COMMUNITY INVITED TO GIVE INPUT ON REDISTRICTING, LIBRARY PLANS

Residents are being invited to participate in community meetings on two topics next month: City Council districts and their public library.

The city and the Independent Redistricting Commission are updating Escondido’s four council districts to reflect the population data gleaned from the 2020 Census. Significant population or demographic shifts can mean redrawing the boundaries of some districts to ensure they are as evenly balanced as possible. Those who cannot attend any of the sessions in person can join the discussion by using Zoom links found at www.escondido.org/independentredistricting. Live and virtual interpretation services will be available at each meeting. Thoughts and questions can be sent to redistricting@escondido.org.

Meetings will start taking place the first week of 2022.

Two meetings are scheduled for each district:

• District 1, represented by Councilmember Consuelo Martinez: 6 p.m. Jan. 5 at Mission Middle School, and 6 p.m. Jan. 18 at Washington Park Recreation Center

• District 2, represented by Councilmember Tina Inscoe: 9 a.m. Jan. 8, Reidy Creek Elementary School, and 6 p.m. Jan. 20, Park Avenue Community Center

• District 3, represented by Councilmember Joe Garcia: 6 p.m. Jan. 10, East Valley Community Center, and 6 p.m. Feb. 3, Orange Glen High School

• District 4, represented by Councilmember Michael Morasco: 6 p.m. Jan. 13, San Pasqual High School, and 5 p.m. Feb. 10, Del Lago Academy

• A citywide session is also scheduled for 5 p.m. Feb. 17 at the Escondido Public Library.

The Escondido library is also seeking input from residents about its future through focus groups. Sessions

take place at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 11 at the East Valley Community Center, 2245 E. Valley Parkway; and 6:30 p.m. at the Park Avenue Community Center, 210 E. Park Ave.; and at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12 in the Library Board Room, 239 S. Kalmia St. To register for a focus group, visit escondidolibrary.org/ strategicplan.

The City Council voted to outsource the management of Escondido’s library, which is not part of San Diego County library system, to a private company, Library Systems & Services, in 2017 in order to save money. At a presentation to the City Council in August, the library’s director announced that overdue fines will no longer be collected, and that the library is planning upgrades to the library’s exterior.

Contact Assistant Library Director Katy Duperry at (760) 839-4601 or katy.duperry@escondidolibrary.org.