Agenda Item Wording:
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Authorization to revise City Council Decennial Redistricting process timeline and appropriation of additional $10,500 from the General Fund (001) for anticipated costs.
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Submitting Department: Administration
Contact Name and Phone Number: Leslie Caviglia, City Manager, 713-4332; Allison Mackey, Communications Manager, 713-4535; Michelle Nicholson, Chief Deputy City Clerk, 713-4512.
Department Recommendation:
It is recommended that the Visalia City Council receive this information on the City Council Decennial Redistricting process and:
1. Authorize staff to draft revised timeline for the City Council District Decennial Redistricting process; and
2. Appropriate an additional $10,500 (CP0471) to cover the anticipated costs of extending the redistricting process.
Background Discussion:
As required by State law, the Council previously set a schedule for public hearings, workshops, and outreach efforts to elicit public input in the redistricting process.
As directed by the Council, staff initiated the public outreach process. This has been underway and includes the communication objectives of 1) Educating the public on the redistricting process, 2) Communicating the public hearings and public meeting schedule and 3) Asking the public’s help in planning and drawing new City districts. The Plan outlines the mediums used, ranging from the City website (www.visalia.city/drawvisalia) and press releases to social media and community messaging.
Update on Process
To date, the following redistricting public hearings, presentations, and workshops have been held:
- July 19, 2021, at 4:30 p.m. - Presentation to City Council on Redistricting process
- August 23, 2021, at 7 p.m. - Public Hearing No. 1
- September 7, 2021, at 7 p.m. - Update to City Council on Redistricting Process
- September 20, 2021, at 7 p.m. - Public Hearing No. 2
- October 13, 2021, at 6 p.m. - Mapping Workshop No. 1
- October 23, 2021, at 10 a.m. - Mapping Workshop No. 2
To reach as many of the members of the public as possible and to meet legal requirements, Public Hearings were noticed in the Visalia Times-Delta and Fresno Bee newspapers, as well as posted at the locations of the hearings and additional City of Visalia offices. Additionally, information on the process and schedule was included on flyers that were placed in City of Visalia facility public lobbies; on the in-room PowerPoint slideshow before City Council meetings; sent to local media and community organizations via press release (landing coverage from the Sun-Gazette Newspaper); posted on the City website and featured on the front page as a News item, on the Calendar section and in the Redistricting page (www.visalia.city/drawvisalia <http://www.visalia.city/drawvisalia>); included numerous times in the City’s Inside City Hall newsletter; in advertisements in the Sun-Gazette and Valley Voice newspapers; the subject of a featured column on the process in the Visalia Chamber of Commerce Business Update publication; in announcements in Visalia Chamber of Commerce and Tulare-Kings Hispanic Chamber of Commerce digital messaging; through presentations and discussion at community group presentations; at special events including Visalia’s Night Out and the Visalia and Tulare County Town Hall; through numerous postings and shares on the City’s social media channels Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Each Public Hearing, presentation and Mapping Workshop has been posted on the City’s Redistricting webpage schedule, along with corresponding agendas, flyers, meeting minutes, workshop notes and presentations. Public feedback is encouraged at each session through questions, comments, and group discussion. Additionally, staff members have been available to meet individually with attendees after the formal portion of the meeting has concluded. Feedback has been noted at each session and has been saved as a written record for Public Hearing No. 1, Mapping Workshop No. 1, and Mapping Workshop No. 2. Feedback provided during presentations to the City Council during City Council meetings and during Public Hearing No. 2 is included in the meeting minutes. Staff will continue to produce notes of each redistricting Public Hearing and Mapping Workshop, including notes from NDC presenters when provided to City staff. (Staff notes attached)
Each presentation at the afore listed dates noted that City of Visalia data had yet to be finalized, as NDC was depending on release of the delayed U.S. Census data and state prisoner population adjusted counts. NDC provided introductory details and referenced the NDC recommended digital tools DistrictR, Caliper’s Maptitude Online Redistricting mapping tool and the Interactive Review Map. However, NDC shared publicly at these meetings that while they had received the necessary data the week of September 20, 2021, none of the digital tools were yet loaded with City of Visalia data and that NDC was prioritizing clients with December 15, 2021, redistricting deadlines.
