County Commission Discusses Redistricting Map

The discussed at Monday’s work session and briefly at Tuesday’s legislative meeting submitting redistricting mapping to the state and what would happen if it wasn’t turned in before the General Assembly’s special session, expected to start on Aug. 15.

The process must be done every 10 years in accordance with the latest census figures. The 2010 Census by 30.4 percent, going from a population of 92,174 in 2000 to 132,403 in 2010.

Redistricting has less to do with overall population growth and more to do with where the growth was, as explained by the Georgia Redistricting Alliance: “Redistricting ensures every person has equal representation by drawing districts with an equal number of people—one person, one vote.”

Douglas has already received proposed maps from the state, Commission Chairman Tom Worthan said Monday. He said he has been talking with the county’s four commissioners, who each represent one of its four districts, to make sure everyone is in agreement with the mapping.

“As soon as I feel confident that we’ve got a fair map, we’ve got a map that doesn’t split up precincts (and communities), that’s what were waiting for right now,” Worthan said.

From there, the county will have a 30-day public comment period and display the map at the courthouse, online, on DCTV23, and in libraries and fire stations, Worthan said. During that time, the map can still be altered, he added.

The county will then hand off its final map to the state for approval.

The current district maps are attached to this article.

The legislature’s special session is expected to be on Aug. 15 and might take up the issue of local redistricting. But, as discussed Monday, it’s not yet known if the issue will be on the agenda.

With Aug. 15 less than 30 days away, Commissioner Mike Mulcare noted that the county has missed the opportunity to have the 30-day public comment period before the session.

Commissioner Kelly Robinson asked what would happen if the map wasn’t submitted by Aug. 15.

“A lot of people are going to miss it … because speaking with other counties, I don’t know of many counties that have submitted one yet,” Worthan said, adding that the county’s school district hasn’t submitted its map either, but Douglasville, which has elections later this year, has.

With elections not coming up this year for Douglas, County Attorney Ken Bernard said “it’s not going to be the end of the world if you’re not ready” if the General Assembly takes up local redistricting in August.

County commissions and school boards may instead be handled at the next regular General Assembly session in January, Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers, a Woodstock Republican, told the Marietta Daily Journal last month.

From 2000 to 2010, Georgia's population grew 18.3 percent to 9.69 million people, the census shows. The growth will result in a new, 14th U.S. House seat for Georgia in the 2012 elections, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Also at Tuesday’s legislative meeting:

• A public hearing was held regarding new emergency management ordinances, like a curfew, that will help keep Douglas County’s ordinances consistent with others across the state.
• Some county vehicles were declared surplus while others that there’s not much left of will be sold as scrap metal.
• Robin Bishop—who does grant writing and follow-up reporting for the county—was awarded a new contract for $4,000 less than her previous pay. “As a way of looking at saving money as we have across the other departments, we’ve talked to her about reducing her contract some … and she was in compliance with that,” said Jamie Bennett, assistant to County Administrator Eric Linton.
• A contract was approved 3-2 for a deputy elections supervisor, with Commissioners Henry Mitchell and Robinson voting against the action.

And on Monday, Deputy Chief Stan Copeland updated the board on the progress of the new county jail.

“If you’ve been by there, you can see it’s moving along quickly,” he said, adding that all contracts except for signage have been awarded.

The local participation for the contracts awarded so far is 30.6 percent, Copeland said.