New District Map on Table for 30 Days

Douglas County residents will have a month to voice their opinions over the county’s newly-redrawn commission districts.

voted 3-2 to put the map introduced to them on the table for 30 days for review. The results of the 2010 Census showed District 3, which is represented by Commissioner Mike Mulcare, approximately 4,000 people over the ideal population of 33,100 per district. Commissioner Kelly Robinson’s District 2 was approximately 4,000 under the ideal number. A 5 percent +/- variation from the target population is permissable by voting rights guidelines. Currently, District 2's variation is -11.46 percent, and District 3's variation is +12.23 percent.

Robinson and District 1 Commissioner Henry Mitchell voted against putting the map on the table for review. Robinson said he was viewing the map through a cultural bias lense and said that in his new district, one population sector accounts for more than 10 percent of his constituents.

“When you see that kind of shift, it makes you pause,” Robinson said.

Robinson also said the map wasn’t sufficiently reviewed by the BOC. The map won’t be introduced to the General Assembly until next session.

“It took us four months to review the original benchmark map,” he said.

District 4 Commissioner Ann Jones Guider said she doesn’t think the map is culturally biased because, if it was, she said it wouldn’t be approved by the U.S. Justice Department.

“I did not see anything in the map that was biased,” she said.

While Mitchell said the map isn’t incorrect, as there’s “no such animal,” he said he’s been trying how to figure out how to make the map work. Mitchell said he’s worked hard to gain the confidence of residents in his precinct in Lithia Springs.

“I want to make sure they know it’s not of my doing, not my preference, to accept this particular map, which will exit them out of this particular district,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell says the map needs more work.

“Is this the right map? I beg to differ,” he said. “I’m just not ready to embrace it yet. I’m not going to say that what we did is incorrect, but I think we could have done a different job.”

BOC Chairman Tom Worthan said his goal was to eliminate split precincts, make sure all sitting commissioners stay in their districts and keep the districts within 3 percent +/- of each other. He also wanted to keep all corridors together, such as the Chapel Hill Road, Lee Road, Thornton Road and Highway 5 corridors.

“I think overall it’s a good map but, again, we’re not voting to approve this map this morning,” Worthan said.

A copy of the proposed map is attached and also will be available for view on Douglas County’s website, as well as at the courthouse and at the Douglas County Library. Drop boxes for comments on the map will be set up throughout the county.

In other business at their Tuesday meeting, the BOC:

• · voted to offer voluntary fitness plans at and to county employees;
• · voted to apply for LCI funds for a multi-use path, which will include a pedestrian bridge over Highway 92, with an estimated total cost of $2.8 million and county match of $560,000;
• · approved intergovernmental agreements with the cities of Douglasville and Villa Rica, and the Douglas County School System for conduction of the Nov. 8 general election;
• · voted to transfer $70,000 from general appropriations contingencies to information services to cover anticipated expenditures through the end of 2011 to supply county-wide support;
• · voted to accept $3,800 from the sheriff’s office forfeiture account and $2,500 from Rogue Runners to allow the SERT team to attend an advanced training seminar;
• · voted to accept $8,245.79 from the sheriff’s office forfeiture account to purchase a pole camera search system;
• · approved the renewal of the telephone lease system agreement with Mitel Leasing, Inc., for the sheriff’s office and jail at a cost of $1,610.79 per month;
• · voted to advertise a public hearing for the purpose of considering a prepaid wireless ordinance;
• · voted to apply for a TIGER 3 grant for the Lee Road Extension project;
• · and voted to accept $17,250 in sponsorships for the 2011 September Saturdays Festival, distribute the funds and amend the budget.