Council to begin redistricting process
Published 10:08 pm Monday, February 28, 2011
Suffolk City Council will kick off the process of redistricting its voting boroughs at Wednesday’s work session.
The work session begins at 3 p.m. at City Council chambers, 441 Market St. It will be followed by the regular meeting at 7 p.m.
Redistricting is required after each decade’s census to help ensure that each voting borough has approximately the same number of people. A similar process also occurs on the federal level and in each of the individual states.
Suffolk’s population boomed between 2000 and 2010, rising to more than 84,500 from about 63,600. Much of the growth was in North Suffolk boroughs.
Also on the work session agenda are budget presentations on the real estate assessments, development reviews and economic development planning.
City Assessor Sid Daughtrey, who will resign his position effective Friday, is expected to announce that assessments have fallen.
During a closed session to follow the work session, City Council members will begin the first steps in finding a replacement for Daughtrey. He notified council last month that he would resign effective March 4. He has worked for the city for 26 years.
The highlight of the regular meeting will be a resolution to initiate a review of the boundaries of the Historic Conservation Overlay District. The district’s boundaries have been under discussion since January after a Pinner Street homeowner’s request to install vinyl siding — something that is not allowed in the historic district.
Last month, City Council bucked the Historic Landmarks Commission and approved the request. Parts of Pinner Street and other areas are under consideration for deletion from the district.