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Home My WebLink About10-15-2001 La Porte Redisticting Committee Regular Meeting• • MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF LA PORTE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE MEETING OCTOBER 15, 2001 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Sidney Grant at 6:30 p.m. Members of Redistricting Committee Present: Kirby Lipscomb, Sidney Grant, Betty Stoumbaugh, Ed Matuszak, Betty Waters, Bernard Legrand, Jesse Wilson and Claudia Zapata. Members of the Redistricting Committee Absent: Bob Capen. StaffPrescnt: Assistant City Attorney John Armstrong, City Manager Robert T. Herrera, Mayor Norman Malone and City Secretary Martha Gillett. Others Present: Jeff Litchfield, Amanda Litchfield, Sue Gail Kooken, Laura Gutierrez, Michael Thomas, Gigi Rohmfeld, April Stephens, Jenny Francis, Travis Barnett, Emmitt Smith, Silvio Rocha, Makiesha Harden, Lucia De Ards, Dave Turnquist and Idahe Martinez. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON OCTOBER 1, 2001 A motion was made by Betty Waters to approve the minutes as presented. Second by Jesse Wilson. The motion carried unanimously. Ayes: Grant, Waters, Stoumbaugh, Wilson, Legrand, and Matuszak. Nays: None Abstain: Zapata and Lipscomb 3. PETITIONS, REMONSTRANCES, COMMUNICATIONS, AND CITIZENS AND TAXPAYERS WISHING TO ADDRESS REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE There were no citizens wishing to address the Redistricting Committee. 4. REPORT ON CENSUS DATA F1LE CALCULATIONS FROM JEFF LITCHFIELD Jeff Litchfield provided the Committee with an overview on the methodology he used to compile the spreadsheets he prepared. He further explained that he worked on the City of La Porte redistricting ten years ago, and was able to update old dbase files to new flies to calculate current census data. He informed the Committee, areas with zero population did not print on the last report he provided. 5. REPORT FROM PLANNING DEPARTMENT ON PROCESS FOR CALCULATION OF NUMBERS Planning Director Doug Kneupper explained he compared the hand-calculated numbers calculated by his staff to those provided by Mr. Litchfield and determined all numbers on Mr. Litchfield's spreadsheets were in the proper district_ • Page ? He fiu-ther explained the Committee might have had some confusion due to census block numbers being the same in different census tract numbers. Committee member Betty Waters indicated she determined the same thing in reviewing the calculations. All agreed that the spreadsheet numbers being used are correct. 6. COMMITTEE REPORT FROM ED MATUSZAK ON REDISTRICTING MAP #R-00$ Mr. Matuszak informed the group he would use the numbers provided since they were correct. It was determined the population numbers on the map were printed incorrectly on the new map. They should be as follows for districts 4, 5 and 6: 4=4,944 5=5,519 6=5,585 The percentages were correctly printed on map R-008. This results in the following: District 6 has 272 people over. District 4 is 369 people under. District 5 numbers are acceptable. The committee discussed moving population between the districts that would bring them within the guidelines. Assistant City Attorney John Armstrong noted the following concerns with the map R- 008: Glen Meadows subdivision is split and may not have common interests with District 4. The committee looked at moving some of the lines and had Mr. Litchfield check the results of the moves. Several changes were discussed and moved. Based on discussed changes Mr. Litchfield estimated the following percentages: District 1 5,467 +2.9% District 2 5,306 -0.13% No Changes District 3 5,444 +2.47% District 4 5,195 -2.22% District 5 5,051 -4.93% District 6 5,417 +1.96% C~ Page 3 Jeff Litchfield informed the Committee he was going to double-cheek all of the calculations and requested permission to move 3037 if needed. He reminded the committee these were just estimated percentages and he would need to carefully check all calculations discussed at this meeting. He will check. them and provide the committee with a report at the next redistricting meeting. 7. DISCUSSION ON REPORT FROM BETTY WATERS ON ANNEXATION ORDINANCES AND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND DISCUSSION ON EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT Ms. Waters requested the Committee to review the report she provided and provide her with comments and suggestions at the next meeting. 8. DISCUSSION ON HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT 346 City Secretary Martha Gillett provided a report on Harris County Precinct 346. This precinct falls within the La Porte Independent School District, but not the city limits of the City of La Porte. 9. PREVIOUS BUSINESS There was no previous business to be discussed. 10. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business brought forward by the committee. 11. CALENDAR Review Monthly Calendar/New Calendar Items and Deadlines/Discuss November Meeting Schedule -Monthly calendars were reviewed and the next Redistricting Meeting will be held on Monday October 29, 2001. November meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, November 13 and a tentative Public Hearing nn Tuesday, November 27. 12. COMMITTEE COMMENTS The Committee had no further comments. 13. ADJOURNMENT Motion was made by Jesse Wilson to adjourn the meeting. Second by Betty Waters. The motion was carried unanimously. Ayes: Grant, Waters, Stoumbaugh, Lipscomb, Wilson, Legrand, and Matuszak. Nays: None Abstain: None • Page 4 There being no further business, the Redistricting Committee Meeting was duly adjourned at 8:55 PM. Respectfully submitted, __~ , ~ `~} . Sidney Gr~fit, Chairman Passed and approved on this 13r'' day of November 2001.