The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About1981-07-23-1030AM-SpecialTHE FOLLOWING DOCUMENT IS THE BEST IMAGE POSSIBLE DUE TO THE POOR QUALITY OF ORIGINAL C01'01ISSIONERS' COURT SPECIAL 1.1EETI11r, JULY 23, 1981 A special meeting of the Commissioners' Court of Brazos unty, Texas, was held in the Commissioners' Courtroom in the Cotirthouse in Bryan, Brazos County, Texas, beginning at 10:30 A.M. on Thursday, July 23, 1931, with the following ria-tubers of the Court present: R. J. 11olutgreen, County Judge, presiding: Bill J. Cooley, Commissioner of Precinct 1; Walter Wilcox, Coiraiissioner of Precinct 2; Billy E.. Beard, Co-imrissioner of Precinct 3; W. A. Stasny, Commissioner of Precinct 4; :!t. nk Boriskie, County Cleric. The following citizens and officials were in attendance: G. Moses KTAM radio Phyliss Presley KAGC Radio Glen A1-ixey Citizen Stove Murdock Citizen Julia McDznel Caddell Graduate student, TAMU Gref; Rodriguez Citizen Srcvc Congora Citizen Carey Cawley, Jr. N.A.A C. P. Debbie Ramsey KSTX TV B. A. Dewey Justice Precinct 4-1. Carolyn 1.1. Hensarling Justice Precinct 4-2 ?larlene Muse League of Women Voters D. D. Williamson Metropolitan Planning Organization C. Robert Heath Bick.erstaff and Heath Jesse Flores r.cxican lonerican Democrats Kathleen l:imball-Baker The Houston Chronicle S,-eve Carta, Jr. Citizen Fumi Sugihara Citizen David B.:rron Barron and Barron .:obert Bunting Citizen Tiio:r;is Bunting Citizen Debbie Monroe KBI:X TV Clan E. Schraeder Citizen The purl)o:;e of this court t;iCeting was to hold a public hearing to obtain information froin an expert on state and federal laws and procedures in redistricting. No intent to draw lines was understood. Mr. C. Robert Ee-ath, Attorney at Law with the firm of curd tlvat.li, and for►aer Chairman of the Opinions CoinmIA f-ce of the Act.orney Ceneral's Office was presented to ::IZC C01111: ai:d f;tate . tbo foJ-10wing fAandirds whic6n aro con- ai(l<_rod by ti)e Justice Dopai-viiient- %,hon preclearinc; proposed 1)1aiu . 1) •1'opc:lnt+-c,n dev.iat-iOLI of 110 W.YrO L11.:11 ten percent i ..,SIONERS' COURT MEETING--JULY 23, 1981 CONTINUED I' • I~ a f r i i , I I• , I.. unless otherwise specified and 2) no retrogression.in the position of minority voting rights, either being dilution t -of voting strength or concentration of minorities in single i districts. i, The preclearance will depend upon the county's specific circumstances and will comply with the Federal Voting Rights Act stipulations. Mr. Heath then presented the major steps in the re- i districting process as being: 1) provide for public input 2) determine criteria in redrawing districts 3) provide for I public input on proposed plans before submitted and 4) sub- mit to the Juz;cice Department. i .t Mr. Heath concluded by explaining that the-.criteria to be considered when redrawing the districts should by closely related to the following: 1) equal population distribution 2) integrity of political subdivisions such as school dis-,' tricts and cities 3) compactness and contiguousness of districts 4) historical preferences 5) geographical boun- daries 6) avoidance of placing incumbents in same district 8) avoidance of delaying citizen's right to vote and 9) balance of the commissioners' road mileage. Judge Holmgreen then asked the audience for any questions or comments. Commissioner Bill Cooley asked Mr. Heath about the number of Justice of the peace precincts allowed in a county i and Mr. Heath explained that up to eight precincts were i allowed in a county-with a maximum of two justices in each precinct. Justice of the peace precincts do not have to be of equal population. i t~ 1 _-,T' THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENT IS THE BEST IMAGE POSSIBLE DUE TO THE POOR QUALITY OF ORIGINAL . r IISSIONERS' COURT IU ETING--JUL~ 23; 1981 CONTINUED 7 r .I y 1 Jesse Flores, representing Mexican American Democrats asked if there is a time limit on rediotricrir.g plans and Mr. death answered that the county may use a, "practical" t amount of time but, once submitted, the Justice Department may take up to sixty days to announce any objections to the plan. Glen Maxey asked if any of the factors had priority over others in the list of criteria to redistricting. Mr. Heath said that population equality was, by far, the most important factor and avoidance of discrimination was second. Mr. Cooley added that location of public buildings played an important role in determining voting precincts. Fumi Sugihara stated that many counties rent buildings to use as voting places. Mr. Cooley confirmed that Brazos County rents other buildings also. Judge lolmgreen asked what determines the size of the voting precincts and Mr. Heath answered that the number of ` registered voters in r_ach precinct must not exceed 3,000. ! Jesse Flores then asked if it was acceptable to place ,i a majority of the minorities in one commissioner precinct. Mr. Heath stated that a majority of the minorities may be r placed in a sii le precinct depending on the special cir- I cumstances of the particular county. Judge Holmgreen introduced Julie Caddell, a graduate q student working towards a master in demography. who has been hired by the county to post all the census figures on a large country map. Mrs. Cadell confirmed that ConLmissioner Precinct 4 has the largest proportion of minorities, consisting of 2 E approximately 40 percent of I.he mitioriry populoclon in the County. ~a a ` .r COMMISSIONERS' COURT MEETING--JULY 23, 1981 CONTINUED O4RA1 A ,r• Y (,j {(~w, ?3 Holm reen then appointed Commissioners Wilcox Ju .,e g and Cooley to a committee and invited the public to discuss with them any comments or plans they have on a redistricting plan. Jesse Flores thanked the court and stated that the hearing was very informative and helpful. Carey Cawley, President of the N.A.A.C.P,, asked if there would be any more public hearings on redistricting and Commissioner Cooley recommended that all meetings on redistricting hereafter be public hearings. Glen Maxey asked that some future meetings be held after 5 P.M. Marlene Muse, President of the League of Women Voters, expressed her appreciation to the court for holding this hearing and asked that the guidelines used for redisticting be announced by the court. Judge Holmgreen announced that it is the intent of the court to compromise with the public on any redistricting plan and that no secret guidelines have been set. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. I ' t i I . i x f, The foregoing minutes have been examined anJ approved In open Court this the ~ k day of, _0 i,_Ie U 19 in Bryan, Brazos County, Teas. r~/. 11 / r County Ju.:fe Cti:t:C~r -I.iZcox Conn-issioner, Precinct 2 X'~~~ A. ~ta:.'ilj+ Co-.-mdssioner, Prc inct 4 :Y '1 Comnis ner, ct 1 7PPrLin ;Si ily ~~c:arc• Cotmi<~sioner, Precinct 3 1'raLI Boris i County Clerk { I J 4 1 ~ ~I