O-2001-2502 - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e ORDINANCE NO. 2001- ~5 0 ~ AN ORDINANCE DETERMINING THE POPULATION OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE AND THE POPULATION OF EACH OF THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND DETERMINING THAT THE POPULATION OF THE RESPECTIVE EXISTING CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS ARE MATERIALLY UNBALANCED; DIRECTING THE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE TO DRAW NEW SINGLE-MEMBER CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH CRITERIA ESTABLISHED HEREIN; MAKING VARIOUS FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; FINDING COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, Article II, Section 2.01 (b) of the City of La Porte Charter provides that in at least every five (5) years following the publication of the 1980 Federal Census, the City Council shall conduct an investigation and determine the population of the City and the population of each of the districts from which District Council Members are to be elected; and WHEREAS, the City Council, having received the best available data including the 2000 Federal Census, together with expert assistance from the City's Planning Department, has determined the population of the City and each respective City Council single-member District; and WHEREAS, said data shows that a material population imbalance exists within the existing City Council Single-member Districts; and WHEREAS, to ensure that future elections are timely and orderly, the City must proceed to draw new districts to overcome such imbalance, and to obtain preclearance of such districts under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. ~1973c; and WHEREAS, Article II, Section 2.03 (b) of the City of La Porte Charter provides that a Regular Election for a choice of members of City Council shall take place on the