Photo shows Plan A of three plans for a five-person County Commission Photo Courtesy of Holley Hudgins
Article by Mary Alice Murphy
During Tuesday's Grant County Commission work session, commissioners made it clear at the presentation on a possible five-person commission that if a single one of them did not support the expansion of the commission, it would not happen.
Michael Sharp, Research & Polling Inc. vice president, said about four years ago, his company let the county know that, at that time, it met the numbers for a three-member commission.
"This is simply looking at the option for a five-member commission," Sharp said. "The four principles, the four legs of the table, that rule the decision are equal population, minority voting rights, contiguity and compactness, with communities of interest another consideration."
He noted that he had done the Silver City Town Council districts and the School Board districts, so he is familiar with the area.
"The decision is completely up to the County Commission itself," Sharp emphasized. "The census came out in March 2011 after the April 2010 census taking. It is the latest official data we use. Yes, there are estimates, but not enough data to support them.
"If the commission decides to change to five members, it will be available for the 2016 election," he continued. "The process involves a number of public meetings for input."
Sharp presented three plans, which can be modified by the commissioners. "We go back and forth and make changes until you adopt one plan."
He said the population counts include everyone who was counted as a resident at the time of the census-citizens, non-citizens, military, college students, women and children. "Each commissioner will represent an equal number of constituents. The New Mexico congressional districts are perfectly equal. But because we don't want to break up precincts on a local level, for county commissioners the variance in numbers can be plus or minus 5 percent, with no more than a 10 percent sprea;."
His calculations, based on the 2010 census, would require each commissioner in a five-member commission to serve 5,903 residents, but with the allowed variance, each could serve between 5,600 and 6,200.
"These are not registered voters, I'm talking about, but just residents," Sharp clarified. "The minoring voting rights are the second leg of the table, and include Native Americans, African-Americans and Hispanics."
The third leg, compactness, relates to shape, not geographical size. "If precincts are not square, which most aren't, or have an interesting shape, the district can be funny-shaped, but cannot be spread out just to reach a certain goal."
The fourth leg is contiguity. Each district must touch every other district.
With communities of interest, which is not a mandate, but can be considered, the plan can respect the current commission districts; can respect political boundaries; and the precincts can remain intact and not be split. "The other four principles take priority over this communities of interest," Sharp said.
Because each district now serves 9,800 in population, each district would have to shrink in size.
He presented the three plans, with their boundaries. "This is not set in stone."
Commissioner Ron Hall, District 3, said he was going to have to look closely at the maps before he could make a decision.
Commissioner Gabriel Ramos said it was good to see the breakdown. "I receive questions from constituents about whether it is possible to have two at-large commissioners, but this seems to indicate it is not possible."
Sharp confirmed that by statute it is not possible.
Kasten said this presentation is simply the genesis of a plan. "The minority is protected in this situation. We are in the process of deciding whether we should go to five commissioners. It requires a unanimous vote of the commissioners." To Sharp, Kasten pointed out that a district encompassing Gila Hot Springs and Cliff-Gila was not practical, because they are about 3