Consultant hired to help with data review

Recommendations could affect PWD divisions

PALMDALE — The Palmdale Water District Board of Directors agreed, Monday, to hire a consultant to review the 2020 Census data and make recommendations for any changes to the five divisions, which individual directors represent.

The contract with Bear Demographics and Research has a maximum cost of $40,000, according to the staff report.

The District requested proposals for the task earlier this year, but received no response from consultants, as many are under contract for redistricting efforts at every level statewide, Assistant General Manager Adam Ly said.

The second attempt, in which District staff directly contacted firms, yielded two proposals. Although the maximum cost of the Bear Demographics and Research proposal was $2,335 higher than the second proposal, from California CAD Solutions, Inc., staff felt it was a better offer, as it includes public outreach activity, Ly said.

“With the current staffing we have, that will definitely be a big benefit,” he said. “They both are utilizing the data and the GIS (geographical information system) that we will be providing them.”

Bear Demographics and Research is currently helping the Los Angeles Unified School District, the cities of San Bernardino and Menifee and the Chino Basin Water Conservation District with their redistricting efforts, according to the firm’s proposal.

The firm will review the data and return recommendations to the Board in March, for approval, according to the staff report.

One possible recommendation that will arise from the redistricting review is that the division lines will be adjusted according to any changes in population, but there may be other recommendations, as well.

“The Board at that time can look at that and see which path that they want to take,” Ly said.

The process, as with other levels of government, must

follow the federal Voting Rights Act and the California Voting Rights Act, as well as a newer state law, the Fair Maps Act.

This legislation created standardized redistricting criteria aimed at keeping communities together and prohibiting partisan gerrymandering. The Act also expanded community outreach and public hearing requirements and timelines, which coincide with the state redistricting schedule.

“These people seem well-qualified to do that,” District Counsel Eric Dunn said.

Any division changes will affect the 2022 election, when two of the five director positions are up for election. These are the current Division 2 seat, held by Don Wilson and Division 5, held by Vincent Dino.

Directors are required to live in the division which they represent.