05-03-2011
CITY OF EDGEWATER – REDISTRICTING COMITTEE
REGULAR MEETING
MAY 3, 2011
9:00 A.M.
CITY HALL CONFERENCE ROOM
MINUTES
1.CALL TO ORDER
City Clerk Wenzel called the Redistricting Committee meeting to order at 9:01 a.m. in the City Hall
Conference Room.
2.ROLL CALL
Skip Lotos Absent
Pat Card Absent
Michael Raulerson Present
Christine Power Present
Bruce Mann Present
Also present were Darren Lear, Development Services Director; Aaron Wolfe, Assistant City
Attorney and Bonnie Wenzel, City Clerk
3.APPROVAL OF MINUTES – None at this time.
4.OLD BUSINESS – None at this time.
5.NEW BUSINESS
City Clerk Wenzel explained to the Committee why they were there. Every 10 years the Census is
completed, when those numbers are provided to the cities our district may have to be realigned due
to population increases or decreases and keep the districts as nearly equal in population as
possible. City Council decided to appoint a committee to review the district boundaries and make a
recommendation as what changes should be made.
Ms. Wenzel introduced Development Services Director Darren Lear and stated he received the
Census Data and produced two maps for the Committee to review.
Ms. Wenzel briefly discussed the Sunshine Law, explaining that the committee falls under the law
and could not speak to one another outside of a public meeting.
City Attorney Wolfe went over some items that the committee could and could not do. Mr. Wolfe
went over the Charter requirements for redistricting. He stated you do not want to manipulate the
district boundaries creating political advantage, islands should not be created and the districts
should be compact and contiguous. He also stated that the districts should be as even in population
as possible.
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Redistricting Committee
May 3, 2011
A.Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman
There was discussion as to whether or not they could appoint a member who was not present.
Each member present introduced themselves and provided some background.
Ms. Power moved to appoint Michael Raulerson as Chairman, second by Mr. Mann.
The MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Mr. Mann moved to appoint Christine Power as Vice-Chairman, second my Mr. Raulerson.
The MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
B.Review of District Maps
Development Services Director Darren Lear explained that the Census is completed every 10 years.
The population numbers are put into tracts, the City of Edgewater has eight tracts, which are then
broken down into Census blocks, there are 638 Census blocks within the City. He stated that
District 1 had a reduction in population of 238; District 2 had an increase of 690; District 3 had an
increase of 825 and District 4 had an increase of 727.
Mr. Lear stated he came up with two options for the committee to review. Option A was as close to
the existing district boundaries as he could get, option B was more difficult to obtain close
population numbers; this option had sections of District 1 abutting District 3 and separating Pelican
Cove West into two districts. Mr. Lear described the changes between the two maps. His
recommendation was for option A.
There was discussion among the committee members regarding the district lines. There were
questions about some of the new development and where it was located. It was also discussed how
many areas of District 1 where in the older part of the City, and not having much room for
residential development, but commercial and industrial development increasing in the area.
C.Recommendation to City Council
The committee further discussed the two options and determined that option appeared to be the
best.
Mr. Mann moved to recommend option A to City Council, second by Ms. Power.
.
The MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
D.Schedule next meeting date/time.
The Committee has a recommendation for City Council, no further meetings are necessary.
6.ADJOURNMENT
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Redistricting Committee
May 3, 2011
There being no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 9:23 a.m.
Minutes submitted by:
Bonnie Wenzel, CMC
City Clerk
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Redistricting Committee
May 3, 2011