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789 <br />City Attorney Haynes explained that more than a year and one -half ago, <br />Lamar County embarked upon the project of redistricting the County, and <br />a consultant was hired and a plan was submitted, when the plan was sent <br />to Washington City Officials became aware of it, it was examined <br />looking at the laws of the State of Texas, and found to be unlawful. <br />Because of that the City of Paris made an objection to that plan. At <br />the same time the City of Paris and Paris Jr. College engaged the same <br />consultant to attempt to reach some of the goals that have been stated <br />by Mr. Armstrong, and City Attorney Haynes stated which he found to be 4 <br />impossible to meet. We all had at that time the idea we could have <br />voting boxes that serves in the same place for county, school, and city <br />elections where a person desiring to vote could go to.one place instead <br />of having to go to three different places to vote on election day, but <br />when you start trying to draw the lines to do that, it is hard to find <br />common areas. Mr. Haynes said the firm that was engaged by the County, <br />School District, and City went out of business, and left us holding an <br />empty bag, and the County with a plan that could not be approved by the <br />United States, so another consultant was hired by the County, and the <br />City of Paris engaged the same consultant in an attempt to work out the <br />County and City situation in such a way that it would be harmonious, <br />not because anyone in the City desires it, but because that is where <br />the majority of the population is, it is almost imperative that you <br />start with the City and develop a plan in the City, and then go from <br />there to the County, it can not be done the other way around. That is <br />why at this particular stage it appears that the City is out front. <br />City Attorney Haynes advised that with regards to time frame, the City <br />Council has set no time frame, if you are attempting to have a system <br />in place that would serve the next election season, next spring after <br />this one, you would have to have you plan available to submit no later <br />than the first of January in order for it to be approved by late.April <br />or May. So, as you-can see, it would not be prudent to wait until the <br />last minutes to submit a plan, so our plan should be approved before <br />the the first of January. City Attorney Haynes said the only time <br />table is with the County, and- they are in need for `:redistricting. <br />City Attorney Haynes said that the schedule of things that was hoped to <br />happened in this process was first to find out some information, inform <br />the Council, have an explanitation of a plan that would meet the law, <br />constitutional correct, and appoint a committee of representation <br />through out the community to look at it, discuss it, take it back to <br />their own groups of persons that they represent, and then come back <br />with a unified committee recommendation of a plan that would meet the <br />law. City Attorney Haynes said the next step in that process is the <br />appointment of a committee, and we have an indication tonight, that <br />the committee that has been authorized by the Council is one that is <br />acceptable to the citizens, so now it is up to the Council to appoint <br />their representative to serve on the committee, the information that <br />you have request is available, and the only hesitation we have in <br />saying we have it immediately is that at our request there has been <br />some adjustment made to try to strengthen the minority districts, and <br />we are not sure that the information that we have is on the second <br />plan, but all of the information that is needed is available, and is in <br />the consultant's computer, he also has the concentration of minority <br />