Arnold City Council Redistricts Wards

(Note: The previous article had an incorrect wording of the ward-redistricting resolution passed. The following article correctly explains the option passed.)

Arnold’s city council met on Thursday night, and members discussed and approved a resolution to redistrict the city’s four wards.

The resolution approved the shifting of 310 citizens from north of Pomme Creek in Ward 2 to Ward 4; shifted 194 from Ward 2, north of Strawberry Creek, to Ward 1; shifted 117 from the Arnold Commons and Water Tower Place census block and the residents east of Interstate 55 north of Frederitzi Lane to Church Road from Ward 3 to Ward 1; and 295 residents from the block between Maxville Lane and Church Road on the west side of I-55.

The council needed to redistrict the city’s wards because of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which allows for Arnold’s voting wards’ populations to vary only by 10 percent. Last year’s census showed the wards’ populations were unbalanced by 28 percent, thus forcing the city to bring the wards’ populations to within a 10 percent difference.

The council approved the resolution in a 6-2 vote. Ward 1 Councilmembers Doris Borgelt and Christine Lang both voted against the measure.

Borgelt said she thought the another option that had been previously discussed at work sessions was also going to be presented at the meeting. Instead there was only one.

The other option would have shifted 870 citizens from Ward 2 to Ward 1 and 117 citizens from Ward 3 to Ward 4. 

The option, however, was not on Thursday night’s agenda. Mayor Ron Counts said a memo had been sent to councilmembers on Nov. 15 asking them for input on the two plans. Counts said there was no input on option B, so it was not on the agenda.

“I don’t like this option,” Borgelt said. “I did not even know we had to comment on them for it to be an option.”

Ward 2 Councilmember Bill Moritz, however, said he thought the option presented on the agenda was the best option.

“It keeps the historic ward boundaries closer to what they are,” Moritz said.

Ward 3 Councilmember Phil Amato also spoke in support of the bill.

“We are also losing people in our ward,” Amato said. “It’s been an honor to represent them throughout these years, but the law is the law.”

A map of the new wards should be available next week, said Mary Holden, community development director.