Title
Resolution authorizing an emergency appropriation of $2,000,000 of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CSLFRF) as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for equipment associated with a voting solution that supports vote by mail (EvoluJet Printer, ballot management software, ReliaVote Inserter and Vantage Sorter) and related infrastructure costs in Fund 746 ARPA Fund.
Staff Summary
• The ARPA was signed into law on March 11, 2021. On May 19, 2021 the County received $67,646,879, half of the amount the County will receive in total from the US Treasury.
• The funds can be used for needs associated with public health, to counteract negative economic impacts, provide services to disproportionately impacted communities, for infrastructure, to provide premium pay, to replace lost revenue, and for administrative purposes during a period from March 3, 2021 to December 31, 2024.
• The County Clerk is requesting ARPA Funding for a machine that will support efficient and economical elections by automating many of the functions related to the vote by mail process. Vote by mail requests have, and continue to increase due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
• Public Act 102-0015 requires each election authority to mail notice to all registered voters in the county before each general election. It is expected that this will result in additional vote by mail requests. Due to the complex logistics of mailing and processing vote by mail ballots, the machine will save significant processing time and manual labor.
• This initiative falls under a direct expenditure category within the ARPA compliance guidance and is anticipated to meet all the requirements for reporting and compliance.
• Authority to spend appropriated funds and execute any and all agreements with partners related to this allocation and distribution of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds is delegated to the County Administrator or their designee(s).
Body
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, per Public Act 102-0015, the County Clerk will be required to mail notice to all registered voters in the County, allowing for the submittal of a mail in ballot, which is expected to result in additional vote by mail ballots; and
WHEREAS, due to the complex nature of managing the vote by mail process, the County Clerk has identified a machine to assist and support the vote by mail process in Lake County, making the process more efficient and economical; and
WHEREAS, an increase in voting by mail has occurred, and is expected to continue to increase in upcoming elections, thereby making a solution to support the increase a reasonable and justified expense; and
WHEREAS, Lake County received ARPA funds from the federal government to help support Lake County recover from and respond to the negative impacts caused by this and future pandemics; and
WHEREAS, this use has been determined to meet the requirements of a direct expenditure category within the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) compliance guidelines; and
WHEREAS, Lake County believes it is an appropriate use of ARPA funds to support the purchasing and installation of this vote by mail machine by awarding the use of up to $2,000,000 of such funds for this purpose.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that an emergency appropriation in the amount of $2,000,000 is hereby authorized in Fund 746 ARPA Fund in account 746-1000063-85070 (capital outlay) for a voting machine and related software; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the authority to spend funds in accordance with the appropriated budget, reallocate these funds as necessary, and to execute any and all agreements related to the allocation of funds is hereby delegated to the County Administrator or his designee(s).
DATED at Waukegan, Lake County, Illinois on November 9, 2021.