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Politics & Government

New District Map on Table

Drop boxes for comments will be available throughout Douglas County until Nov. 1.

Douglas County residents have until Nov. 1 to voice their opinions over the county’s newly redrawn commission districts.

The  voted 3-2 last week to put the map on the table for citizen 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 plus or minus variation from the target population is permissable by voting rights guidelines.

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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. One reason Robinson said he voted against the map was because it wasn't sufficiently reviewed by the commission.

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The map won’t be introduced to the Georgia General Assembly until next session.

“It took us four months to review the original benchmark map,” Robinson said, who added there could also be some cultural bias in the map.

District 4 Commissioner Ann Jones Guider said she doesn’t think the map is culturally biased because, if it was, 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, he noted he’s been trying 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 said 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.”

Commission 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 plus or minus 3 percent of each other. He also wanted to keep all corridors together, such as Chapel Hill Road, Lee Road, Thornton Road and Highway 5.

“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, the courthouse and the Douglas County Library. Drop boxes for comments on the map will be set up throughout the county.

The commission will then vote on the map Nov. 1.

In other business at their Tuesday meeting, the commission:

  • 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 elections
  • 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 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
  • Voted to accept $17,250 in sponsorships for the 2011 September Saturdays Festival, distribute the funds and amend the budget.
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