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AGENDA INFORMATION SHEET
<br />PROJECT: Consider aresolution amending ResolutionNo. 2002-029, adopted February 11, 2002, calling
<br />a municipal election far May 4, 2002, to designate two new polling places in Council Districts No. 1 and
<br />No. 3 as a result of the City's redistricting process under the U. S. Voting Rights Act.
<br />BACKGROUND: As you are aware, the City ofParis, along with all other governmental entities, has been
<br />involved in the process ofredrawing City Council District boundaries to conform to the "one-man one-vote"
<br />standard mandated by the U. S. Voting Rights Act as a result of shifts in population identified in the latest
<br />Federal Census. Mr. Bob Bass, the City's special consultant for this process, prepared final district
<br />boundaries in accordance with this process and submitted those boundaries with supporting documentation
<br />to the United Stated Justice Deparhnent for pre-clearance. However, City Clerk Mattie Cunningham has
<br />identified the need to relocate a total of four (4) polling places in Council Districts 1, 3, 4, and 7 because
<br />the current polling places are no longer located in their respective City Council Districts (see attached
<br />exhibit showing the location of the four (4) new polling places). For purposes of this election, Ms.
<br />Cunningham has identified the need to relocate the current polling place at the Public Warks Building, 50
<br />W. Hickory Street, in DistrictNo. 1 to a new location atthe Red River Valley Fair Grounds, 590 E. Center
<br />Street, and similarly the need to relocate the current polling place at the Thomas Justiss Elementary School,
<br />401 18th Street N.W., for District No. 3 to a new location at Travis Jr. High School, 3270 Graham Street.
<br />Ms. Cunningham has received verbal commitments from the Fair Grounds and the School District for our
<br />ability to use these polling places annually on the first Saturday in May and will receive written
<br />commitments in the future. However, as a consequence of these newly identified polling places, the
<br />resolution recently adopted by City Council calling a municipal election mustbe amended to reflectthe two
<br />new polling locations. The City Attorney forwarded these new polling locations to consultant Bass, who
<br />in turn included them as a supplement to the City's submission to the United States Justice Department for
<br />approval. On February 26, 2002, the City of Paris received notice from the Justice Deparhnent that the
<br />proposed district boundaries and polling places, including the two revised in the proposed resolution, have
<br />been pre-cleared.
<br />DESCRIPTION: The proposed resolution would relocate polling places for DistrictNo. 1 from the Public
<br />Warks Building, 50 W. Hickory Street, to the Red River Valley Fair Grounds, 590 E. Center Street, and
<br />for District No. 3 from the Thomas Justiss Elementary School, 401 18th Street N.W., to Travis Jr. High
<br />School, 3270 Graham Street. All other portions ofthe original election resolution would remain in full force
<br />and effect.
<br />COST: No substantial cost is anticipated for the use of these facilities as polling places.
<br />LOCATION: The polling place far City Council District No. 1 will be moved from the Public Warks
<br />Building, 50 W. Hickory Street, to the Red River Valley Fair Grounds, 590 E. Center Street, and the polling
<br />place for City Council DistrictNo. 3 will be moved from the Thomas Justiss Elementary School, 401 18th
<br />StreetN.W., to Travis Jr. High School, 3270 Graham Street.
<br />RECOMMENDED ACTION: Consideration and approval of the resolution.
<br />STAFF CONTACT: Larry W. Schenk, City Attorney, and Mattie Cunningham, City Clerk
<br />COUNCIL DATE: Consider for approval at City Council's March 11, 2002, regular City Council
<br />Meeting.
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