Without additional funding from the Senate, St. Thomas-St. John District Board of Elections members said Thursday that they would not be able to reopen the Joseph Sibilly Elementary School polling site, which was closed for the recent primary.
Board members discuss the subject briefly Thursday, at a meeting on St. Thomas, after a letter read into the record from Sen. Myron Jackson indicated that residents on the North Side were hoping this St. Thomas site would reopen for the November general election.
Several members said that long-standing compliance issues with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements would make it impossible to reopen the poll within a month. More money was needed to fix handicapped-accessible ramps, increasing the size of the bathroom, and widening parking spaces, amongst other things.
Jackson wrote in his letter he thought there was enough time to make the necessary changes at Sibilly, but board members said there was not enough time to get them done.
Jackson did say, however, that he would engage the Departments of Education and Public Works and try to get something done.
Board members said they had spoken with voters during the primary election that moved from polling sites at Sibilly to Charlotte Amalie High School. There were no glitches in the process, board members said, adding that overall voters were "happy" with the site.
