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"W'46.9 � Regular Council Meeting September 12, 2011 Page 3 Bass answered in the affirmative. Mr. Fisher inquired about the African American percentage. Mr. Bass said the African American percentage in District One was approximately 44% and the African American percentage in District Two was 43.16 %. Next speaking at the public hearing was Marva Joe, a minority citizen residing in District One, 1610 -17'h N.E., who said she was living in Paris when the seven single member Districts were created and also told the Council that Paris was the first town in Texas to have single member districts. Mrs. Joe asked if there was any provision in the ruling by Judge Justice that one day there might not be two African American Districts. Mrs. Joe said the reason she wanted to know was because of integration. She said if you drive around Paris, you will see African Americans living all over the City. Mrs. Joe said that the prediction by 2020 is the majority in the Country was going to be Hispanic. She also said there were many Hispanics living in this area. Mrs. Joe asked what would happen if Districts One and Two disappeared, because of decrease in minority population in those areas. Mr. Bass said as long as the Voting Rights Act continues to be an obligation imposed on governmental entities, there will be an obligation to try to achieve the most significant minority content as the numbers in a compact and cohesive community will permit. He also said as the population becomes more distributed, it will become harder to build districts that are as strong as maybe the districts were ten or twenty years ago. Council Member Grossnickle inquired if most likely the City would maintain two minority districts under that law. Mr. Bass said yes. Mr. Bass also said if it becomes mathematically impossible, the City would have to articulate why it was no longer possible. Also, speaking was Brenda Cherry, a minority citizen residing in District One, 1442 Fitzhugh, who stated that in her opinion African Americans were already under represented. Ms. Cherry said she realized that by adding the Hispanics it made the total minority population 54 %, but if African Americans were only going to be 40% that she did not think there would be any black people on the City Council in the future. She said that half of the black people could not vote, because of felonies. Ms. Cherry said she realized that was not the Council's fault, but that it was reality and a concern to her. With no one else speaking, Mayor Hashmi closed the public hearing. Mayor Hashmi asked for discussion from the City Council. Council Member Grossnickle said they had to comply with the Department of Justice guidelines and that a lot of thought had gone into this plan. Council Member McCarthy said a lot of effort was put into getting Districts One and Two fair representation with regard to the minority population. He also said that he realized every ten years it would be more difficult to reach the required populous, because minorities has prospered. Council Member Avila said there needed to be more education, so that more people would get out and vote. Council Member Wright said the map wasn't perfect, but that they had put in many hours, listened to opinions, and that Mr. Bass had divided the populous as well as he could conforming with the Federal law. Council Member Frierson reiterated Council Member Wright and said there had been quite a bit of discussion and everyone had worked together to make sure concerns were addressed. Council Member Pickle said that the key to the map was participation from those individuals representing each District. Mayor Hashmi said he understood concerns expressed by the citizens speaking at the public hearing, but that it was his hope that residents of the community would vote for an individual based on qualifications and not the color of their skin.