Macon-Bibb elections board clears another hurdle to moving its office

The Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections is a step closer to moving its office this year.

After months of negotiations, the board was informed Thursday that it would be granted a waiver to lease space at the Westgate Shopping Center, 2525 Pio Nono Ave. One of the holdups in finalizing an agreement was a requirement that only a commercial tenant could lease space in the center.

With that hurdle now out of the way, the elections board wants to move ahead with plans to move the elections office from 2445 Pio Nono Ave. into the former Shoe Carnival building. Macon-Bibb County is now negotiating with Westgate owner Safeway Group to determine the lease price and necessary repairs to the building.

At Thursday's meeting, the elections board also voted for Aug. 1 as the target date to begin moving.

"Finalizing a lease usually does not take a long time," Assistant County Manager Charles Coney said. "It's just a matter now of us going through the terms."

Aug. 1 was selected as the tentative move date because it's within a two-month break in a busy election year. The lease at the current site ends June 30, and the county will work out a potential lease extension until the relocation, Coney said.

The move to Westgate should not be impacted by a state law requiring voters be given at least a 60-day notice of the move before an election, "because we're not changing a polling place, (but) only early voting," Assistant County Attorney Reginald McClendon said.

Elections Supervisor Janetta Watson said election officials would push to give as much advance notice as possible.

SECOND EARLY VOTING SITE OK'D

The elections board approved using Terminal Station as a second site for early voting.

Several officials cited the station's central location in Macon and said their concerns about parking problems were alleviated since there is parking behind the building.

The location could be ready in time for the early voting period prior to the May 24 balloting.

Terminal Station was selected over several other sites that included an east Bibb County sheriff's building, the Macon-Bibb County Health Department and the Macon Coliseum's Monument Room.

OFFICIALS MULL POLLING SITE MOVE

Elections officials also said Thursday they want to determine the feasibility of voters who would normally cast their ballots at Memorial Gym to instead vote at a nearby sheriff's office building.

The county will look into using the sheriff's building near the corner of Second Street and Houston Avenue as a temporary replacement while construction takes place at Memorial Gym. Election officials said they prefer that location over Ingram-Pye Elementary School since it's closer to the gym.

Memorial Gym still will be used for the March 1 presidential primary, but a move will be necessary in time for the May elections, Watson has said.

To contact writer Stanley Dunlap, call 744-4623.

This story was originally published February 4, 2016 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Macon-Bibb elections board clears another hurdle to moving its office ."