HomeMy WebLinkAboutPR 22348: ADOPTING GUIDELINES FOR RESISTRICTING PROPOSALS ND PROVIDING COMMENTS FOR THE 2021 REDISTRICTING PROCESS P.R.No. 22348
01/04/22 ht
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS ADOPTING GUIDELINES FOR
PERSONS SUBMITTING SPECIFIC REDISTRICTING
PROPOSALS AND PROVIDING COMMENTS FOR THE 2021
REDISTRICTING PROCESS.
WHEREAS,the City Council of the City of Port Arthur has certain responsibilities for
redistricting the City's councilmember districts under federal and state law including but not
limited to Amendments 14 and 15 to the United States Constitution, U.S.C.A. and Section 2
of the Voting Rights Act, 52 U.S.C.A. §10301; Part 1,Art. III, §1-2 of the Charter of the City
of Port Arthur, Texas; and Tex. Gov't Code Ann. §§ 2058.001 and 2058.002; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to provide for the orderly consideration and evaluation of
redistricting plans which may come before the Council; and
WHEREAS,these guidelines relate to persons who have specific redistricting plans they
wish the Council to consider; and
WHEREAS, the Council also welcomes any comments relevant to the redistricting
process.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that, in order to make sure that any
comments regarding the redistricting process and any redistricting plan that might be submitted
are of maximum assistance to the Council in its decision-making process, the Council hereby
sets the following guidelines to be followed by each person submitting a comment or a
redistricting plan for consideration:
Section 1. That, proposed plans must be submitted in writing and be legible. If a
plan is submitted orally,there is significant opportunity for misunderstanding,and it is possible
that errors may be made in analyzing it. The Council wants to be sure that all proposals are
fully and accurately considered.
Section 2. That,any plan must show the total population and voting age population
for African-Americans, Hispanics,Asians, and Anglo/Other for each proposed single-member
city council district based on the 2020 Census Data. If a plan is submitted without a population
breakdown,the Council may not have sufficient information to give it full consideration.
Section 3. That, plans should redistrict the entire City. The Council will be
considering the effect of any plan on the entire City. Any plan is subject to the Voting Rights
Act, which protects various racial and language minorities. Thus, as a matter of federal law,
the Council will be required to consider the effect of any proposal on multiple racial and ethnic
groups. If a plan does not redistrict the entire City, it may be impossible for the Council to
assess its impact on one or more protected minority groups.
Section 4. That, plans should conform to the redistricting criteria the Council will
be using in drawing the single-member city council districts.
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Section 5. That, comments must be submitted in writing and be legible, even if the
person also makes the comments orally at a public hearing.
Section 6. That,persons providing comments and those submitting proposed plans
must identify themselves by full name and home address and provide a phone number and, if
available, an email address. The Council may wish to follow up on such comments or obtain
additional information about submitted plans.
Section 7. That, all comments and proposed plans must be submitted to the City
Council by the close of the public hearing.
Section 8. This,this resolution shall be effective upon passage by the City Council.
READ, ADOPTED AND APPROVED on this day of ,
A.D.,2022,at a Meeting of the City Council of the City of Port Arthur,Texas,by the following
vote: AYES:
Mayor:
Councilmembers:
NOES: .
Thurman Bill Bartie,
Mayor
ATTEST:
Sherri Bellard,
City Secretary
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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V. -.i. R. i".'.
Ci ttorn
APPROVED FOR ADMINISTRATION:
Ronald Burton,
City Manager
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