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Minutes - 09/17/2001 Workshop COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES SEPTEMBER 17, 2001 TAPE READING 0001 DATE. COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, CITY OF WOODBURN, COUNTY OF MARION, STATE OF OREGON, SEPTEMBER 17,2001. CONVENED. The workshop convened at 7:00 p.m. with Mayor Jennings presiding. The purpose of the workshop was to review reapportionment alternatives for Council Ward boundaries. 0020 ROLL CALL. Mayor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Jennings Bjelland Chadwick Figley McCallum Nichols Sifuentez Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Staff Present: City Administrator Brown, City Attorney Shields, Community Development Director Mulder, City Recorder Tennant 0052 City Administrator Brown stated that the City is required to examine and, if necessary, modify Council ward boundaries within the year the decennial census figures are released. The City Council had selected certain criteria for its redistricting activities which mirror closely the criteria enumerated in the Oregon Revised Statutes used for state-wide redistricting. The criteria selected by the Council provided that (1) each ward, as nearly as practicable, shall be contiguous, equal population, utilize existing geographic or political boundaries, not divide communities of interest, and be connected by transportation links; (2) no district shall be drawn for the purpose of favoring any political party, incumbent legislator, or other party; (3) no district shall be drawn for the purpose of diluting the voting strength of any language or ethnic minority; and (4) each incumbent's residence should be retained within the same ward number that currently exists. The City had contracted with the Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments (COG) to assist with this project since they are familiar with the redistricting process and they do this work for a number of local governments in the area. Staff provided COG with the Council's criteria along with the comments made by representatives of the Senior Estates Community Relations Committee, individuals within the Senior Estates, and the Latino Voter Registration Project. COG has prepared 4 alternatives for Council consideration at this meeting which will be presented by Lesley Hegewald, COG GIS Analyst, who will provide information on how each alternative was developed. Page 1 - Council Workshop Meeting Minutes, September 17,2001 COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES SEPTEMBER 17, 2001 TAPE READING Lesley Hegewald utilized a power point presentation to illustrate ward boundaries used in each alternative. She described the process used to develop the alternatives which included utilizing the 2000 redistricting census data and geography, placement of the existing current wards into the system, and analyzing the population. She stated that the census population was 20,100 which, divided equally into 6 wards, results in a ward population of 3,350. When developing the alternatives, an attempt was made to create wards that were within 5% plus or minus the target population. She stated that Alternative 1 was created in order to try and keep as close to current boundaries as possible. Alternatives 2 and 3 fall within the 5% plus or minus target population but have slightly different boundaries. Based on data provided by the Community Development Director and City Administrator, alternative 4 is a growth projected alternative so that, in future years, there would be less of an imbalance between ward population. Data submitted by Senior Estates and the Oregon Latino Voter Registration Project was used to develop the alternatives before the Council. Following her initial presentation, she slightly changed the boundaries within specific alternatives to demonstrate the change in target population. Councilor Bjelland suggested that another alternative be considered that would combine alternatives 3 and 4 thereby keeping Senior Estates within 2 Wards and yet reflect for future growth. Ms. Hegewald developed Alternative 5 which would have a target population ranging from -2.4% to 2.7% and the Hispanic population is concentrated in 4 wards with the % of Hispanic population in those wards ranging from 58.3% to 67.4%. Additionally, the Senior Estates area would be concentrated in 2 wards rather than 3 wards. She stated that Ward I would have 1.7% over target and, by the end of 10 years, may be greater than the 5% target since there is buildout available in Ward I (Montebello Subdivision). 