Agenda - Council - 03/08/2022 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CC Regular Session 7. 6. Meeting Date: 03/08/2022 By: Katie Schmidt,Administrative Services Information Title: Introduce Ordinance#22-16 Establishing Boundary Lines for the City of Ramsey Ward System Purpose/Background: As Council is aware, on February 17, 2022, the maps were released showing the redistricting of the congressional and legislative districts. The City was required to review those maps and make adjustments to its Ward and Precinct boundaries as needed based on population changes. Council is also aware that redistricting is a process that occurs every ten years following completion of the US Census. Notification: No notification is required at this time. The notification requirements are as follows: When a precinct boundary is reestablished or a local government election district boundary is redistricted, a detailed map showing the new precincts or districts must be posted at the locations and in the manner in items A to C. Item A pertains to municipalities, and reads as follows: For precincts and wards established by a municipality,the notice prepared by the municipal clerk must be posted in the clerk's office. The notice may be posted in other conspicuous locations in the municipality, at the discretion of the clerk. the information posted must also be made available for public inspection at the office of the county auditor. The notices required must be posted within 72 hours after the adoption of precinct or election district boundaries. The notices must remain posted until the day following the state general election in a year ending in two. With regard to notice to affected voters -when precinct boundaries are changed,the county auditor or municipal clerk shall notify each affected registered voter of the change at least one week prior to the state primary held after the change takes place. Following completion of the ward and precinct boundary amendments,Anoka County Elections will be sending out notification postcards to all voters within the City of Ramsey. Time Frame/Observations/Alternatives: The City is currently divided into four Wards and each Ward has two or three Precincts. According to State Statute, each Ward shall have a balanced population with other Wards within the City. Based on the 2020 Census,the current population of each Ward in the City of Ramsey is as follows: Ward 1 = 6,275 (+3%); Ward 2=7,007 (+20%); Ward 3 =7,902 (+36%); and Ward 4=6,462 (+9%). The total City of Ramsey population based on the 2020 census is 27,646. The percentages indicate the percent of growth since the 2012 census. As was noted to Council at the February 22, 2022 work session meeting, for Census and redistricting purposes,the City is divided into smaller geographic areas known as Census Blocks that are used to summarize population and act as boundary lines for Districts and Wards. Staff prepared an amended Ward Map that balances population with minimal geographic change and follows major transportation corridors. Prior to the proposed changes, Wards 1 and 4 were under the average population and Ward 2 and 3 were over the average population of 6,912 people based on the 2020 census data. (See the first attachment for+/-population and percentage from the average). V 1.01 Keeping Lines Between Ward 3 and 4 the same (Not viable for equal representation based on disparity being higher then the V 1 disparity in Wards 1 and 2)