I would put forth that to this board, but I also indicate. Sara Ferrell: To them that we are in the middle of our

updates to our chapter eight right now and I I don't think we're really ready to kind of meet and do a cross reference of anything to help them out or ourselves for right now until we fin. Sara

Ferrell: Analyze our chapter eight and our updates and get our SOPs in in order. So I just wanted to put that out there and let you all know, I did respond and say that I would put the question before

this board, but it would be up to the board whether or not you all felt like we should be engaging right now in the middle of our up. Sara Ferrell: Dates. Speaker 2: Well, good Cathy. Speaker 4: Yeah,

I think I think that's an awesome idea to have a meet and greet with them and while we are in the middle of our updates now, might be a good idea that we set a date in the future, you know, something

for early next year maybe. Speaker 4: There's a new restaurant in the crown I'd like to try. Speaker 2: Then that's it. Speaker 4: Oh, seriously, if we could just put something on the calendar for

like January would be my thought. Speaker 2: That'd be great. Julianne, any, any thoughts here? I mean, in principle, I think it's fantastic as well that. Speaker 2: We might have the opportunity and

I think we really should be taking advantage of all the opportunities we have to, to reach out to others in in our community who are also involved in elections administration, whether that's the city,

whether that's the county. Speaker 2: And even the state, to the, to the extent that's practical practical excuse me. And so I I like the idea of myself. I take your point Sarah about the timing and.

Speaker 2: You know, I think certainly as we are preparing for our own, election next year, it would be good to do it earlier rather than later. As we get closer and closer to our own opening of the

campaign season and filing and all those kinds of things, you know, where I think we're gonna. Speaker 2: Be busier and busier so I think it would be great if we could find a good time between now and

and the end of the year or early, you know, in January like you said, sometime between now and then I think it would be really great if we could do that is my view, but, you know, I also would be

happy to hear suggestions from others if you have specific thoughts about it wouldn't be a good time. Speaker 3: I think that's a great idea particularly because we are so similar in size and similar

in kind of the areas that we covered and we just looked at their data in fact for the, when we were doing some of our updates to kind of do some comparisons so I'm all for it. I'm, you know,

definitely toward the end of the year, November December, January. Speaker 2: So let me, let me suggest that you come back to this in part five of our agenda, which is future meetings and we can, in

addition to discussing our own schedule for the next several months of meetings of this board, we can also talk about when we might want to engage with others, whether it be Gatesburgh or anybody

else. Great. All right. Speaker 2: Great, thank you very much. Any other questions to the board Sarah? Sara Ferrell: There are none right now. That was the only one that came through. Speaker 2: So ok

everybody else, I would suggest we move on to part three on the agenda, discussion of the various items for discussion, starting with the handbook for candidates. Yeah, let's go ahead and I'm not I'm

not picky by the org let's go ahead and start with that. Speaker 4: Oh good. Speaker 2: Great. And so Sarah, would you like to make any comments on this? Sara Ferrell: Yes, the reason why I brought

this back up to the forefront is because according to our approval of the updates to chapter eight, we're gonna have to go back through this handbook and really scrub it for any updates and changes

that might affect this handbook. I think we have a good start, but we're really gonna have to do a comparison and kind of get this up to par. So we're gonna have to. Sara Ferrell: Start working on

this as soon as they approve chapter eight for the introduction and see take it in sections and kind of bring it back probably in the next month and with those changes to start reviewing and see what

it is. We wanna update, add to it or. Sara Ferrell: For, you know, revisions. The one thing that I want to make sure is that we put in about the campaign policy not falling under the purview of this

board and also, you know, the new things about what this board's duties and responsibilities are and I don't think that's in there and so we need to add those sections in there and make that very

clear. Also. Speaker 3: Ask a question. Speaker 5: Huh. Speaker 3: So in the I I I didn't bring my copy of the handbook, but in the handbook itself is like we do in section eight, we're now adding

this definition section. Is that beneficial to also include in the handbook? Is that already included and ok NO but if we could include that, I think that would be very helpful. Speaker 5: The

definition of. Speaker 5: Absolutely. Sara Ferrell: We we can really beef this handbook up to serve a lot of our our our headaches or questions from everybody who maybe running and also it'll help us

as well in the guidance of because this is something new and this is gonna go along with the training that this board is responsible for, which is the campaign financing and you know the update to

chapter eight has a lot of updates for. Sara Ferrell: Writing the SOPs for that for instructions for that. The online version that gets submitted. So with these two documents alone, there's gonna be a

lot of a lot of updates and a lot of hands, all hands on deck for it to get this right and get it written. Sara Ferrell: Where we need it to be. And I I'm hoping our timeline for this will be, at

least by the end of January so that we can start working on the candidates information packet which needs to be available by May one. Right. So it's a lot going on. Speaker 2: I could sarah. That was

actually my question. You know, given that we have, a lot of informational requirements, educational requirements starting early next year, the handbook really needs to be in process PDQ, right? And

so I wanted to ask you logistically, how long is it going to take once we have an approved version of the handbook to get it and approved by this board to get it actually printed and made available to

the public? Sara Ferrell: It will go up online after it's approved and we can put it out there on our webpage for, anybody who wants to, to view it, print it, whatever, and have some copies available

to those who wish to have a god. Speaker 2: Right. Unfortunately, we do need to wait until the council actually approves the changes to the code. Sara Ferrell: Before we can actually find Yes. Speaker

2: You know, as, makes sense, of course. So I guess my question is. Speaker 2: Really gets to, and maybe we'll get to this in in the chapter eight update, but, thinking that we, we probably don't have

a very long window to get this moving and ready to go. And you know, it's also the, the holiday season will be coming up and all those kinds. Sara Ferrell: Kind of things as well, so. Speaker 2: I'm

I'm conscious of those types of issues that may interfere with our ability to focus in on the on the issues that we need to deal with. What is your, what is your thinking about, how we can move

forward to get the handbook as, as sort of as teed up as possible? Sara Ferrell: I think what I think what we should do is break the code down in sections and each person take a portion of that

handbook and work on it, bring a draft back for us all to review together, make those edits and updates. Sara Ferrell: And then try to finalize as soon as we can. I think we're really gonna have to

all work hard at, getting this done. Speaker 2: And where. Speaker 1: Down. Speaker 5: Two members. Sara Ferrell: You know it's even harder when you're down to. Speaker 5: Right, and it's hope. Sara

Ferrell: A lot that we it were compressed for time. I'm not even gonna say that I, you know, I've sent you all the emails saying how critical it is. We get two more members, we need, you know, because

there's a lot that. Sara Ferrell: Needs to happen, and it's a lot for just three members of the board and that the partici the the forms and all of that is the responsibility of my office and the

board. And my office consists of two members and. Speaker 5: Everyday, everything else and. Sara Ferrell: And three board members. Speaker 5: So we don't want. Speaker 4: Ask your David away now.

