Elk Grove City Council Defers Decision on Voting System

The Elk Grove City Council decided last night to defer a decision on a $95,000 technology purchase that, among other things, would tally council roll call votes.

The item, which was placed on the consent calendar, was discussed as a separate item after the city was criticized by Elk Grove citizens and in the media.

During the public comment section on the matter several speakers characterized the technology as unnecessary in the current economic climate and given the city would also be considering cuts to e-van services during the same meeting. Several of the speakers said the purchase was unneeded and that it should not have been placed on the consent calendar.

“I have to go with what I need, not what I want,” Elk Grove resident Linda Beebe said. “$95,000 is not needed for this.”

Interim Elk Grove City Clerk Jason Lindgren said that while the system does indeed tally council votes, it does much more including streamlining paperwork offering more transparency and saves labor costs.

After their deliberations, the council decided to defer a decision until the mid-year budget review by a 3-1 vote. Council Member Gary Davis opposed the motion saying the matter should be deferred until the next fiscal year.

“This is not the investment opportunity that makes the most sense today,” Davis said.