2001-0434
INTRODUCED BY: 'RAM' RAMCHANDRAN
COUNCILMAN-AT-LARGE, DIVISION A
ORDINANCE NO.
Title
An ordinance to reapportion the District Boundaries of the Governing Authority of the Parish of St. Charles, based on the 2000 United States Census in accordance with Federal, State, and Local laws.
Body
WHEREAS, Louisiana Revised Statute 33:1411 and the St. Charles Parish Home Rule Charter, Article III, Section 3, require that the Governing Authority review its apportionment plan after the release of each decennial census; and,
WHEREAS, in April of 2001, the 2000 Census figures were released by the United States Census Bureau, which established the population of St. Charles Parish to be 48,072; and,
WHEREAS, on March 19, 2001, the St. Charles Parish Council adopted Resolution No. 4891 creating the "Reapportionment Committee", composed of Representatives from the Parish Council, Parish School Board, and Parish Justice of the Peace and Constables Association; and,
WHEREAS, the Committee has conducted several public meetings to review the various Alternate Proposals of Reapportionment Plans; and,
WHEREAS, at its meeting of August 2, 2001, the Committee recommended that Alternate Plan A be adopted as the 2000 Reapportionment Plan for St. Charles Parish; and,
WHEREAS, at its meeting on October 1, 2001, the Parish Council rejected the Reapportionment Committee's recommendation introduced as File No. 2001-0351; and,
WHEREAS, it is the wish of the people to have fair and equal representation on the Council as clearly specified in the Parish Charter from the East and West Bank of the Parish; and,
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the Parish Council to keep the reapportionment process moving forward giving the citizens an opportunity of choice by a companion File No. 2001-0390; and,
WHEREAS, IT IS DESIRED TO HAVE all Elected bodies like the St. Charles Parish School Board, Justice of the Peace and Constables to HAVE THE SAME DISTRICT BOUNDARIES AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY OF CHOICE TO REDISTRICT AND ALIGN WITH that of Political Districts; and,
WHEREAS, some charter change will be required to accommodate the new reality and population growth and it is time to start the change process independent of reapportionment to put in place a charter change Commission; and,
WHEREAS, at its meeting on November 5, 2001, the Parish Council voted down a proposed Summary containing seven district proposal plan "A" with a call for election; and,
WHEREAS, St. Charles Parish Charter clearly calls for Reapportionment based on census for equal representation in the Council and mandates political subdivisions on equal population basis.
THE ST. CHARLES PARISH COUNCIL HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION I. That in accordance with Louisiana Revised Statute 33:1411 the Governing Authority has reviewed its apportionment plan and determined that a new apportionment plan is necessary.
SECTION II. That in accordance with Article III, Section 3, of the St. Charles Parish Home Rule Charter, the Governing Authority is hereby reapportioned in accordance with the following Council District Boundaries, which are set out in, Alternative "B" attached hereto and made a part hereof.
SECTION III. The provisions of this Ordinance shall become effective upon "pre-clearance: from the United states Department of Justice, as required under Section 5 of the voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended, till the Election is conducted to choose six or eight district plan.
SECTION IV. The Election District herein established shall be effective for Members of the Parish Council seeking Election in the fall of 2003 and assuming Office in January 2004, if Election results are inconclusive.
Vote
The foregoing ordinance having been submitted to a vote, the vote thereon was as follows:
And the ordinance was declared adopted this day of , 2001, to become effective five (5) days after publication in the Official Journal.
Reapportionment Alternative B
CHAIRMAN:
SECRETARY:
DLVD/PARISH PRESIDENT:
APPROVED: DISAPPROVED :
PARISH PRESIDENT:
RETD/SECRETARY:
AT: RECD BY: