Council concerns delay redistricting

Redistricting plans for Auburn are at a standstill after failing to receive unanimous consent necessary to vote.

Auburn City Manager Charlie Duggan said the U.S. Department of Justice requires Auburn to submit the city's redistricting plan for review, or pre-clearance.

"Some of the requirements they'll be looking at are how the new plan impacts incumbents, how it impact voters--specifically minority voters--and how it changes things with respect to geography," Duggan said.

He said the key is making the districts fair in the eyes of voters.

"The main reason for redistricting is to be assured that there's essentially the same numbers of voters in each one," said Councilwoman Sheila Eckman. "For instance, we're growing more to the south and to the north, so (without redistricting) you'd have too many people in one ward, and fewer in another ward."

The redistricting plan hit a roadblock at the Oct. 18 meeting when Councilman Arthur Dowdell denied unanimous consent to vote on the proposal.

Dowdell said there's a conspiracy afloat in Auburn, and he's considering a lawsuit against the city.

He said the issue is multifaceted.

"It's more than just about the redistricting," Dowdell said. "If you look at the development that's going on in Auburn, you know that there's a conspiracy to box in the black community."

Dowdell said far more blacks are moving out of Auburn than into the city, largely because housing for minorities is limited.

"It looks to me like there's an underground conspiracy to downsize the city of Auburn," he said, "so that only rich whites and students can live in Auburn at the expense of poor blacks and poor whites. That's not right."

Dowdell said his lawsuit would address both the composition of the council itself and his claim that while the district he represents is predominately minority, there isn't a majority of voting-age blacks.

"(The proposal) will show up on the next council meeting for the second reading, and for the second reading it's just a majority vote in order to pass it," Duggan said.

Duggan said Dowdell's options are to offer amendments or to motion to table the item altogether.

"I need more time to look at it," Dowdell said. "I don't agree with it. I know that it has to be a unanimous decision, and I don't want it to be a unanimous decision."

Dowdell said his main issue is he doesn't believe there's a majority of voting-age blacks in his district.

"In looking at the numbers, we don't believe it's possible to create a ward in Auburn that has a majority of minority members that are above the age of 18," Duggan said. "Someone could look at the overall city and say that what we are achieving is that minorities feel comfortable living in all parts of the city."

Councilman Tom Worden said not having enough voting-age members is common to many districts.

"I just don't think his district is any different than others," Worden said. "I'm supportive of Councilman Dowdell. I just want to hear what he's going to say."

Dowdell, however, said he finds Auburn's intentions suspect.

"It's the greed of the developers along with some backdoor deals involving city officials that's going on," Dowdell said. "I'm planning on voting against anything the developers are doing at this point.

"We know what's going on, the city manager knows what's going on, and we've got to be concerned."

Dowdell said if the redistricting plan passes, he will have grounds to file a lawsuit.

"I don't have to accept it," Dowdell said. "I'm an elected official, and it's my district. I should have had a hand in it, to decide what I want in my own district. And that's what's going to make the judge say, 'He's right.'"

Worden said if the council does not adopt an ordinance, the current proposal will go into effect automatically in six months.

"It will be the plan we were presented with at the last meeting, which shows the new reapportionment that our city staff worked on tirelessly to get created," Worden said.