A five-person committee will make recommendations to the
Hollister City Council about re-drawing district lines as a result
of the 2010 Census.
A five-person committee will make recommendations to the Hollister City Council about re-drawing district lines as a result of the 2010 Census.
Each of the city’s five council districts must be redrawn to be consistent with the census, based on information from a demographer.
Last month, the council decided to establish a citizens’ committee to review and make recommendations regarding alternative districting plans as well as the concept of an elected at-large mayor.
“The council maps have to be redrawn so they meet federal law – one person, one vote,” said City Attorney Stephanie Atigh, who is coordinating the committee. “You’re looking for community of interest within the districts and having contiguous districts by land area.”
The redrawn districts must be equal in population, though not necessarily by registered voters, Atigh said.
Each City Council member appointed one representative to the redistricting committee, with Helen Ross representing District 1, Esteban Guzman in District 2, Aurelio Zuniga in District 3, Jeff Cattaneo in District 4 and Monica Marshall in District 5.
Two of the five districts are “minority majority” districts, Atigh said, noting “We want to make sure that at least two are retained” during redistricting.
The demography firm of Lapkoff & Gobalet will prepare three alternative districting plans comprised of four, five and six council districts that could be drawn up along with a ballot measure to authorize the at-large election of a mayor. Currently, mayoral duties are voted on by council members, with that duty rotating on a yearly basis.
Those in favor of an at-large mayor elected by the entire citizenry say it would give the city a central voice.
The goal of the committee, according to a resolution passed by the City Council last week, is to “maximize public participation in the 2011 redistricting process” by seeking community assistance in reviewing the plans.
After the committee receives and reviews the alternative district plans as well as the at-large mayor idea, it will present its recommendations to the council.
“We’re assuming the census data will be released this month and the committee’s work has to be done before the end of October,” Atigh said. “The council needs to take action by then.”