1608 Anthony Veliz, 449 S Front Street, suggested that Ward 3 seems to split up a neighborhood and have a different type of community of interest. For example, it would include the downtown community of interest plus a different type of community of interest in which there is a golf course and higher income homes. Jim Cox, 1530 Rainier, expressed his opinion that communities of interest are not to be split and the Council should have defined the community of interest in advance of the alternatives being developed. He stated that the ward system was developed in the 1960's and Senior Estates was split up at that time and continues to be split at this time. Currently, Senior Estates is within 3 separate wards and, under the alternatives presented at this meeting, it would still be within 2 wards. He reiterated that Senior Estates is a community of interest that is specifically and clearly defined. He also stated that, in his opinion, the Council established an illegal and unfair criteria for COG to work with that being Council member residences shall remain within their own wards which is contrary Page 2 - Council Workshop Meeting Minutes, September 17,2001 COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES SEPTEMBER 17, 2001 TAPE READING to state law. He urged the Council to remove the criteria that would favor incumbent Council members and to re-draw the boundaries keeping Senior Estates within one ward thereby protecting their community of interest. Councilor Bjelland stated that it was his understanding that there was an attempt to put Senior Estates within one ward but Senior Estates is divided in such a manner that there was no way that you could develop a ward that would include all of Senior Estates and have the rest of West Woodburn in a separate ward since it would not meet the target population. Ms. Hegewald confirmed that the target population would not be met if Senior Estates was placed in one ward. Councilor Bjelland also stated that the boundaries need to be contiguous so that there was no way a Senior Estates ward could be formed and yet have another ward to accommodate the other people in West Woodburn. Mr. Cox stated that, if that is true, then that may be a justification for splitting Senior Estates at Highway 214. He also expressed his opinion that this process should have been much more public than it has been to discuss issues of concern before the alternatives were developed. 2269 Preston Tack, 2197 Camellia Way, expressed concern over reference to Senior Estates and, including the area that is shown on the map, in that Senior Estates does not have enough population to get to the 3,350 target. Additionally, the census block information makes it difficult for the consultant to stick strictly to Senior Estates, therefore, it does include a lot of other people in the surrounding area. He cautioned the Council in using Senior Estates and then including so much other property. Further discussion was held regarding the newest alternative in which Senior Estates would be concentrated within 2 wards rather than 3 wards. This would give one ward the highest concentration of Senior Estate residents which is the closest that can be obtained to a community of interest representing Senior Estates and still fall within the Council's criteria. Anthony Veliz questioned the Council's time frame in which a decision needs to be made on the new boundaries. Mayor Jennings stated that an ordinance would be considered by the Council in October and this will be the only workshop on redistricting. Administrator Brown suggested that the Council take some time to review the alternatives, including alternative 5 which was developed at this meeting, and direct staff at the next meeting as to which alternative to utilize when preparing the ordinance. It was the consensus of the Council to discuss the alternatives at their first meeting in October and consider an ordinance at the second meeting in October. Preston Tack suggested that sticking to the percentage deviations very closely at this time is impracticable when you look at the Montebello Subdivision which is subject to considerable development over the next few years. He stated that by the end of the 10 Page 3 - Council Workshop Meeting Minutes, September 17,2001 COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES SEPTEMBER 17,2001 TAPE READING year period, the population numbers within each ward will again be way out of line similar to what occurred several years ago as illustrated by the Portland State University census data. In the past, it has not bothered the Council to have the high deviations during the 10 year period over the perfect solution of equal population per ward. He expressed his opinion that it would be beneficial to the City to look at the areas in which growth will occur and then make some allowance for the growth thereby making the plus or minus percentages greater than what is shown on the 5 alternatives. Administrator Brown stated that growth projections involved approved lots within subdivisions which are primarily in wards 1, 3, and 5. Mayor Jennings noted that, in alternative 4, the numbers carne out fairly well it the percentage of Hispanics within wards 2, 3, 5, and 6. Administrator Brown reiterated that staff will be back before the Council at the first meeting in October with Alternatives 3, 4, and 5. 3168 The meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m.. APPROVED~ RI HARD JENN GS, A YOR ATTEST n~~ Mary Tenn t, Recorder City of Woodburn, Oregon Page 4 - Council Workshop Meeting Minutes, September 17, 200 1