HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN 01.15.2002 CC-Suesday,i i
11 •
On Tuesday, January 15, 2002, members of the Georgetown City Council met in Special
Session in the Council Chamber, at 101 E. 7`" Street, Georgetown, Texas.
The meeting was called to order at 7:01 p.m. by Mayor MaryEllen Kersch.
The following Councilmembers were present: Llorente Navarrette, Ken Evans, Jack
Noble, Charles "Hoss" Burson, Clark Lyda and Doug Smith
Patricia E. Carls of Brown and Carls, L.L.P. and Alan Bojorquez of Bickerstaff, Heath,
Smiley, Pollan, Kever & McDaniel, L.L.P. provided legal representation for the Council.
1. Background — Mayor Kersch
Kersch opened the public hearing and reviewed the number of
public meetings that have been held on redistricting.
2. Legal Review — Bickerstaff Heath
Alan Bojorquez of Bickerstaff, Heath and Smiley explained the
parameters that caused the need for Georgetown to redistrict due
to the growth of population since the last census. He noted that
Georgetown is the only entity of which he is aware that selected a
committee composed of representatives of the citizens from all
districts to determine a plan for redistricting.
3. Public Comments — Three (3) minutes per speaker.
Ronald Swain, 103 Diamond Trail, representing the Track, Ridge and
Grasshopper Neighborhoods, read a letter that he distributed to the
Council, suggesting that additional revisions be made to the redistricting
plan to maintain specific locations within District 2.
Della Green, 1901 Vine Street, said she would forward her comments to
the Department of Justice once the Council has made a decision. She
said she strongly objects to any redistricting of District 2 east of IH35 to
Austin Avenue from Williams Drive to Leander Road. She said part of the
black heritage of District 2 is being moved into District 1.
Councilmember Llorente Navarrette thanked the citizens for coming
forward to speak and asked to know if there were a legal reason for the
presence of a court reporter. Bojorquez responded that the transcript
from the court reporter will be sent with the submission to the Department
of Justice. Navarrette said there had been quite a bit of citizen comment
Minutes of Special Meeting
January 15, 2002
Page 1 of 4 Pages
at the last meeting, a joint workshop between the Council and the
Redistricting Committee, and wondered if there should have been a court
reporter present at that meeting. Bojorquez acknowledged that it would
have been a good idea. Navarrette pointed out that the Council has only
had one meeting about redistricting since Plan 2 was presented. He said
he objects to the fact that the legal firm redrew the lines that the
Committee had taken a long time to develop. He said he thinks the
changes requested by the speakers should be incorporated so that those
portions that were to be moved out of District 2 under Plan 2 could be
retained in District 2.
Kersch asked if any of the members of the Redistricting Committee cared
to speak. She confirmed with Attorney Trish Carls that there is an action
item on the agenda for this meeting for the Council to determine which
plan to take forward.
Lyda said the Committee spent multiple hours of meetings to develop the
plan and does not feel that any other plan could be drawn.
Burson said the City asked Bojorquez to ensure that the plan that is
submitted will be approved by the Justice Department. He noted that
people have been changed in every district. He said he has received no
phone calls from any citizens unhappy with the proposed plan. He
pointed out that there were very few citizens who attended the public
meetings of the Redistricting Committee.
Noble said he thinks the plan that will be approved should be the one that
is submitted.
Linda Turner, 111 Vivion Lane, member of the Redistricting Committee,
said she doesn't want to keep coming to meetings and going over the
same information. She said she feels that, given the low amount of black
population and the rules from the Justice Department, the best plan has
already been developed.
Doug Smith said he is interested in submitting the plan that will be
approved by the Justice Department, and in the interest of fairness, that
this process be expedited in time for the May election so that the current
imbalance does not remain in effect.
Navarrette questioned the possibility of adjusting the boundary line
between Districts 1 and 2 at State Highway 29 (SH29) as being a plan
that would be accepted by the Justice Department.
Lyda said he recalls that suggested adjustment, but what is being asked
by Ms. Green and Mr. Swain would not be accomplished by that
adjustment. He recalled that District 1 would still have had a 50%
hispanic representation.
Bojorquez said that some of the suggested changes would reduce the
African-American percentage even further because most of the census
Minutes of Special Meeting
January 15, 2002
Page 2 of 4 Pages
blocks they are suggesting be moved do not contain many African-
American citizens. He said although Ms. Green's plan created the exact
amount of total population for District 2, it reduced the number of African-
American residents in District 2. He reminded Council that although the
City of Georgetown began the redistricting process sooner than most
entities, the City is one the last entities to finalize their plans.
Lyda asked about the timeline in regards to candidates filing for the May
General Election, and it was confirmed that the candidates should file
according to the proposed district boundaries in the proposed new plan,
whether or not approval had been received from the Justice Department
by that time.
It was
determined
that the percentages
of both
blacks and hispanics
would
be reduced
by the plan proposed
by Ms.
Green.
Bojorquez said it was not required that the Council make their decision at
this meeting, saying they have the option to develop further plans.
When asked by Navarrette, Bojorquez said Plan 1AF was only slightly
adjusted by moving some of the census blocks.
Lyda confirmed that Council could ask that additional adjustment be
brought to the Council Meeting on January 22 for adoption on first
reading. He asked Green and Swain if that adjustment would be
appreciated.
Green said moving the line to Highway 29 would give back some of the
heritage to the blacks in District 2. She asked if there had been any
scenario considered that would have effected the residence of a
councilmember. Navarrette replied that he had attended all of the
Committee meetings and that was never considered. Green said she had
studied the plans and thought there were opportunities where three of the
councilmembers would have been moved out of their districts under
certain scenarios.
Kersch pointed out that part of the specific charge to the Committee was
"not to favor the Councilmembers.I$
Burson confirmed that Green would prefer an at -large system instead of
single -member districts.
Swain said he would be in favor of the adjustment to change the
boundary line to State Highway 29.
Kersch asked Bojorquez if the loss of hispanic percentage in District 2
would be worth the maintenance of integrity of the black heritage for
District 2. Bojorquez said the main reasons to redistrict are to maintain
balance and to prevent retrogression. He said he is almost certain that
the adjustment will reduce the percentages of both hispanic and African-
American populations in District 2. He said he will ask demographer John
Minutes of Special Meeting
January 15, 2002
Page 3 of 4 Pages
Yeager to prepare a Plan 3 for review regarding adoption by the Council
and subsequent submission to the Justice Department.
Lyda said he would like to see that plan prepared so it can be considered
when Council makes a decision.
Kersch said she would like to
say that if the
plan decreases
the capacity
to be approved
by the
Justice
Department,
it
should
not
be
considered.
Motion by Noble, second by Lyda to direct John Yeager to draw a plan
that extends the District 2 boundary to SH 29, and that Borquez would
review that plan prior to the Council Meeting on January 22.
Bojorquez said he did not see the need to hold another public hearing,
and that the item would come to Council on the January 22 Council
Agenda as a regular posted agenda item.
Smith commented that he felt this process could go on forever and said
as long as this process is delayed, some people would have more
representation than others.
• •' •a • - • .•i•• • -• •
It was determined that the Council would view Plan 3 and make their decision at
the Council Meeting on January 22.
Kersch read a closing statement at 8:36 p.m.
Approved:
MaryEllen Kersch, Mayor
Minutes of Special Meeting
January 15, 2002
Page 4 of 4 Pages
Attest:
Sandra D. Lee, City