Speaker 5: We we're just saying. Sara Ferrell: And how how we need all hands. That five member board we really need that five member board. Speaker 3: So a couple procedural things. So if we have and

are pretty solid on, and I haven't read all the revisions based on our last phone conversations, but if those were all incorporated, we don't anticipate having any trouble with this with the council,

and the mayor. So because of that, it might make sense to revise the handbook based on our suggested changes and that way if there's certain things at the board, the council says, you know what,

scratch this, we can make that change on the handbook, but to go forward. Sara Ferrell: But you have to realize this handbook is from the board's approval, the. Speaker 3: I'm saying that they have to

approve the chapter A. Sara Ferrell: Which is gonna be right exactly. So. Speaker 3: If we could start that process now and do that going forward because yeah, there's a lot of, a lot of. Sara

Ferrell: Things to do and not represent and we're looking at the 20. Speaker 3: Six, is that correct for the mayor and council to debate this, the chapter eight 26 October, is that correct? Speaker 5:

Well, you know. Speaker 1: Thank you. Speaker 5: We're Monday. Speaker 1: That's the publication. Speaker 1: We have discussion on Monday, 5 October. The public hearing is the 26th and we expect them

to be able to approve it by 16 November. Speaker 4: Okay, so good. So. Speaker 2: Oops alright that's all. Speaker 4: What was 5 October then? Sara Ferrell: October. I want you all there. I changed.

Speaker 1: Right sir? Speaker 5: Yes, that's the introduction. Sara Ferrell: For the introduction on the revised feedback and changes that they asked us to do from the last meeting on the 4th. Speaker

3: Right, and that's what you have right now. That's this year, right? Speaker 1: And introduce an ordinance before, I mean and then typically they have a layover period, which they try not to.

Speaker 1: Introduce the ordinance and vote on it at the same meeting quote unquote wave the lay over. Right in this instance, because it's so important, if three members of the marion council, want a

public hearing, then we have a public hearing. Oh, so we've already built that into the schedule. Speaker 3: In case. Speaker 1: Yeah, I can't imagine that they're going forward with changes. Sara

Ferrell: Showing election COVID. Speaker 2: Without a public. Speaker 4: For that and tell me again when that what date the public. Speaker 1: 26 October. Speaker 4: Okay. Speaker 1: And then, 16

November would be the 9th for adoption. Sara Ferrell: Okay. And I would I would like you all to attend Monday if you can, if not online virtually, just to be present so they know that we're, you know,

really working together and getting this done and we need them to introduce, we need to get stay on schedule with this adoption. Speaker 4: Right. So. Speaker 5: Because we are really on a tight, we

are really. Sara Ferrell: Because these amendments will not be adopted until the amendments and updates will the chapter will not be in effect until January and January, we're already behind the gun.

Speaker 1: And the reason that. Speaker 3: Do do we have a sense of timing on this. Speaker 1: I can't remember what time. Speaker 5: They usually have. Speaker 2: On the agenda. Speaker 1: But NO,

there's already, there's a ready work session. I think we're actually. Speaker 4: So what does that mean? We're closer to four. Speaker 5: Already, I. Sara Ferrell: I think we're between eight 39 this

time and we're not at the end. Okay. Okay. I'll send out, we'll send the agenda tomorrow. I'm sorry. Speaker 3: I know we are. Speaker 4: Open item for future meetings, but it. Speaker 4: Why the

timeline might force us into having s putting some additional meetings in. Speaker 4: Now I'm. Speaker 1: And to make sure we're. Speaker 4: I know we had to do that in the past. Speaker 4: Is meet

weekly to be ready, so Sarah, if you're talking to us you're on mute. Speaker 2: She maybe talking to me. Speaker 4: So she might. Speaker 4: While she's on the phone. Speaker 2: There is also. Sara

Ferrell: Sorry, I had to take a call from another employee. Okay. I'm sorry, I missed the. Speaker 2: Yeah, so Kathy, would you, would you like to review what you said. Speaker 4: But he's just saying

that I know we've got a section later on the agenda of future meetings, but when we get there, we might wanna, keep in mind that we might, you know, need to add some additional. Speaker 4: Meetings,

you know meet weekly until then or even more. Sara Ferrell: Yeah. Speaker 5: And and you know, like Jim said. Sara Ferrell: That we have to be mindful as the holidays people are taking, you know, a.

Speaker 5: But we have other things going on so. Sara Ferrell: It's gonna be it's gonna be really tight. Speaker 2: Yeah, let's have that conversation. We can talk about exactly what we think we need

to do at this point and we will, you know, we'll have all the information about the code and about everything else that we have on the agenda for tonight so we can have a better idea of what we

actually are gonna need to do. Speaker 1: I just want to say one quick thing. Actually, on 16 November, normally an ordinance is effective immediately. The only reason this ordinance is not gonna be

effective immediately is because there are charter changes and there's a process to change the charter. So the 16th. Speaker 1: I need all that stuff right now. Speaker 3: So but. Speaker 1: I think

by the 16th. Speaker 3: Option. Speaker 1: That's gonna be adopted that's gonna be adopted. It just won't be effective until January. Speaker 1: Great, so I think by then you can start drafting your

handbook with confidence that this is what it's gonna be. Speaker 2: Okay, that's helpful. Thank you. Speaker 1: Yeah yeah. Speaker 4: Thanks for the. Speaker 1: Got it. Speaker 2: Okay, any other

discussion right now on the handbook? If not, I would If not I would like to go maybe skipping the electronic petitions and talk about chapter eight updates for the election code, if you don't mind,

Sarah. Sara Ferrell: The only thing I wanted to say about the electronic partitions is give you an update. I am going to hold that until. Speaker 2: Well after we talk about the chapter rated updates

alright thank you so we had a good conversation last week of answering some of the questions that were posed in our email exchanges. Speaker 2: About the election code revisions, some clarifications,

thank you very much to all of all of you who attended that and that was helpful for me to understand what what people were thinking. So my understanding is that this will now or maybe this has already

gone to the council, is that right? Speaker 2: It will go after they're not gonna see this until Monday. Speaker 1: Well, they've seen it because it's been posted in their book in their brief book,

right? Speaker 2: Right, ok. So they they'll have a chance to have a chance to see it, obviously, and hopefully be prepared to discuss it on on Monday. Correct, and. Speaker 2: You know, I I'm

optimistic although not confident that there will be NO more questions or or concerns at that point but again as Sarah said, it's great to have everybody who can attend to actually be there. We can

answer any questions that they might have and just by our presence also to demonstrate that we're we're ready for the begin. Speaker 2: Engage with them. Unfortunately I will not be in town, but I

will be joining. So the the better information we have about when we might appear, the better for me. So thank you very much for that Sarah. And were there any other questions or comments on the

updates that. Speaker 2: We didn't, that we didn't get to address. Sara Ferrell: No. I'm just gonna I'm just kind of. Speaker 3: Flipping through kind of checking off the the points that we had from

the phone call. They all look to be incorporated. I'll review it again tomorrow morning with my notes in front of me to see if maybe there's something that was missed, but looks good. I have any

questions or comments. Speaker 3: And, so one of the things Kathy that we did is we changed the fines, the maximum fines because we had all agreed to change the fines for late reports to ten days at

