GOSHEN —
Goshen City Council members will vote on new district lines within the city of Goshen at Tuesday’s meeting.
State statute requires cities to redraw City Council districts every 10 years, according to an email from Mayor Allan Kauffman to council members. The redrawing should be done in the second year after a federal census is conducted, according to the statue, making 2012 the required year.
Kauffman said there are more minor changes than anything else with the new district lines.
“This is more trying to be fair in the drawing of lines than anything else,” Kauffman said Friday.
Districts don’t have specific instructions when it comes to the percentage of population variance from district to district, according to the email. A federal legal case sets a precedent of 10 percent or less, but Kauffman said that was impossible to create without splitting districts.
The current plan has districts at 16.4 percent variance, with an average district population of 6,343 people, Kauffman wrote. District 3 has the highest population with 6,801 people, and District 4 has a low of 5,758 people.
“This variance is lower than the plan adopted 10 years ago, which was 16.9 percent,” Kauffman wrote.
The city’s district lines are drawn after the county redraws its voting precincts, he said. Most years, the City Council has been able to create the council districts without cutting any county voting precincts — but not this year.
“It got a little dicey this year with drawing city precincts,” Kauffman said. “Now, there are around nine precincts that are divided by the city limits and council district lines.”
City departments had to analyze each precinct individually, finding what population was within city limits and what wasn’t. It was also a conscious effort to find a way to keep the districts to precinct boundaries, not splitting precincts within the city limits.
With all this effort put into the proposed plan, it still may change. Kauffman said the last time district boundaries were redrawn, the council changed it.
“Ten years ago, we presented a plan, and the Republicans took it and then presented one with a wider population variance than the one we presented,” Kauffman said.
The Republican-drawn map put the fastest growing precinct in the largest district. There is a current population variance of greater than 22 percent, according to Kauffman’s email.
“Council should avoid doing this again to lessen the possibility of legal challenge,” Kauffman wrote. “The plan being presented has the highest populated district being one of the most stable in growth. The districts with more growth will tend to reduce the variance over time, not increase it.”
He didn’t know how Tuesday’s vote will go, and said he has emailed state officials to see what action would happen if an agreement could not be met by the end of the year. The state officials said they didn’t know either, as they didn’t have precedent for it, he said.
Another consideration was keeping council members in as close to a district as what they have now, so they do not have to resign or run against one another for re-election.
“It’s not always easy to keep council members in their same district,” Kauffman said.
One new part of the redistricting looks major, but is really a minor change, according to Kauffman. The city area containing the airport, among other things, will become part of councilwoman Julia Gautsche’s district, if the plan passes. It’s currently part of councilman Everett Thomas’ district.
“It looks big, but there’s not that big of a population down there,” Kauffman said. “It also keeps the U.S. 33 corridor in one district.”
The meeting begins Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Police/Courts Building. The council members will also look at proposed changes to the zoning ordinance, a proposed rezoning of property, an additional appropriations ordinance and board and commission appointments and reappointments.
Breaking News
Related Photos
-
This is a map prepared by Goshen city employees that shows the proposed City Council districts. Photo contributed
Goshen council to vote on new districts
- Breaking News
-
-
TECH TALK: Remarketing to website visitors has advantages
Generating sales and leads for your business on the web is powerful. The web allows anyone, anywhere to potentially discover and buy from your firm.
-
No major progress for liquor legislation
INDIANAPOLIS — When it comes to alcohol, the 2013 legislative session may be marked more by what it didn’t do to boost booze sales than what it did.
-
Man to be airlifted from single-vehicle crash on C.R. 48
Elkhart County police and township firefighters are at the scene of a crash on C.R. 48 near Ind. 13. The driver of a truck is being extricated and a helicopter is waiting at the scene to transport him.
-
NWMS leaders receive music honors
WAKARUSA — For NorthWood Middle School’s departing principal, George Roelandts, his career in education is approaching a coda.
-
GMS science teacher combines love of Elkhart River, music for festival
GOSHEN – Two of Jake Miller’s passions converged as naturally as the Elkhart River does with the St. Joseph.
-
City closer to acquiring former Goshen Inn property
Elkhart County Commissioners Monday took the next step in a process that could result in Goshen officials taking possession of the old Holiday Inn property on Goshen’s south side. The move follows a similar approval by the Goshen Board of Public Works and Safety May 6.
-
You should know: Tom Yoder
GOSHEN — Tom Yoder doesn’t mind getting dirty when he’s pursuing one of his favorite interests — gardening.
-
Technology speeds disaster alerts
Caitria O’Neill remembers her reaction to hearing tornado warnings on June 1, 2011. She went to the grocery store, she said, “because I live in Massachusetts, and we don’t get tornadoes.”
-
Here today and gone tomorrow
Word of changes at Navistar wasn’t entirely unexpected. More than 500 jobs leaving Wakarusa? That information was a surprise.
-
ADEC bike ride draws crowd
ELKHART — Cycling met philanthropy at Concord High School Saturday morning as approximately 250 cyclists hit the pavement to show their support for the 41st annual ADEC Ride-A-Bike fundraising event.
- More Breaking News Headlines
-
Raw: Widespread Destruction in Moore, Okla.
Raw: Massive Funnel Clouds in Oklahoma
Raw: Japan's WWII Atrocities Under Fire in Seoul
Voters Could Elect LA's First Female Mayor
Huge Tornado Kills Dozens Near Oklahoma City
Raw: Rescuers Pull Tornado Survivors to Safety
Oklahoma Gov: 'Hearts Are Broken' After Tornado
Raw: Walking in a Flattened Okla. Neighborhood
Raw: Rescue Workers Search Oklahoma School
Raw: Witness Describes Scene After Okla. Tornado
Raw: Aftermath of Massive Tornado in Oklahoma
Raw: House Burns After Massive Oklahoma Tornado
Raw: Tornado on the Ground in Oklahoma
Split-second Choice Ended With NY Student Dead
White House Backs 'Shield Law' for Media
Wave of Attacks Kills Scores in Iraq
Pug Life on Display at Wisconsin Festival
Company Promises to Make All Snail Mail Digital
Analyst: Tumblr Fills Void in Yahoo's Offerings
