Berne adopts new district lines

In a brief city council meeting Wednesday night, the Berne City Council unanimously passed an ordinance for redrawing the district lines in the city, as well as adopted the budget for 2023. The meeting was moved back a couple days, since the City was closed for Columbus Day, and did not want to coincide with the school board meeting on Tuesday night. For both topics, the council moved to suspend typical rules and regulations to accomplish the adoption process in a more timely manner

The redistricting followed a formula in place to determine when the four districts needed to be changed. The highest and the lowest district population, divided by the average of all the districts and needed to be less than 10%. It was announced this number currently sits at 13%. Mayor Gregg Sprunger explained that using Oakwood Lane, which is the road that runs from Forest Park back to the west, will be the dividing line between district 2 and 3. The council had to pass this ordinance in a certain timespan following the most recent census.

The budget that the council approved totaled $3,640,980, plus two home-ruled funds that were not reviewed by the DLGF in the amounts of $284,500. The council adopted a tax levy in the amount of $1,778.914, which makes the tax rate approximately $1.57. Clerk/Treasurer explained the importance of approving the budget in a timely manner, because if the budget was approved next week, she will not be present to process it in the two day window that will be open..

Other matters discussed included the obtaining of the newly named Eiger Way by the city, and the announcement that 14 roads throughout the city were recently repaved. The next Berne City Council meeting will be Monday, October 24th at 6:30 p.m.