School board discusses post-Census redistricting options
Five possible redistricting maps were shown to the School Board of Lee County on Oct. 5, provided by Lee County in the first of many discussions to be had until the board needs to make a decision in December.
Chief of Staff Dr. Denise Carlin said they get an opportunity once a decade to redistrict using Census data, this go-around from 2020. It allows the district to redraw district lines in terms of how the population has changed.
“A significant amount of residents have moved to Lee County. We do have that opportunity to help redraw our lines. Readjust the population, so no one district substantially outnumbers another district in terms of population,” Carlin said.
Davis Demographics Senior Project Manager David Kaitz said there has been growth in the county between the 2010 and 2020, according to the Census information. He explained that the average target for district population is 152,164.
The Census data shows that: District one now has a population of 144,126; 160,138 for District two; 146,619 for District three; 152,571 for District four; and a population of 157,368 for District five.
“District one is about 8,000 below the target. District two is almost 8,000 above the target. District three and district five is quite off and district four is right on,” Kaitz said. “Above or below 2.5 percent tells you there is a need for the boundaries to change.”
Assistant County Manager Glen Salyer said the maps were published almost two weeks ago with a redistricting report. He explained that alternative one had the most dramatic change in terms of geographical area with District five extending to the county border south of Corkscrew Road.
According to the first alternative, the area that changed included 112.65 square miles.
The second alternative has fairly minimal changes in terms of boundaries and includes the second smallest change in terms of geography. The area changed is 14.63 square miles.
The third alternative, Salyer said, was the second largest change by way of square miles. The area changed includes 92.83 square miles.
“This configuration of District two, there might be implications. Three board members that live in that district, two district sensitive, one at large. Some members of the public suggested keeping the city of Fort Myers whole,” he said.
The fourth alternative is not dramatically different and includes minimal change, 16.18 square miles changed, and the fifth alternative attributes the smallest amount of change, 14.81 square miles changed, to the existing boundaries while equalizing the population.
Salyer said the Lee County commissioners met that morning and had asked staff to take a look at merging the area of the city of Fort Myers currently in District four into District five. He said the shift would include Dunbar and surrounding area eastward into Lehigh Acres. The second thing expressed was that the public will have time to submit another alternative before close of business on Oct. 15.
The timeline for the school board includes the second briefing on redistricting to discuss pairing with the county project or preparing their own map on Oct. 19, followed by the third briefing on Nov. 16, and adopting the redistricting map on Dec. 7.
The board discussed using Davis Demographics to create their own redistricting maps, as well as using the county’s map to not reinvent the wheel.
“I have faith in what the county is presenting. We will do our due diligence,” School Board Attorney Kathy Dupuy-Bruno said.
Board Member Betsy Vaughn said even though they spoke about pairing with the county commission, the school board voting is very different than the county’s.
“In 2014 there was a major change with the school board with the addition of the at-large (seats). Within the past seven years we have had some real changes. My point is whereas back in 2010, that Census we were pretty much in line with the county commission. We are not in line with them anymore because of our two at-large and we are single member districts. I’m not against following what the commissioners are doing, but we have some different issues,” she said.
A few members of the public also spoke during the briefing meeting.
NAACP Economic Development Director Mike Love said the Lee County School Board is a separate body of politics and they do not have to accept the maps produced by Lee County.
“We are asking to be separate from Lee County. Lee County does not talk about dropout rates, internet connectivity for students, transportation to and from schools. They don’t talk about students who walk in the grass, or in water up to their knees getting home, or getting to the bus,” Love said. “NAACP is asking you to look at the maps separately. I was glad this morning when Commissioner (Brian) Hamman said we will have that sixth map. The sixth map is because of NAACP. We are willing to participate with you.”
NAACP President James Muwakkil also shared that the school board and the county have two totally different methods of elections.
“You have to draw your own maps,” he said.
Carlin said at the next meeting they will have the sixth map from the county to present to the board. If the board decides to create its own maps, she said Davis Demographics will get started immediately with providing proposals for the board to consider.
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