200. Speaker 3: Ten days at 304 50 for each day after. Originally the maximum fee was 2500, which so we moved it up to 7500. And that's one of the only substantive changes we made because they agreed

in theory, they wanted the higher, they had NO objections to the higher fees for the delay. We just maximum we changed the maximum, so that was really the only thing. Speaker 4: And that was why 7500

because just wanted to go to the. Speaker 3: Well if you added it up. Speaker 2: If you have 200 per day for the 1st ten days, that's already. Speaker 3: But basically. Speaker 2: For the next ten

days, that's another 3000 2500. Right. And so we would have, you know, it would have been meaningless after the 12th 13th day, right? Speaker 3: Okay, so we just that was the only for since you

weren't that was the only substantive change we made that wasn't just It would be tighter here or this should be right here, but there was NO other content, I think really that we changed. Speaker 4:

Okay, thank you. Speaker 1: I think there might have been one other thing that we did that's somewhat substantive and that's, we changed we added a section that's 2031 election changes. Speaker 1: In

there the ranked choice phone. Speaker 1: Public finance, but we also added to there, which was a great idea from Juliette, put the randomized valid there because we don't have time to figure out

doing that random valid with the names instead of being in alphabetical order, they would be in some random order. Speaker 4: But don't we need to define how that would be chosen? Speaker 1: That's

why we're putting it in for 2031. Speaker 3: To pursue into potential amendments that way in your wording was great on that that way because they wanted something for a future that's given them three

chances and then we can deal with how it's chosen later. I mean it could be, you know, names out of a hat or the computer does it or. Speaker 4: Alright. Speaker 2: Right. Thanks and and again, you

know, I mean, I think we we decided that we would include that in there, but. Speaker 2: They may choose not to include and I think it would, you know. Speaker 3: What they. Speaker 2: Putting that in

the code again is something that I I personally feel is not the right place for it. Right. But. Speaker 3: No discenters on that here. Speaker 2: Yeah. Just for the record I did that to the to the

discussion. There are other ways that we that we we could make that kind of or that they could rather could make that kind of intent understandable. Anyway. Great. And so I think we're ready to we're

ready to go for Monday night and appreciate everybody being there. Ok, anything else on the updates for the election code for now? Speaker 1: By year. Speaker 2: Okay, let's talk about electronic

petitions Sarah. Sara Ferrell: Well, I do think I'm not familiar with. Speaker 2: So I'm really interested for your, you know, for your back. Sara Ferrell: Okay, so, that was one of the, at the end of

the election, that was one of the things that they asked the board to look into, and we had a clear majority say, you know, whether the city of Gatersburgh does electronic petition, let's look into it

and see if we can do it. So we looked into it. Our so. Sara Ferrell: Sorry for my clock behind me. So it is, we can do it and we have got, we have worked with our IT department and they have done an

in house database for us and how they connect with the review of the petition forms that. Sara Ferrell: Candidates are available that have to get a hundred qualified signatures and that's one of their

qualifications and they wanted to be able to do it not just by a sheet of paper and handwritten, and this will help the board out as well because now that can cross reference with the data. Sara

Ferrell: And we don't have to sit there and go through the system and do all the hand checking. So this is something new. We're gonna try it. You know, we still might have some paper petitions for

those who may not want to, but at least we're giving them the option and that's gonna be something that's gonna be part of the handbook as well. But there is a training on that. There is a training.

Sara Ferrell: Process for that as well for each candidate. So I just want to give you all a heads up. It is we've paid for the program. We're gonna do it. It's gonna be part of the handbook for the

candidates and I have IT working on the instructions, but that's gonna be part of the training for our campaign finance as well. So I just wanted to give you all heads up. Very easy, but we still have

to provide it and provide the training as well. Speaker 3: Okay, I have a question. Speaker 2: Yes, please. Speaker 3: And thank you. So is that something obviously if the petitions, when their

electronic petitions are uploaded, it's a lot easier to check from the database whether or not they're, they're legally registered that why don't we require them to do it electronic? Sara Ferrell:

Well, this is the 1st time. Speaker 5: Time yeah. Speaker 3: But however. Speaker 5: All right. Sara Ferrell: So in our training. Speaker 3: And in the handbooks, the preferred method is to whatever

if you need the way we do, there's some explanations where we say if you really have to like do this year. Speaker 5: You really have to. Speaker 3: Yeah, but but for certain things you can write, you

know, preferred method of whatever anything that you guys don't have to put physically into the database yourselves where somebody needs to put it, we can do it. So I would almost put language in the

handbook and the training said the preferred method is this. Speaker 3: Since you're now doing it. I mean not saying require it, but maybe down the road say since it's our 1st year, we're gonna do

require paper, but from now on it'll be because it's uploading it to the system, right? It's not so everybody should have the if they're running for office in Rockville they should have the ability to

upload a. Speaker 5: My agency. Speaker 3: We can work with them if they don't have that ability easily. Speaker 2: So I I have a lot of questions as well about this and and most of them have to do

with what these sort of E nomination petitions would actually look like. And is it as simple as uploading a written document as you, as you say? Are people going to have the ability to go online and

create a digital document that allows people to. Speaker 3: Support this. Speaker 2: Sign and add their name to the nominated petition. Speaker 3: My question. Speaker 2: That to me sounds like a

great idea but again I'm not sure how that works exactly. Sara Ferrell: Okay. And so. Speaker 2: Would love to hear more about that. Sara Ferrell: Well, I'll have Willy come back our IT guy at our one

of our meetings and and do another pilot for us. Okay. You weren't there at the time, so I will have him come back and do another pilot for the board and so everybody can see it. Speaker 2: Apologize

if you've already seen this. Speaker 2: Do me. Speaker 5: That's fine. Sara Ferrell: Thank you, and I will make sure we get a meeting set up and have him come back in and pilot that thing for you also

he can demonstrate again. So NO worries. Speaker 2: And if if you would rather not take up board time, David I see you're, you're ready to really appreciate you jumping on and, you know, I thank you

very much. David J. Smith: Much for your interest. Sorry. Thank you. Sara Ferrell: Okay, thank you David. Speaker 5: All right. Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean if I want to take a board time with this, I'm

happy to try to schedule. Speaker 2: Myself if you've already done this Kathy and maybe Juliette I don't know if she's interested she may not have done it before either, but, I would be very happy to

understand better how the system is envisioned to work and how you know how it will help to ease the process. Speaker 2: I was just saying maybe we can have a training or an introduction outside of a

board meeting rather than taking a board meeting time with something like that. Yeah, maybe even during the day so it's during regular working hours for folks don't have to stay later come in after

work. Sara Ferrell: I'm sure that'll be great for Willy. He'll be. Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah. Speaker 5: Yeah. Speaker 2: Good. Okay, any other questions or comments on the electronic petitions part?

