HomeMy WebLinkAbout1973 12-19 Plan C endorsed for county redistricting REVIEW Plan C endorsed
for count redistricting
(9 . 1` 3
by Scott Carlson the suburban view and leaves a distinc- The Ramsey County Board has en-
The Maplewood council has endorsed tion between St. Paul and suburban dorsed alternate A which sets up two
alternate plan C for redistricting city and representatives." completely suburban districts and a third
suburban representation to the Ramsey Under plan C four districts would be St. Paul dominated district with five
County Board of Commissioners. established. District one would be corn- commissioners.
The council's recent action joins New posed of a portion of St.Paul,a portion of
Brighton and Roseville in supporting the New Brighton and all of Lauderdale, THE ST. PAUL district would include
four district plan.Maplewood believes the Falcon Heights, Roseville and St. An- Lauderdale,North St.Paul and a portion
plan 1) respects the integrity of a greater thony. of Maplewood, south of Highway 36 and
number of communities, 2) better District two would be composed of a east of Highway 61, Miller said.
balances population between suburbs and portion of New Brighton, a portion of Five other different alternates have
the core city and 3) preserves the seven White Bear Lake township, a portion of been offered but only alternates A or C
member county board. the city of White Bear Lake and all of appear to have the best chances for being
Under a request from Ramsey county Mounds View, Shoreview, North Oaks, considered by the legislature when it
state legislators the county has been Vadnais Heights and Gem Lake. District reconvenes January 15.
asked to draw up a redistricting plan three would include Maplewood,North St. Both of the highly touted alternates
which meets the one-man, one-vote Paul and a part of St. Paul. District four would remove the St. Paul mayor as a
principle. would be completely St. Paul. board representative. Proponents of both
Maplewood manager Mike Miller said All of the districts except district four alternates say the mayor has too many
the suburban communities votes for plan would have one representative. District other duties to adequately spend time
C because"they feel it better represents four would have four commissioners. with the board.
Under current county districting four
commissioners are elected from St. Paul,
one from the eastern suburbs and one
from the western suburbs.
In other action the council has offered to
assume 33 percent of total costs for
proposed water improvements along
Battle Creek.
That's an effort to break up the current
deadlock in negotiations with Washington
county communities who do not want to
pay more than 22 percent of any im-
provements,estimated at$1.2 million for
the next five years, if approved.
St.Paul is offering 45 percent and the
new Maplewood increase offer is up four
percent.
The improvements are proposed to take
care of drainage runoff problems but
public works director Bobby D. Collier
said Washington county doesn't think the
runoff is its problem.
He predicted that offering 33 percent
"won't break it(the negotiations) open—
"I think more like 40 percent." He said
Washington county has not offered any
increases.
If thatcontinues it might force
establishment of a watershed district and
would involve administrative costs,
Miller said.