Terrebonne redistricting committee learns process

A special committee comprised of four Terrebonne Parish Council members and three parish staffers was offered a procedural preview Thursday of what to expect as they begin a redistricting process.

While accepting a contract in principle n a final resolution has yet to be drafted and ratified by the full parish council n this meeting was led by the South Central Planning and Development Commission to explain a procedure that will take place in determining new areas of representation, and establish a timeline to complete that task.

SCPDC CEO Kevin Belanger stated that his intention for now was solely to explain the process that must ultimately comply with the Federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 and meet clearance objectives from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Belanger and two of his staff members offered a power point presentation that demonstrated to the reapportionment committee how the inputting of U.S. Census Bureau data and other findings, including personal interviews, can help draw new district boundaries.

The advantage of the software being used in this process, it was explained, is having an ability to start with basic information and then input additional data that could automatically adjust district lines and save time.

Belanger opened his presentation by stressing that redistricting is intended to enhance voter representation within legal guidelines. “I want everyone to know that this is going to be a very open and transparent process. It is not our hope to put anybody out of office. It is our hope to be fair,” he said.

In addition to census figures, the SCDPC will use input from council members and the general public to determine redistricting.

Belanger said that by the third week of February 2011, he intends to deliver three distinct, alternative models that are offshoots of the existing plan combined with research findings from which the committee will ultimately select one map to offer the full parish council.

Building a timeline presented by the SCPDC began with the Oct. 21, 2011 local election day and worked in reverse order to establish dates to meet with committee members, confer with the full council and make deadlines to gain approval from the Justice Department.

According to the presented schedule, census data needed for reapportionment should be available by mid-February 2011. During that time a plan for redistricting should be adopted and will be sent to state officers for consideration.

A preferred date to submit a redistricting plan to the Justice Department is listed as March 11, 2011. The preferred date to obtain preclearance, and the last date to submit a plan to the Justice Department, is May 20, 2011.

By July 22, 2011, a pre-clearance should be in hand so that the registrar of voters can notify the public of any district changes. Qualifying dates are set as Sept. 6-8, 2011, and Election Day is Oct. 21, 2011.

Belanger noted that all findings and information of this process will be available on the SCPDC website scpdc.org for public viewing.

The parish council had previously approved that the SCPDC perform this work on an hourly and by piece basis with a compensation cap of $32,500.

The reapportionment committee includes parish council members Arlanda Williams, Clayton Voisin, Billy Hebert, and Alvin Tilman, Assistant Council Clerk Charlette Poché, Registrar of Voters Linda Rodrigue and Deputy Court Clerk Nancy Boudreaux.

Previously, parish council redistricting had been done simultaneously with representative determination for the Terrebonne School District. Because the current procedure is different than in the past, Chairwoman Arlanda Williams recommended that all council members take it upon themselves to be in communication with their corresponding school board representatives and keep them abreast of the process.

It was also noted that changes made to the current parish districts are unlikely to impact congressional representation.

Committee members pointed out that these meetings are open to the public and voiced their interest in having direct input from area citizens.

Williams joked that she was getting each council member a map of their districts to study as an early Christmas gift.

The next meeting of the Committee on 2011Reapportionment is scheduled for Jan. 3, 2011.