Actually I have one more question. So this is something that we would, that we would hope to be able to include in the the next election cycle that we're, that we're entering into, right? The next

election will be able to to submit nominating petitions dig digital nominating. Speaker 2: As well as perhaps scans of their physical IRL nominating petitions. Speaker 3: You're just still here.

Speaker 2: I learned that from my kids. Speaker 2: Great. Okay, thank you so much for the clarification and yeah I look forward to setting up time with you to maybe have have that briefing. Okay,

great. Ok. So let's talk about our next steps. And this is where I think we can can really go through and set a timeline for what we need to do. Speaker 2: In terms of the chapter eight updates,

anything that we need to do with that, but also maybe even more importantly at this point, the handbook. Yeah. And so let's let's hear you start with the, with chapter eight. We already talked a

little bit about the board meeting or the council meeting that's coming up on Monday. Look forward to seeing everybody there. Hopefully we'll be able to answer any questions or we get any concerns.

Speaker 2: And addressing problems at that meeting. Speaker 2: We expect probably there will be a public discussion on the 26th. I'd be very curious having never been part of one of those here in

Rockville to understand from you all how that works and how we can best be prepared to participate helpfully in that. Sara Ferrell: So Yeah, go ahead Cindy, you're there. Speaker 1: I was I was just

gonna say a public hearing typically you give speakers, you know, 2 min 3 min depending on I don't know what you typically do. 3 min for individuals. Speaker 1: For the organization depending on who

it is. They basically approach the podium, they speak, and there's NO back and forth. They make their statement and that's that. And. Speaker 1: I'm sorry. Speaker 4: This notice to the. Speaker 1:

Correct. There's notice to the public ahead of time so that people know where to speak, you know, to come speak. The way that, I mean this is supposed to work is that the public comes, they give their

comments and the mayor and council have time to, you know, consider them and digest them before they actually vote on the ordinance and perhaps even suggest some changes based on what the public.

Speaker 4: I can't do it. Speaker 1: Yes. Sometimes we've seen, I think Sarah, you can confirm that we've seen public hearings on the same night that they go ahead and vote for the so I think the way

we have it scheduled, we have one public hearing already kind of scheduled preliminarily for 26 October, you know, three of them affirmatively want to do it. We also have a date, I don't remember what

it is second one. Speaker 3: November second. Speaker 1: If they want to. Speaker 3: Tentative is November second. Speaker 1: I just I kind of don't think that's gonna happen, but I don't know. I

could be. Sara Ferrell: The only way that I think that the November second would is if we have a lot of public comment and they want to hear, they want to get the transcript, review it, and see if

there's anything that they think that they might want to change. And if that's the case, then they might, if they get a lot of feedback, they might request a second one, but if not, they may not. Sara

Ferrell: That they might just move forward because they know we're in a tight timeline, right? Speaker 2: Yeah, I'll just note that November second is the the evening before the general election I

will have a schedule of conflict on that evening. Speaker 1: Hopefully, there won't be in November. Sara Ferrell: I I don't anticipate unless there's a overwhelming lot of things, but I I don't

anticipate that. Speaker 2: So a question for you Sarah, is it helpful for members of the board of Elections to speak during that public meeting public hearing? Sara Ferrell: Oh, not right now only

because you all have already done all your recommendations and they're in there. All you're there is to say, to show support, hey, we we want to get them moving. We want, you know, we, here's

everything we wanna move forward and we're at a time crunch and, you know, we need to start working on these things. That's basically it. Speaker 2: Okay, any other comments about public hearing

questions? Alright, thank you. So we've got public hearing on the 26th, ideally the the code will be voted on on 16 November. You mentioned because there's amendments to the charter, that they may not

take in take effect immediately. Speaker 2: 1 January. So does that mean that the amendments to the code overall would not take take effect until 1 January or just the charter. Speaker 1: Not

effective until yeah. Speaker 1: Is it 1 January or is it the 8th? Speaker 2: Four eight. Speaker 5: It's the 8th. It's the 8th. Speaker 1: This is when the charter minutes are. Speaker 1: And that's

gonna happen. Speaker 1: That's gonna happen at the same meeting at the same meetings. Okay, like we've been introduced some charter change. Speaker 2: Alright, if, if for some reason that those

amendments are not approved on the 16 November meeting, how does that affect the effective date of the implementation? I mean assuming there's gotta be I don't understand exactly what the requirements

are 60 days after they've been approved or. Speaker 3: So I'm looking anxious and wood. He's just. Speaker 2: I'm not suggesting I'm not suggesting that's going to happen, but. Speaker 2: Well, if

the. Speaker 1: Those, if those changes are not approved for the charter, then the policy changes they're trying to affectuate through the code that require those charter amendments would be invalid.

So that would, e.g., the way that the charter reads now, you have to be 18 in order to vote. The way that the charter reads now, in order to run for office, you have to be a registered voter. So that

means you have to be 18. Yeah. They did not want 16 year olds to vote, so we had to change, I mean to run for office. So we had to change that part of the charter so that you can only run for office

if you're 18. Speaker 2: Right. Speaker 1: So those two areas as well as the term limits so only for So if for some reason those pieces, you know, but that doesn't really changed anything else. I

mean, those are just. Speaker 3: They want it. Speaker 4: They wanted to. Speaker 3: They wanted the 60. Speaker 1: Doing what they want. Yeah. Speaker 3: Have the incentive to do that. I mean.

Speaker 2: I'm not suggesting that they're not going. Speaker 3: But even at listening to their discussions was interesting because the points that they raised were the most, it was great for us, the

most innocuous points. There was nothing that we were concerned about that, you know, three things that we were really worried, we just didn't want to get into this huge thing. Speaker 3: They didn't

even bring it up, so hopefully. Speaker 2: Yeah. Hopefully that will not be the case. If what I'm what I'm most concerned about is how will we be able to be sure that any things that we are doing with

respect to the votered handbook and prep preparing for the next election cycle, will we be kept on. Speaker 2: On standby while we're waiting for something to be passed and go into effect. And it

seems like maybe that won't be the case. I certainly hope it won't be the case, but it's, what I'm hearing you say is that it's an all or nothing package that you're not we're not gonna be able.

