Caldwell County Fiscal Court approved a county reapportionment ordinance on first reading at Tuesday morning’s meeting.
County Clerk Jennifer Watson-Hale explained to magistrates that the redistricting process is done each Census year, which is every 10 years.
click to download audioShe showed magistrates a large map of the redistricting in the county recommended by the Pennyrile Area Development District (PeADD). She explained the adjustments were made by using the population change within a 5% deviation of each of the county’s four districts.
click to download audioWatson-Hale said after the second reading of the ordinance she will meet with PeADD again to work on the precinct maps and precinct descriptions.
click to download audioShe added it will not affect a lot of the voters but the county is required to make the change to keep everything as even as possible in each district. She also noted the redistricting will not go into effect until after the November General Election and those residents affected by the changes will be notified by the County Clerk’s Office.
Judge-Executive Kota Young then presented the first reading of the ordinance which included a report from the Magisterial Reapportionment Commission on May 23rd that included the estimated population of each district and recommended new geographical boundaries of each district.
click to download audioThe ordinance was unanimously approved, and Young said the second reading of the ordinance will be at the Fiscal Court meeting on August 8th.
In other action, magistrates approved hiring two assistants at the Caldwell County Animal Shelter to fill vacancies, as well as a resolution to apply for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) grant application in the amount of $750,000 for an expansion project at the George Coon Public Library.
