Burton, Curry discuss office relocation in conversation outside of meetings

One more decision for Owen County appears to have been made over a phone call between two commissioners outside of a public meeting. 

This time, the decision was for the voter registration and mapping departments to switch offices inside the Owen County Courthouse. 

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The topic came up based on a question during the public comment section by Victor Vaillette. 

Vaillette began by asking if the two offices were actually switching offices. 

“Yes,” Commissioner Bob Curry said in response. 

Vaillette then asked when that decision was made.

“They agreed to it, the two offices,” Curry said. “Because when its voting time, because of the voting machines, people can’t get to the mapping because they can’t get through all the voting things.”

Curry said the offices agreed to switch offices themselves. 

Vaillette then asked when, to which Curry replied that he didn't remember. 

Vaillette asked if it was in a public meeting and that the commissioners needed to agree to it. 

“Why do we have to agree to it? If they want to move their own office and it’s not interfering with anybody, I don’t see a problem with it,” Curry said.

Vaillette asked if they made the request to the commissioners and if any department can simply trade offices if both department heads agree to do so. 

“That’s a good question. I presume so,” Curry said. 

Curry said the department heads did not bring it to the commissioners.

Vaillette then asked how voter registration will secure ballots, and Curry said they’re secured at the clerk’s office. 

Vaillette pressed on who made the decision and when.

“Well, Gary [Burton] called me. And Gary’s not here so I truly cannot answer that for you,” Curry said. 

Vaillette  asked when the two talked over the phone.

“I don’t remember exactly when, in the last week,” Curry said. “I told him I didn’t see any problem with it. Do you see a problem with it?”

“Well I see a problem with making decisions and not having them formally out here in a public hearing. It sounds like you’re telling me that Gary called you and said we want to do this and you said you don’t have an objection.”

“I didn’t,” Curry said. 

“And therefore on Friday they moved,” Vaillette finished. 

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Curry said he didn’t know if the two departments had moved yet. He said that Vaillette was coming from hearsay.

“Where I’m coming from is that the business of the county needs to be done here in a public hearing, not privately with a phone call between Gary Burton and Bob Curry. Does that make sense?” Vaillette asked. 

“Sir, I’m not going to get into an argument with you. It’s done. Whatever’s been done,” Curry said. 

Curry then moved on to attorney and commissioner comments. 

“I don’t know anything about any of this,” county attorney Jim Bryan said when asked about the decision to have departments move offices. “I don’t know a single thing about it. This is the first I’ve heard about it.”