Speaker 2: To sort of, if there for some reason suddenly there's a disagreement about term limits that we can't, we're not gonna split that off and address that in a, at a later date and pass the rest

of it. It's all or nothing. Speaker 3: I mean they have that legally, they have that option. If they're, if they're rejecting a part of it and it's brought to their attention that this causes a delay

in when candidates can apply and officially start their campaign season, as long as you let them know, and Sarah would let them know this is going to affect how that is. Sara Ferrell: You can switch

that, let's let me know. Speaker 3: As the councilman or you can pull that out. Speaker 2: You know. Speaker 1: And then I I'm not sure that I fully understand the way you posed the question. What

we're saying is everything is effective on, you know. Speaker 1: Okay. Now, if they don't pass the charter changes, I do believe the rest of the ordinance is effective. It's only those pieces. Sara

Ferrell: That are affected by the term. Speaker 1: Harder changes that would be all invoid, yeah. Speaker 2: Thank you for that. Sara Ferrell: And then we'd have to go back through our ordinance and

take it out. Speaker 1: Yeah, we just yeah we just. Speaker 2: So fingers crossed we'll have some very clear guidance to to be able to move forward with on the 16th. Yeah, great, ok. So after that we

should hopefully be able to put chapter eight to bed for the current election, you know, for the current immediate future anyway, correct me if I'm, please correct me if i'm wrong. Sara Ferrell: Well,

I think that after it's introduced, I I honestly think that we could work off of that. If nothing, if they introduce it on Monday, the 5 October, I think we can re reassured that nothing's gonna

change. Yeah. Speaker 2: Okay. Sara Ferrell: I honestly believe that because they do know the timeline that we're up. Speaker 5: Against. I have reiterated that. Sara Ferrell: To them more than once.

So they do know and if they want this election to we're all you know from day one when Cindy and I were directed to take over, we were behind 1818 months we're behind and they know that and I make it

very clear, you know, we, you gotta work with us too, because you know, we have to get this done. Speaker 2: Great. I would like to believe that is gonna be the way it works as well. So, let's let's

leave it at that for now. Speaker 2: We talk quickly about the handbook timeline, so Sarah, you had a a good suggestion earlier regarding revisions to the handbook and how we might go forward with

those, you know, essentially dividing it up into several sections. Speaker 2: Questions and then divvying those out amongst ourselves, for the purposes of sort of planning, when do we actually need

the handbook to be written? Sara Ferrell: I wanna say definitely by the end of December. I mean, it's a hard by the end of December ready to go up online by January one. Sara Ferrell: So I'm just

saying. Speaker 3: So like 15 December if we're looking at. Speaker 3: I'm trying to think obviously the last two weeks in December are kind of shot as far as maybe we should finalize something you

know one minor thing, but really if you're looking at 14 December is a Monday and if we if we schedule the 14th by our deadline, that way if we come up with the three of us and or anybody else who's

now joined us as the board, that gives us a chance to give you guys feedback to make corrections or changes by the end of that week and then that's kind of done. So working backward from 14 December

cause that's kind of. Speaker 3: So if we do the 4th. Speaker 5: The next two weeks. Speaker 2: Said the 4th. Speaker 3: She's out of Monday and that way any comments you guys have the rest of that

week when you still have people at work sometimes that week, hopefully so if we use that as an end date and then work backwards. Sara Ferrell: I agree. I agree. Speaker 2: Let's see. So. Speaker 3: So

do you want to give, do you want to separate the section? Speaker 2: I'm trying to pull up pull up the handbook right now. I think I don't know how many sections we actually have in the handbook off

the top of my head. Yeah. Speaker 3: I didn't bring my whole fool. Speaker 2: And so I. Speaker 3: Sarah, do you have it available? Can you pull it up? Sara Ferrell: Let me see. Give me a minute.

Speaker 3: Total aside sarah. I love that color on you that kind of perry winkle. Speaker 2: You're. Speaker 3: Yeah. Sara Ferrell: Yeah, I'm on mute, but thank you Juliette. I appreciate that. Hold

on, let me, let me share my screen here. Can you all see it? Speaker 2: No. Not yet yet. Now we can. Speaker 5: Okay, let me see. Sara Ferrell: It's only nine pages right now. That's actually. Speaker

2: That's actually much less than I thought. Speaker 3: And one option is, you know how you put it as a, when we were doing one of the sections with went online like a Google Doc where we could all

write our comments or something, do you want us to put that in one document and we can all make any recommended change, you know, all read it through, make any recommended changes? Speaker 4: You're

suggesting as opposed to divvying out sections just we do it collectively. Speaker 2: Yeah I thought it was much longer. Sara Ferrell: Yeah, well, it will be long. Speaker 5: Longer because it will be

longer cause. Sara Ferrell: We need to add in the definitions so that's one we gotta add in. We wanna add in our duties and responsibilities and the campaign. Speaker 5: Let's see. Sara Ferrell: So

those will go. Speaker 5: Give it. Speaker 4: Definitions we've already buttoned up. Speaker 3: Yeah, and we've already buttoned up the other things as well. Sara Ferrell: Well, the responsibility.

Speaker 3: Great, so. Speaker 2: So, yeah, this is, this is actually much less intimidating than I thought it was yeah and so I would be, I would be very eager to distribute this to all of us in a

Google Doc. Speaker 4: Give us a date by which you should make your own. Speaker 2: For everyone to make edits to it. Ideally. Speaker 2: We can revisit this in our next meeting which will be sort of

the end of October ish probably. I mean, we'll get to that later, but, we can, you know, we can talk more about it then, and then have a. Speaker 2: Have a sort of a preliminary deadline of sometime

the end of November for us and then that will allow us to make any revisions that we need to make in the 1st couple weeks of December. And then. Speaker 3: By the 14. Speaker 2: Final version ready by

the 14th hopefully. Speaker 3: And then you all can make any additional changes. Speaker 2: If we do that. Speaker 3: By the end of December. Speaker 2: It should be ready. Does that sound like a

reasonable idea? Speaker 4: That's good. Speaker 3: I've already edited the document. Speaker 5: Yeah, I know. Speaker 3: I went through when you and I talked last time Sarah about the handbook itself

and I wrote all sorts of stuff on it. Speaker 2: Alright, we're gonna have. Speaker 3: Some of our minor and small, but. Sara Ferrell: Well, give me to Friday to drop it in a Google Doc for you.

Tomorrow I I'm coming back to get ready for Monday, so give me to Friday by the weekend, you'll have it. Speaker 2: Yeah, anytime, any time after the the next council meeting is probably just by.

Speaker 3: Yeah, we're not gonna look at it. Speaker 3: Wait till after Monday. Sara Ferrell: Okay ok. Speaker 2: All right. So we'll have a we'll have a discussion in our next meeting at the end of

October. We'll have revisions by I'm just writing this down for my own memory here revision by end of November. Speaker 5: November. Speaker 2: And then we'll have corrections and other editorial

comments by December 14 and that hopefully will put us in a good position to have it ready by the end of December. Sara Ferrell: Okay, good. Yeah. Speaker 2: Great. So I think we've, we've covered the

next steps. Any other comments on next steps? No. Sara Ferrell: Okay, just that I'll follow up with you all to get a, a preview of the electronic petitions. Speaker 5: Let's make note of that. Speaker

5: Yeah, then I'll schedule that. Sara Ferrell: So I won't forget, I have it. Sara Ferrell: Okay. And Kathy, if you want to be a part of that, let me know if you're available during the day. I'll send

out, I'll see when Willie's available and then I'll reach out to you. Speaker 5: To you all and see if you. Speaker 4: Would just include me. Speaker 5: Yeah, it's just about a it's only about a half

an hour yeah in the month. Okay. Speaker 2: Fantastic. Thank you very much for that. Alright, so let's go on to old business. Is there any old business we'd like to raise? Alright, hearing none, let's

go on to new. Sara Ferrell: New business doing old new business. Oh, you got new business. Speaker 2: Well, we'll start with the old business and hearing that we don't have the old business. Let's go

to the new business, new business. Any new business from anybody? I do have one thing that I would like to discuss or just brief you all on. So I had a very nice meeting with Cheryl Kagan, last week.

