Redrawn city ward map approved ahead of primaries

All wards smaller following Census

The city’s ward map has officially been redrawn and El Dorado residents can learn if their respective city wards have expanded or shrunk or if they now live in a different ward.

On Jan. 24, the El Dorado City Council approved the ward redraw, which is required by law every 10 years following the U.S. Census.

The wards were redrawn just under a month before the candidate filing period begins for the 2022 Preferential Primary Election.

The 2020 Census showed that the city’s population dropped from 18,884 to 17,556 over the past decade and per state and federal laws, the boundaries of the city’s four wards must be redrawn to reflect the new Census numbers and “equalize the population” in each ward.

In February of 2021, City Clerk Heather McVay shared with city officials a proposal from EFS GeoTechnologies, Inc., which is based in Monticello, to conduct a two-phase process to redraw ward boundaries and determine how the 2020 population count would affect local voting districts/zones, including the city’s four wards, or if a redistricting process would be necessary, in accordance with the results of the Census and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The proposal came with a total cost of $2,400 — $900 for phase one (gathering and compiling data for use in a

Geographic Information System (GIS)) and $1,500 for phase two (providing options for redistricting voting boundaries, if necessary, and presenting the documentation in a GIS).

EFS GeoTechnologies conducted the redistricting process for Union County last fall.

City officials did not initially respond to the proposal and after several reminders from McVay, the council commenced discussions about the matter last September.

However, in mid-September, McVay notified council members that EFS GeoTechnologies said its original proposal was no longer valid and the company had nearly reached its capacity with redistricting projects.

In October of 2021, Council Member Andre Rucks told council members he had spoken to Jeff Hawkins, executive director of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, who has an extensive background and experience in redistricting city wards and county and school districts.

At the time, Rucks said Hawkins had offered his services to El Dorado at a maximum cost of $600 and had recommended that the redistricting process be completed at least 30 days prior to the candidate

GOVERNMENT

filing period, which began Feb. 22.

Council members accepted Hawkins’ offer and Rucks presented three redistricting options on Jan. 24.

Rucks urged the council to act with haste, explaining that the way the city’s ward boundaries were drawn at that point was unconstitutional and Union County Clerk Shannon Phillips had made several inquiries about the matter because she needed time to notify voters of any changes prior to the start of the candidate filing period and issue new voter information cards to registered voters.

Council Member Judy Ward suggested that council members jot down their preference on a piece of paper and McVay counted the votes.

The council selected Option 1 with a majority vote of five.

Just prior to the vote, Mayor Veronica SmithCreer asked Council Member Billy Blann about a rumor, saying that she had heard that he had sold his house on Calion Road.

Blann represented Ward 1, Position 2.

El Dorado City Council members must live in the ward they represent.

“If that is true, wouldn’t his address be ineffective?” the mayor asked.

Blann, who participated in the meeting by phone, emphatically denied the apparent rumor, saying “That is not true!”

Blann subsequently resigned from his position on the City Council, announcing that he planned to retire to northwest Arkansas. Avo Vartenian was appointed to fill out the remainder of his term.

The population count for the new ward boundaries is:

• Ward 1: 4,266, down from 4,677.

• Ward 2: 4,639, down from 4,784.

• Ward 3: 4,524, down from 4,657.

• Ward 4: 4,327, down from 4,766.

The boundary lines for Ward 1 extend from the north side of Main Street between West Avenue and the eastern city limits.

Ward 1 picks up a small section on the south side of Main, just east of U.S. 167, and extends north on the east of West Avenue to city limits, reaching the east side of College Avenue between 19th and Hathaway and the east side of Ondo Lane between Hathaway and city limits.

Ward 2 is bordered on the north by the south side of Liberty and Mount Holly Road and on the east by the west side of West Avenue.

The western and southern borders of Ward 2 extend to city limits.

Ward 3 sits on the east side of West Avenue, stretches north to the south side of Main and extends to city limits to the east and south.

Ward 4 encompasses the north side of Mount Holly Road and Liberty Street and the west side of North West Avenue, extending north to city limits.

The boundary picks up a section on the west side of College between 19th and Hathaway.