At the October 23, 2021, Mapping Workshop, NDC noted that City staff would have an update on when these tools would be available on November 3, 2021. NDC informed staff on October 25, 2021, that the digital tool DistrictR would not be available to the City of Visalia, as NDC had not provided City of Visalia data to the Tufts University research team who designed and runs the tool, and that the tool was no longer accepting jurisdictions outside of those with December 15, 2021, redistricting deadlines. As a replacement, NDC recommended the City (and other client jurisdictions utilizing this digital tool) replace DistrictR with an online tool entitled Dave’s Redistricting. Upon inspection of the Dave’s Redistricting tool by City GIS staff, it was found that the City Limits and Council Districts included in Dave’s Redistricting do not include the multiple annexations that have occurred since the Census established geographies. Due to the U.S. Census’ point in time snapshot, annexations such as K Road (186 residents) are not included in Dave’s Redistricting, and as such, do not provide citizens a clear and full representation of population in this part of the City. Additionally, due to the inability to account for the previously mentioned annexations, it is possible that citizens could initially submit a map that qualifies with less than 10% population deviation but, after taking into consideration the annexations, the map would no longer qualify. It was confirmed that because Dave’s Redistricting uses U.S. Census geography from that point in time snapshot, Dave’s Redistricting cannot make these corrections. For these reasons, City staff has not included this tool in the list of mapping tool options.
On November 10, 2021, staff received the digital tool entitled Interactive Map Review (while this is the title of the tool, it does not enable the user to create a map). The Interactive Map Review tool is a reference tool that allows users to review, analyze and compare maps, not to create them. As of November 12, 2021, staff awaits the delivery of the remaining digital tool, Caliper’s Maptitude Online Redistricting mapping tool. Caliper’s Maptitude Online Redistricting mapping tool allows users to draw maps census block by census block and submit maps electronically. The tools received from NDC to date that are posted on the City website include the NDC provided Interactive Review Map and Public Participation Kits (in both English and Spanish) that include a paper map with population count, a paper map with population IDs and an Excel spreadsheet to calculate population totals.
Staff is still awaiting information on when the Caliper’s Maptitude Online Redistricting mapping tool will be available. NDC has indicated it is still forthcoming but has declined to specify a date. Staff will provide an update at the December 6th City Council meeting.
Adjusted Timeline and Next Steps
Per the current schedule, on December 6, 2021, at 7:30 p.m. the City Council will conduct a Public Hearing No. 3 - Draft Map Hearing and on January 10, 2021, at 7:30 p.m. Public Hearing No. 4 - Draft Map Hearing to consider draft maps.
Considering the delayed delivery of digital mapping tools, and to allow for additional public participation, staff recommends the following:
- Two additional mapping workshops, Mapping Workshop No. 3, and Mapping Workshop No. 4 (conducted by City staff and providing a walkthrough of the tools available), one on a weekday evening and one on a weekend morning.
- Three drop-in, one-to-one mapping workshop time with City staff on City Council meeting Mondays, during the 6 to 7 p.m. break between City Council Work Session and Regular Session.
- Two additional public hearings to consider draft maps.
The scheduling of these additional dates will need to await the NDC provided Caliper’s Maptitude Online Redistricting mapping tool that they committed to deliver. Once the data is uploaded and the digital tools have been confirmed available, Mapping Workshop No. 3 will be scheduled at least 14 days later, with Mapping Workshop No. 4 following at least 10 days later. Public Hearings No. 5 and No. 6 will be scheduled after the current January 10, 2022, hearing, with at least 14 days between the hearings to provide for additional input. A representative from NDC will be requested to be physically present when necessary.
Boundaries must be adopted before April 17, 2022.
Fiscal Impact: The current City Council Redistricting budget (CP0471) is $140,000, which is funded entirely from the General Fund (001). An additional appropriation of $10,500 is requested to fund the increased cost of the following item.
1. Additional NDC fees for services as necessary are estimated to be up to $5,500.
2. Miscellaneous costs related to public meetings (noticing, simultaneous Spanish language translation, facility fees, etc.) not to exceed $5,000.
Prior Council Action: September 20, 2021 - Held Public Hearing on City Council District Decennial Redistricting presentation. September 9, 2021 - Council confirmed direction regarding participation in the redistricting process by the City’s Commissions and Committees. July 19, 2021 - Council Authorized staff to enter into a contract with Doug Johnson of National Demographic Corporation to provide the demographic and mapping services noted in option two, services that are needed to arrive at a proposed adjusted map of the five Council Member districts for public review and comment and Council consideration and approval; and 2) Authorized staff to extend the contract with Nielsen Merksamer, the City’s State lobbying firm; and 3) Directed Staff to return with a presentation from NDC regarding the overall process and criteria requirements. 4) Appropriated an additional $65,000 to cover the anticipated costs of redistricting 5) Utilized the Measure N Committee to assist with outreach and oversight of the redistricting process.
Other: None.
Alternatives: Direct staff to maintain current schedule of the City Council District Decennial Redistricting process.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to authorize staff to 1) Draft revised timeline for the City Council District Decennial Redistricting process; and 2) Appropriate an additional $10,500 from the General Fund (001) to cover the anticipated costs of extending the redistricting process.
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Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Attachments: 8.23.21 COV Redistricting Public Hearing No. 1 Measure N Oversight Meeting_Minutes, COV Redistricting Workshop No. 1_Notes, COV Redistricting No. 2_ Notes