Speaker 2: And that was at at my request, I hope to reach out to her. I know that in, in past history she has had a deep interest in Rockville elections and so I wanted to make sure and of course in

statewide elections as well, and so I really wanted to make sure that we had the opportunity to talk, and. Speaker 2: You know, let her hopefully understand a little bit about our vision for Rockville

elections, understand, you know, any, experiences that she had had that, that she'd like to share with us. And so it was a very, I think it was a very positive conversation she seemed very. Speaker 2:

Be willing to, be supportive of the things that we are trying to do here in Rockville. And so I was grateful for that. You know, I mentioned to her that I, I think we are operating at a sort of

disadvantage at the moment given that we only have three members of our board. Speaker 2: And that we are have been waiting for the council to appoint a couple of new members. She volunteered to to

encourage the the council to move more quickly to appoint some new members, and so it seems like maybe. Speaker 2: That could happen in the in the near future, I hope, and hopefully the council will

hear that and you know and be responsive as well follow following up on the, the communications that we've already presented to them over the last couple of months. Speaker 2: And so that was

positive. We also talked about, understanding how others in the region are conducting their elections and she at that point offered to. Speaker 2: Set up some kind of meeting with the Gathersburg city

team who is responsible for elections. I said, you know, that sounds like a generally a positive idea. Also the Montgomery County Board of elections once this election cycle is over in 2026 the.

Speaker 2: You know, I think it would be a great idea to have some additional communication with them and you know for me as a relatively new member of the board or as a new member of the board to you

know understand better how we interact with them and and you know she she again volunteered to, to. Speaker 2: Make all kinds of connections. I said I think, you know, I appreciate that. I think we

probably have our own connections, but you know appreciate her being supportive of those kind of activities. And then finally, she volunteered to invite us as the board of elections to Annapolis at

some point. Speaker 2: Early next year, if we wanted to have a, you know, engagements in Nanapolis with others on election related issues, shadowing her in some fashion I said that we might be

interested in doing something like that as well when we talk about it at the board and you know decide whether or not that was. Speaker 2: I thought it was basically a positive meeting and, you know,

look forward to having her as a supportive person, but also understanding sort of our responsibilities and what the, you know, what our ground rules are here in So I just wanted to brief you all on

that. Speaker 4: She offers any suggestions or. Speaker 2: Let's see, trying to think. I didn't bring my notes with me. Actually I didn't take notes there, but I jotted some things down afterwards.

She, she did not offer any particular guidance, you know, I I shared with her that I, you know, I very much wanted to be as transparent as possible and make sure that we're sharing as much information

and communicating as much as we can that we had to do a good that we wanted to do a good job in the education process as we. Speaker 2: Roll out some of these new rules, she, you know, she was very

supportive of that and I think you know if we ask her to do something for us, in support of our activities, she would be very happy to do so. Okay. So we might want to think about how we, how we

utilize that, that offer if it makes sense to do that. Speaker 3: I think I saw her the day after you met her two days later at a ribbon cutting. Speaker 2: Oh ok yeah fantastic. She does, she does

get around. Speaker 3: Yeah, she was doing something because I just met with you going. Speaker 2: Fantastic. Well, I hope she thought it was a good discussion as well, so, good. So anyway, I just

wanted to, you know, just wanted to share that conversation with everybody on the board and make sure you all are are fully up to speed on all the all the things that I'm doing. Speaker 4: And I would

definitely like to dig up on the offer to introduce us to. Speaker 4: Others, you know, particularly members. Speaker 1: Of the students. Speaker 4: The board of election. Speaker 2: Yeah, and that's

that's an area where I think she had has a lot of influence and and contacts. I'm sure we also have our own contacts there as well, so I think it would be, it would be best to use our own contacts 1st

and, you know, if we have any problems, then maybe we can. Speaker 2: Turned to her for assistance, but, you know, I wanna make sure that our own sort of direct lines go to all the places where they

need to go right and we don't she doesn't we don't necessarily need her to be an intermediary for us all the time or she could be helpful, I definitely want to take advantage of that. Sara Ferrell:

Yes, as part of, as part of the clerk's office ministering the election process with the board, we do have a clear guidance and contacts and a real robust communications plan that we are very involved

with. Sara Ferrell: Those who we need to be involved with down at the state level and at Montgomery county. We need to be mindful that we cannot engage with the county without the approval of the

state given them permission. And we have to be very mindful. We. Sara Ferrell: Can't overstep the boundaries here because our their their involvement is only approved by the state. Speaker 5: And

that's where. Sara Ferrell: Where we have to, we have to request because it's their, it's their machine. Speaker 5: Their staff. Sara Ferrell: And their staff is the director of part of the state,

which we have to get permission. So before I even step over boundaries, I know the protocol, I know where we have to go 1st before we start engaging, and I don't want to overstep my boundaries with

the state and Jared is doing. Sara Ferrell: It would be Jared. It's always Jared because he's the director of the State Board of election. So I know Jared from his previous job, not only stepping into

the director position, so therefore, before we even go to the county and I know the county very well. Sara Ferrell: And working with them and engaging for many years, some of those players have not

left. Jared Boris is their new director. He's, he's only been there the 1st year when our elections, so I am very familiar with Jared, we have a good relationship along with his staff at the county.

So communications and how we go about it. Sara Ferrell: That is not a problem as far as Rockville. We engage with them through the right protocols, with MoUs, with agreements, with their state

vendors, all of that is done and I do a lot of that behind the scenes, but I do bring the board in however. Sara Ferrell: Whatever so you all can meet who we're working with and how they play a role

in assisting us. So I I do have a very robust communications plan and yes, this board is a part of it. Kathy, you've been down to this. Speaker 5: You've been at the county. Sara Ferrell: So you'll

you know all these key players and I hope to have a new board and have Jim and I have Juliet and I hope to have two more new members so when all of this begins, we will have a full board and everybody

will know our key players and our, build our relationships. So I just wanted to put that out. Speaker 2: Yeah, fantastic. I really appreciate that sir. Thanks. Speaker 3: That's a. Speaker 2: Yeah,

I'll just say you know I'm I'm looking forward to maybe sometime early in 2027 having the opportunity to understand how that communication works and, you know, make sure that we're, that we're fully

aware of all of the right protocols. Speaker 2: Yeah. And and how and better understand how we work together with the different levels of you know municipal and state and county government bodies that

are involved in the obviously. Speaker 2: We all share common goals to have, you know, clean and fair and credible elections here in Rockville and across the state. And I think, you know,

understanding how we can, how we can work together to avoid misunderstandings or overcome problems and resolve crises if they ever occur, which. Speaker 3: And I would I would add to that and share

best practices. Speaker 2: So it's not. Speaker 3: Just it's not antagnistic but really I mean that's the key. Speaker 3: So this works for us because this way and we go yes, we like it. Speaker 2:

