During the Lee County Commission meeting on Monday, citizen John “Red” Millander addressed the commissioners about a polling location change request currently situated on County Road 279 at the Beulah Fire Department. Millander, who has been involved in election activities since the general election of 2020, shared his concerns about the existing site.
He highlighted the lack of amenities, noting, “There’s no air conditioning, no running water, no toilets, and insufficient parking. I’ve witnessed hundreds of cars lined up on 279, which is a very busy road, making it challenging for voters to exit safely.” He recounted a particularly difficult experience in the May primary when temperatures reached around 94 degrees inside the fire station despite efforts to bring in additional air conditioning units.
Millander proposed relocating the polling site to Rocky Mount Baptist Church, located less than a mile and a half away on County Road 158. He emphasized that the church’s leadership fully supports this move. “This new location will not impose any hardship,” he explained. “We’ll set up in their fellowship area, which includes both male and female restrooms, a kitchen, running water, and HVAC. There’s also ample parking with over 100 spaces available.”
He concluded, “This is a better facility for my workers and, more importantly, for the voters in our district.” The Commission unanimously voted to approve the change of location.
In other comments during the meeting, citizen Lance Farrar raised concerns regarding the accessibility and timeliness of public records, emphasizing the need for improvements in this area.
“I believe I have already presented all of the commission names along with a copy of this document to Chief Operating Officer Blake Beck, who has taken on the responsibilities of a highly-leverage office. With that in mind, I want to address the public records request I am still awaiting.
I submitted a request on October 27, 2025, and I am still waiting for those records—it’s been 246 days. I also submitted another request on November 24, 2025, and I am still waiting for one documented record. That request has been pending for 218 days, and I have brought my records folder as proof.
According to Farrar, his first request took 385 days to arrive, the second took 318 days, and his most recent request is currently at 246 days without a response.
“It’s a public record. It should be readily accessible for the public to inspect and review. The delay is unacceptable. I hope that Mr. Blake Beck can restore honor and transparency to this office, and I look forward to the public records being made available for review,” said Farrar.”
