Agenda Package - 07-18-11 - Laserfiche WebLink

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0O7 person- one - vote" principle under which all electoral districts for the same office must be more or less the same size. At a previous meeting the Board of Commissioners directed Strategic Services staff and the County Attorney to develop alternative redistricting maps that would comply with the law related to redistricting and would allow the County to redistrict in a timely manner. Mr. Talbert stated that when redrawing district lines to correct a population imbalance, all persons living in a district must be counted, even those not eligible to vote. It was further stated that the County must obtain approval from the US Department of Justice ( USDOJ) before making any change in election procedures, including changing electoral district boundaries, through a review procedure callecl pre- clearance." During the preclearance review, the USDOJ will make a judgment concerning whether all required laws and guidelines emphasis on whether the proposed new district boundaries preserve the County's one existing "minority district" making it likely that African - Americans or other minorities will be able to elect candidates of their choice or whether the proposed new minority district causes a "retrogression" of that ability. Strategic Services Director Don Kovasckitz provided data concerning the 2010 redistricting plan to Board members. Four (4) alternate redistricting plans were created and presented for Commissioners to consider and review with relevant population, population deviation, and demographic data, and maps. Mr. Talbert stated that a public hearing is not re`q`uired by law on the redistricting plan or alternate plans but is advisable because the matter is one �of great public interest. If a public hearing is held, at least two of the four alternative redistricting plans,should for comment and discussion. After discussion, Commissioner Reives moved to holtla public hearing at the July 18, 2011 meeting of the Board and present Plans A and D for consideration and discussion. Upon a vote, the results were as follows: Aye: Hayes, Oldham, Parks, Paschal, Reives, Shook, And Womack Nay: None The Chairman ruled the motion had been adopted u 11 11 The Board considered a revised Lee Countty Control Ordinance. Deputy Attorney Dale Talbert presented an amended-Animal Control Ordinance that Health Department staff and Health Board members have been working on for over a year. A series of public meetings were held across the county where citizens \ could address concerns they had with the proposed new Ordinance. Health Department staff HeaVCaihdiscussed identified concerns that were addressed by the Board of Health (BOH) through the new proposed- amendments. One concern was that the proposed Ordinance required an animal impounded for running at large for the second time was to be neutered as a condition of returning to the owner\O�wners of pedigreed breeding animals argued the provision could impose an unreasonable financial hardship on them. The BOH responded to this concern by proposing an amendment thesprovision providing for an exemption from the neutering requirement if the owner of the animal foundvunning at large reported it missing within three business days of impoundment. Another. concern wasNhat plastic barrels should not be allowed as permissible shelters for dogs. This issue was addressed bytproposing to eliminate plastic barrels as proper shelters. Another concern was that a proposed prohibition against tethering animals for more than 12 hours in a 24 -hour period would be unenforceable. This concern was addressed to considering an "attended tethering" requirement and a total prohibition of tethering. The BOH recommends the Ordinance establish an "attended tethering" provision authorizing tethering only if "the owner at all times.... outside and within eyesight of a tethered animal." The final comment considered by the BOH concerned the minimum size of pens that are required should an owner of an animal decides to keep the animal in a pen. Owners of pedigreed and hunting animals suggested that the minimum pen size be reduced because they sometimes desired to keep animals that were in heat or being temporarily restrained for other reasons in the smaller pens. The BOH responded to this concern by suggesting that a temporary exemption of the minimum pen size be authorized for up to 30 days once every six months upon request of the owner and an animal services officer's approval of the pen. It was also stated that since the time the Animal Control 3