And you know understand what we've done in the past and you know how we can maybe even improve some things if it, if there's space to do that. So, I will. Speaker 2: I'll look forward to raising this

again as we get into the new year, but, you know, thank you very much Sarah for helping to make those connections and helping us understand exactly how these things are gonna work together over the

next year. Speaker 2: Several months. Other new business that anybody would like to raise, I have one other thing that I'd be very interested in, hearing from, from Sarah but also from, from both of

you. We had a. Speaker 2: I was very happy to join Sarah and Judy a couple of weeks ago at voter registration day, National voter Registration Day out of Rockville Center. It was a beautiful day. It

was very nice to have the chance to hang out with you guys and actually we got to register probably I don't know, it was about a dozen voters when I was there or maybe. Speaker 5: It was about twelve.

Speaker 2: We're. Speaker 2: I'm very interested to hear how the rest of the day went, welcome many thoughts about future activities that we as a board can consider, as we, you know, as we move into

a, you know, what will be a really busy election year, but also, you know, we want to not only make sure that we're administering the election appropriately, but that we're doing as much as we can to

reach out to the public and educate them and help them to register. Speaker 2: Sure and make sure we can encourage people to participate as much as possible. At least that's my hope. And so i'd love

to hear some thoughts about how the day went and you know what can we do? What else can we do? Sara Ferrell: Alright, I'm gonna throw it out there. Okay, so our day went great. It was one of the best

voter outreach we got, we got a lot of updates. We've even registered a few, 16 year olds, I think Judy, you can. Speaker 5: Confirm that. Sara Ferrell: Yeah, so all of those have been dropped off at

the board via me in person. Boom, here it is. Get them in the database. Also, Jim brought up a good point that we weren't sure why Montgomery County was inside cause last. Sara Ferrell: Here they were

outside with us in front of the library but, you know, I don't know why that was with the way it was, but in any case, I think they were doing something more in depth with trying to get. Sara Ferrell:

Coworkers and all of that as well as national voter registration day. Second part, you all, we will engage in an election year. We are at every. Sara Ferrell: Every city of Rockville event doing our

outreach, educating, registering the whole 9 yd. Kathy can detest to this, are we start during. Sara Ferrell: In that long weekend of hometown holidays. We set up a booth and it's all of our booth and

we give all the education and training and and I can tell you there is at least six or seven events between January and I wanna say September that you are gonna be requested to be at and help man

these booths. Sara Ferrell: So it's not like we're not gonna be out there. We will be out there and they will get to know us as the community and and we're gonna make sure that they're aware of it's a

Rothfill municipal election and I I'm gonna campaign. Sara Ferrell: My campaign for our election, use the drop boxes, not the mail system. We have them at every community center. They will be mailed

to you, but we wish you the, we want you to use our dropboxes. There is a reason why we have. Sara Ferrell: All these dropboxes and to ensure your vote gets back and gets counted, put it in the

dropbox. So that's our, that's gonna be our campaign, not the USPS because too much is going on there. Speaker 5: There, but our campaign. Sara Ferrell: Is going to be register, receive your vallet,

get your vallet, vote and drop it in the nearest dropbox. Speaker 4: So we're gonna put that actually on. Sara Ferrell: The absolutely. We're using dropboxes. Speaker 3: The, when I did my election

training, one of the women in the training was a member of a service organization sorority and they had been they for voter registration day when we did our thing, they went to, they go to different

high schools and. Speaker 3: And I had told her that the council was looking at moving it to 16 and they were very interested. They said there's about five or six service groups that the person in

Rockville has the, and for the county one half the name of the people who are doing the active voter registration and to put out a memo to them and let them know that it's six gonna be 16 in Rockville

because they were actually just at Rockville High School right before that she was one of the ones there. Sara Ferrell: And she said they basically told everybody. Speaker 3: Who was 16 you can sign

up, but it won't be so they said it would be helpful information when that. Sara Ferrell: Changes that are doing. Speaker 3: That kind of work just to make sure that you. Speaker 2: So these are these

are university students. Speaker 4: You don't remember the name of smarty day. Speaker 1: This afternoon. Speaker 2: Alumni. Speaker 5: I know some downtime. I know. Speaker 5: I know both groups

here. Speaker 2: It's like this. Speaker 3: I, you know, I don't know. Speaker 2: But these are these are the. Speaker 3: And she introduced herself so she goes, well, I'm the queen. So. Speaker 5:

No, I know both groups staff. Sara Ferrell: To Both the AK and the delta. So I will definitely. Speaker 5: Oh I did. Speaker 4: So that you had contact. Speaker 3: But just because they were they she

happened to be in the training and she's like oh well I didn't know that change was gonna happen. I said, well, don't quote me. It's, it's being proposed. Sara Ferrell: I probably know who you're

talking about. I probably know who you're talking about. Speaker 2: Yeah, well that's a great suggestion and I think gets to a point gets to a really good, what an idea that. Sara Ferrell: And use the

women leg of. Speaker 2: Opportunities to engage with groups like this broadly who are interested especially following up on this year's, you know midterm elections getting them to continue to be

involved in you know in on our behalf for next year. Speaker 3: And and I don't. Speaker 5: I think we need to. Sara Ferrell: Reach out to dr. Z, which is part of Montgomery County outreach as well.

And. Speaker 5: He has a student. Speaker 3: That's exactly what I was just gonna say. Speaker 2: Doctors. Speaker 3: Is make reach out to them because I know. Speaker 2: Elections, right? Yeah.

Speaker 3: No Government county public school. Speaker 2: Well public schools. Speaker 3: Yeah they're doing a whole thing, so for that's also somebody to reach out to to let them know about the

change through the high school system. Speaker 3: And put them in there, whatever newsletters, whatever they put that if you're now allowed to vote in, you know, at age 16. Speaker 5: Right. Oh, it's

gonna be. Speaker 5: It's gonna be a blank. Speaker 2: Okay I look forward to look forward to as the board, you know, understanding and being part of, you know, the, the process of developing our

strategy for getting this information out there, who are gonna contact the messages that we're going to have, you know, what kinds of themes we're gonna have for education for next year. You mentioned

the dropbox. I think that's a really good one. There might be some others as well. And so, you know, that's something that I would like to also have future conversations in in this meeting about how

we're, how we're gonna schedule that. Speaker 2: You mentioned several events coming up next year. I think it makes a lot of sense to wait until, you know, January to really start all of these things,

but it would be great if we could know even before then if there's already a schedule for events in 2027 what those look like so we can be blocking them out so we're available to the extent that's

possible and then thinking about all of the other opportunities that we might have even beyond those events to to engage and educate. Sara Ferrell: Yeah, I think I think Miss Penny might have those on

hand for the next by the next meeting. Fabulous. Speaker 2: So if you could share that with us by the next meeting, that would be great. Ok, so I don't have anything else on my agenda for new

business. Anybody else have any other new business they wanna raise? Speaker 1: Let move now. Speaker 2: No. Okay, let's talk about future meetings quickly, and I think we've covered a little bit of

this, but, you know, we have, we have the board I'm sorry, the council meeting on Monday. We will have, another, monthly meeting at the end of October. Can we talk about the dates for that? Speaker 3:

My my I have a question on that. So if in fact we're looking at doing something on the 26th when the public hearing is, would it be possible to meet prior just prior to that? That. Speaker 4: Yeah

right. Speaker 3: And that way we're coming one time. Sara Ferrell: And that way it would. Speaker 3: And I know is out of date that you cannot be here. Sara Ferrell: Person but electronically jim.

