Wards will change

— City growth is forcing redistricting, said Mayor Jackie Crabtree.

At last month’s Council meeting, Crabtree told council members that Jeff Hawkins with Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning is working on maps for the city’s wards. Currently the city has two wards with two council seats in each ward.

There has been discussion about increasing the number of positions, but Crabtree explained that wards have to be drawn to evenly distribute the population of the voters.

“Do you still want to look at three wards, or just have two?” he asked.

“What about at large?” Nadine Telgemeier, council member, asked.

“Actually, everyone is at large,” city attorney Howard Slinkard said.

The mayor said council members must decide fairly quickly in order to have the ward boundaries drawn in time for potential candidates before the August filing dates.

“It may be, if you’re redistricting and creating new wards, everybody will have to go back on with the terms staggered first year,” Slinkard explained.

“Even with a third ward, you could have a tie,” Telgemeier said.

“You’re always going to have an even number,” Sandy Button, city recorder/treasurer, said.

“I was under the impression it would allow there wouldn’t be any ties, but you’re still the tie breaker,” Telgemeier said to the mayor.

“Yes, the monkey’s on my back,” Crabtree responded.

News, Pages 1 on 05/02/2012