Panel: Change ward boundaries

GIRARD -- City council's development committee recommends that council change ward boundaries.
Communities are required to review the boundaries every 10 years after the national census is taken to assure they are approximately the same size by population.
Girard has four wards with the largest being the 1st Ward with 2,039 active and inactive voters, according to the Trumbull County Board of Elections. The smallest is the 3rd Ward with 1,301 voters.
The recommendations were made at a meeting Wednesday led by Councilman John Moliterno, D-at-large, chairman of the committee.
Precinct 1-D would be moved into the 2nd Ward and Precinct 2-B would be in the 3rd Ward. As a result, the 2nd Ward would become the largest ward, increasing from 1,368 to 1,619 voters.
The 1st Ward would have 1,517 voters, 3rd Ward, 1,572. The 4th Ward would stay at1,417 voters.
The goal, Moliterno said, is to have 1,500 voters in each ward so they have equal representation by ward councilmen. Council is also comprised of three at-large council seats.
"This isn't perfect. It makes it a lot more equitable," Moliterno said.
Council has until Sept. 1 to make the changes with the county elections board.