Let me just tell. Speaker 2: I'll get back in town on the 6th, so. Sara Ferrell: Yeah let me just give you a heads up. We as staff, my office cannot meet on the same day as a marrying. Speaker 3: Okay

NO. Sara Ferrell: That is not possible. Speaker 5: We are on Friday. Speaker 3: For pro. Speaker 5: We're preparing. Sara Ferrell: Yeah, we cannot do that we can do, you know, the Wednesday or

Thursday before that week, but I cannot do We will not be able to assist in a meeting in scheduling. That would require a lot. Yeah. Speaker 4: How does Wednesday the 21st look? Sara Ferrell: I'm

fine. Sara Ferrell: I just want to I just wanna also let you know that we have, you know, out there it's, it's it's set that the board meets the 3rd Thursday of every month, so I don't want to get off

of that track. Speaker 3: Yep, so what is the 3rd Thursday? Is that the 22nd? Sara Ferrell: It would be the 20, we can do it that week of. Sara Ferrell: Right, it is the 15th, but if you want to push

it, you can push it a week, but I prefer. Speaker 5: Hard to keep them on. Speaker 3: I cannot do the I'm having surgery on the 20th for my eye. Oh. And so I would not be available on the 21st anyway.

I can do the 15th, but I cannot do the 21st. Sara Ferrell: Is everybody available on the 15th? Speaker 2: I, I will I think I can be available but I may have a hard time getting here by 05:30. Sara

Ferrell: Well, we can move it to 6630. Speaker 2: Let me double check really quick. Speaker 4: Rick. Sara Ferrell: Cindy, you can take it virtual. I gotta I gotta do it. Speaker 2: I want to that's

why I wanna get. Speaker 4: Well then I guess when did you say your. Speaker 3: Surgery is? My surgery is Tuesday the 20th. It was supposed to be last week and they. Speaker 2: Well, I think. Speaker

4: Can't meet the 3rd Thursday, is it better to. Speaker 4: Saying Wednesday the 14th or go or then at that point it doesn't matter. If it's not the 3rd Thursday it doesn't matter when it is. Speaker

5: But I'd rather. Speaker 5: Do it on a Thursday. Sara Ferrell: Okay we've moved several meetings. I don't wanna get in practice when it's online that. Speaker 5: I will. Speaker 2: I will, I will

make it work if we do it on the top. Sara Ferrell: You wanna, what time? Speaker 2: I think 530I will make that work. Sara Ferrell: Okay. I can send you the link. You can get online and, you know, but

if you're driving I don't want you. Speaker 2: I may end up like calling in from the train. Yeah. Speaker 2: Okay yeah but. Sara Ferrell: As long as you got the agenda in front of you and you. Speaker

2: Right exactly. Exactly. Or somebody else can. Yeah. I will get there when I can. Speaker 4: But that's good to know, Sarah, going forward that the 3rd Thursday that we need to. Sara Ferrell: The

time I'm not so concerned about, it's the, the actual, you know, different boards have a set week and day that they meet and I want to keep on. Speaker 2: Well, there's nothing, nothing in statute

about when we meet and so if. Sara Ferrell: That right. If we want to change it, we need to change it, but we gotta stick. Speaker 5: Do it. Speaker 4: So that leads us to 19 November, just if I just

wanted to mark that. Speaker 3: Okay. Speaker 4: Be exactly a week before Thanksgiving. Sara Ferrell: Is every is people out of town? Now we do understand that there's holidays in here. Speaker 2:

Wait ok. Speaker 3: I actually leave the next day for something so then I. Speaker 2: So that might actually be a good day. Speaker 2: Alright, if we're, if, if we are going to disagree on the 3rd

Thursday, then, u. Sara Ferrell: Yeah, then we can, we can pick another day of the week or whatever, but we have to change it online because right now that's, that's what it says. Right. Speaker 4:

But whatever it is, we should unless it's an emergency. Sara Ferrell: Can stick with that. Right, right. Okay. Speaker 2: Actually, let me say. So that's that means in December we're looking at the

17th 17th. Speaker 4: So let me ask a question, are, do we wanna say now we're gonna stick with the 3rd Thursday or is there like is the 3rd Wednesday or something better? Speaker 4: Hit hit it as

much as we can. Speaker 2: I will say that, for me personally, Wednesdays are a little bit better than Thursdays but. Sara Ferrell: I would say for, for staff is a little hard for us because we're

here Monday nights, long nights, we're here long nights. Tuesday we are back in early for long, all day meetings and Wednesday is really our catch up day for Monday and Tuesday and so Thursdays

normally work day. Speaker 4: Changes. Sara Ferrell: I'm just and I and I just so you all know, I'm going to have to gear up another board come by the end of December for the compensation for at least

through March. I've got I've gotta give them a day of the week and I'm gonna be suffering on my Wednesdays. So just so you know. Speaker 4: If if we're saying that it might be a good idea to mention

that as you interview candidates we need the 3rd Thursdays. Speaker 4: That they have a sitting appointment that would, you know, take them out of the inflation. Speaker 5: Yes. Speaker 2: Yeah. All

right. Alright. Fantastic. So we'll we'll do the the 3rd Thursday of each month. Sara Ferrell: So we have 15 October 19, November, December. Speaker 5: 17. Sara Ferrell: All starting at 05:30. Yeah,

ok. Okay. Speaker 2: Okay, good. All right. Speaker 2: Okay and then let's see yeah I'll ask everybody to put this on your calendar the, the public hearing and. Speaker 4: 15 October. Speaker 3: No

I'm sorry. Speaker 5: Number 26th. Speaker 2: As well as the council meetings just yeah to have those blocked off if we need to participate in. Okay, any other, any other questions or comments with

the good to the order? Speaker 4: One thing. Speaker 2: No. Okay. We managed to get through before 07:00, I think that's pretty good you know, if anybody would like to move to the journey. Speaker 3:

The motion to a journey. Speaker 2: Second. All right, let's move in a second. Let's do this again sometime soon. Yeah, all in favor. Great. Speaker 3: Pretty said NO she.