Saturday, November 26, 2011
BY Jordan Cohen
NILES
Only three residents showed up for the second of two public meetings Friday at the Wellness Center to review proposed redistricting of the city’s four wards.
“That’s actually three more than we had for the first hearing last August,” said Councilman David Wilkerson, D-1st. “Nobody showed up for that one.”
The four ward councilmen said they scheduled the meeting for Black Friday because it was the best time for all of them to attend. The city’s three councilmen-at-large did not have to be at the meeting.
Council has to realign the wards because of an Ohio Revised Code provision requiring equivalent populations following the most recent U.S. Census. Wilkerson said the city had to correct a disparity of 1,700 from the 4th Ward, which has a population of more than 5,400, to the 2nd Ward, with only 3,700.
Under the new plan, nearly 1,000 residents would be added to the 2nd Ward while the 4th Ward would be reduced by nearly 600. The remaining two wards would see fewer than 300 moved to other wards.
None of the residents who attended spoke against the proposal.
One issue concerning the council members was the impact on at least one bar, which becasue of redistricting will be placed in a precinct where sales of alcohol are prohibited. The move will not prevent the bar from staying in business, according to Law Director Terry Dull.
“I checked with the board of elections and those (alcohol) licenses are grandfathered when they move into a dry precinct,” Dull said.
Councilman Ed Stredney, D-3rd, said he had several calls from residents asking about the changes, but had heard no opposition. Other council members said they had not had a single call about ward redistricting.
Council has already moved the redistricting ordinance to a second reading, but the councilmen said they plan to approve final passage at their meeting Dec. 7.
“We looked at all of this without any political intentions and I think it’s the best move for the city,” said Edward McCormick, D-4th.