Hello everyone!
Using the 2000 Census numbers, the City of Surprise is required to redraw each of its 6 district lines so as to better represent the people. The city has put together a committee of residents for this process. However, the process is open to all residents of the city and it is the citizen input that is wanted. The more people, the better.
The process itself is simple. Each citizen who would like to participate is given a ?“Citizen Kit?”. The kit contains, maps, numbers and information about the city and the redistricting process. The citizen?’s job is to basically take the total population of the city, divide by each of the 6 districts, and place that many people is each district so as to have 6 equally represented districts. Your idea is submitted to an independent consultant who reviews your maps, returns them with suggestions and allows you to update it. Each citizen can draw up as many maps as they want. The purpose of the committee is to take all the maps and come up with the best maps and present them to the City Council for approval, upon which gets sent to the United States Department of Justice for final approval.
On request by the committee, the independent consultants put together 3 maps, which they figure to be ?“good?”. However, all 3 of these maps currently put the West Point Community in two different districts. This means one council district would represent the interests of those East of West Point Parkway together with the original town site. Those West of West Point Parkway would be represented by a different councilperson and most of the undeveloped land to the South. On top of that, the district line on one of the plans shows that the district line would not go down West Point Parkway, but rather divide those homes in the Dave Brown community putting Dave Brown residents in one district and some in the other.
So, if you would like to get a Citizen Kit or help draw these new districts lines, please let me know ASAP! It is more simple than it sounds and can be very fun! All maps must be turned in no later than May 3, 2002. If you have any questions, please let me know. If you know anyone within the City of Surprise who might be interested, please have them contact myself or Sherry Aguilar, City Clerk for Surprise.
David Sobelman
Spokesperson
City of Surprise Redistricting Committee
Using the 2000 Census numbers, the City of Surprise is required to redraw each of its 6 district lines so as to better represent the people. The city has put together a committee of residents for this process. However, the process is open to all residents of the city and it is the citizen input that is wanted. The more people, the better.
The process itself is simple. Each citizen who would like to participate is given a ?“Citizen Kit?”. The kit contains, maps, numbers and information about the city and the redistricting process. The citizen?’s job is to basically take the total population of the city, divide by each of the 6 districts, and place that many people is each district so as to have 6 equally represented districts. Your idea is submitted to an independent consultant who reviews your maps, returns them with suggestions and allows you to update it. Each citizen can draw up as many maps as they want. The purpose of the committee is to take all the maps and come up with the best maps and present them to the City Council for approval, upon which gets sent to the United States Department of Justice for final approval.
On request by the committee, the independent consultants put together 3 maps, which they figure to be ?“good?”. However, all 3 of these maps currently put the West Point Community in two different districts. This means one council district would represent the interests of those East of West Point Parkway together with the original town site. Those West of West Point Parkway would be represented by a different councilperson and most of the undeveloped land to the South. On top of that, the district line on one of the plans shows that the district line would not go down West Point Parkway, but rather divide those homes in the Dave Brown community putting Dave Brown residents in one district and some in the other.
So, if you would like to get a Citizen Kit or help draw these new districts lines, please let me know ASAP! It is more simple than it sounds and can be very fun! All maps must be turned in no later than May 3, 2002. If you have any questions, please let me know. If you know anyone within the City of Surprise who might be interested, please have them contact myself or Sherry Aguilar, City Clerk for Surprise.
David Sobelman
Spokesperson
City of Surprise Redistricting Committee
