Superior has implemented new processes and reviews to ensure ballot language is properly submitted after the Home Rule Charter failed to make it on to the November ballot due to a clerical error.

The Superior Board of Trustees reviewed an outside council’s report on the Home Rule election issue at the Monday meeting. Municipal law firm Wilson, Williams, Fellman, and Dittman was hired to review the town’s process and communication leading up to the deadline of ballot language submission. The report found it was a lack of oversight and follow-up from staff that led to the question being omitted from the November election.

At an Oct. 1 special meeting, Mayor Mark Lacis said the board learned that due to a clerical error, ballot language for consideration of approval of the Home Rule Charter was not submitted to the November election. Instead, a special election will be held Dec. 10, and is expected to cost $59,000. Ballots will be mailed to Superior voters.

The law firm recommended three procedures to help the town avoid this incident happening again: the town clerk would keep a discrete file of ballot issues that have completed their way through their process and are ready for placement on the ballot, the town clerk could share the file with the town attorney along with a draft confirming the ballot content, and the town clerk could share copies or proof of ballot content provided by the county clerk for town staff review and correction.

Town Manager Matt Magley said the town attorney has also already implemented “send to attorney for review” checkboxes to election calendars and the town manager’s office will review and approve ballot language before being sent to the county clerk.

“It’s all been implemented, or in place, for all future elections and this special election,” Magley said.

Lacis said the town is working to be accountable and transparent about the oversight and show residents exactly what happened and how the town will prevent it from happening again.

“I’m appreciative of the recommendation that (the law firm) is making, and I’m certain that this is not going to happen again,” Lacis said.

Lacis clarified that while the board learned that the home rule question had not been submitted on Sept. 23, overseas ballots had already been mailed on Sept. 20. He wanted residents to know the board did work toward trying to get the question on the ballot, but there was nothing the board could do once the overseas ballots were mailed.

“I think we learned what we learned and we’ve got the controls that are being put into place,” Lacis said.

Dalton Valette, chair of the Home Rule Charter Commission, said the commission was frustrated and upset the oversight occurred but is glad to see the town work through it.

“We always try to take an optimistic tone with things like these, now we just have that much more time to educate people about home rule,” Valette said.

The commission will host a home rule informational session to answer questions about the charter and what changes residents could expect if the charter passes. The sessions will be held 5-6 p.m. Nov. 14 and 7-8 p.m. Dec. 2 at the Superior Community Center, 1500 Coalton Road.