The Gazette-Enterprise

SEGUIN — The city’s council districts may soon be undergoing a few changes.

To accommodate recently annexed areas, such as Oak Village North, the city of Seguin is considering some changes to rebalance the council districts.

During the Sept. 15 meeting, the city set temporary voting districts to serve for the upcoming election. However, during today’s meeting, consultants from the firm Hudson & O’Leary will present a temporary plan for redistricting.

In a memo to council, consultant J. Greg Hudson said the changes will likely cause little confusion for voters and will help balance district population and demographics.

“This reassignment makes the minimum number of changes to existing council member district boundaries,” he said. “So there should be little voter confusion as a result of this change.”

Planning Director Don Smith said that districts must be approved by the Justice Department this month. These districts would remain in place until the 2010 Census, when lines must be redrawn again.

“Because we’ve annexed so many areas this year, we needed to put them in a district so residents would have a council person to handle their city business,” Smith said.

Smith said the Justice Department has to make a decision before February, which is when candidates can begin to file for the May election.

The city’s proposed districts must be submitted to the Justice Department this month. The department then has 60 days to respond.

Also during the meeting, the council will consider bids for the Walnut Branch project and will consider approval of agreements with groups that receive funding from the Hotel Occupancy Tax.

Council will also hear a presentation on the 2010 budget for Guadalupe Regional Medical Center, presented by hospital CEO Robert Haynes.

City council meets at 5:30 p.m. today at City Council Chambers, 210 E. Gonzales St.

Share | Save | Mail | Print | Comment

Bringing Life To Your Doorstep Since 1888

A Southern Newspapers publication.