Dallas College board policy requires that trustee district boundaries be reviewed every 10 years immediately after the release of the federal government’s decennial census data.
When census data indicates substantive changes or shifts in population have occurred since the previous census, the Board of Trustees reconfigures the district boundaries to ensure that each trustee district represents approximately the same number of constituents.
On Tuesday, December 7, 2021, the Board of Trustees of Dallas College approved the redistricting of the College’s single member trustee districts, establishing new trustee district boundary lines for trustee elections based on 2020 Census data released on August 12, 2021.
The Board of Trustees adopted criteria for use in the 2021 redistricting process and conducted its initial assessment and a review of the first draft plan on October 5th and November 9, 2021, respectively. A public hearing on the College District’s proposed redistricting plan was held December 2, 2021.
A copy of the Board-Approved Redistricting Resolution is included below.
Resolution
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE DALLAS COLLEGE APPROVING THE REDISTRICTING OF THE COLLEGE’S SINGLE-MEMBER TRUSTEE DISTRICTS AND ESTABLISHING NEW TRUSTEE DISTRICT BOUNDARY LINES FOR TRUSTEE ELECTIONS BASED ON 2020 CENSUS DATA; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the results of the 2020 federal Census have been considered and indicate that the Dallas College’s (the “College”) single-member trustee districts are sufficiently out of population balance to require redistricting in order to comply with the “one-person, one-vote” (equal population) principle established by the U.S. Constitution; and
WHEREAS, the College engaged the law firm of Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta LLP to act as the College’s redistricting consultant, including advising and assisting the Board of Trustees in preparation of a new redistricting plan in compliance with applicable requirements of state and federal law; and
WHEREAS, Section 130.0826 of the Texas Education Code provides that the board of trustees of any junior college district that elects some or all of its members from single-member districts and in which the trustees serve staggered terms may provide for the trustees in office at the first election after redistricting to serve for the remainder of their terms in accordance with the section, and the Board finds that there is a benefit to the operations of the College if the same trustees continue in office until their terms expire; and
WHEREAS, on September 14, 2021, the Board adopted redistricting criteria to assist the College and the public in developing redistricting plans which comply with applicable federal and state laws, and the adopted redistricting criteria were applied in the development of the College’s new redistricting plan; and
WHEREAS, on September 14, 2021, the Board also adopted redistricting guidelines regarding the submission of comments and proposed plans by the public, to ensure the ability of the College to timely receive and adequately consider them; and
WHEREAS, during the redistricting process the College provided notice to the public of its proposed discussions and development of a redistricting plan through meeting agendas posted in compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, and notices on the College’s website, regarding public hearings; and
WHEREAS, the Board has considered the proposed redistricting plan at Board meetings on November 9, 2021, and December 2, 2021, and at a public hearing held on December 2, 2021, solicited oral testimony and written comments, and considered reports from the College’s redistricting consultant, and various proposed plans regarding the appropriate reconfiguration of the trustee districts; and
WHEREAS, the Board finds that the attached trustee district redistricting plan is in the best interest of the citizens of the College, complies with the adopted redistricting criteria, and is believed to comply with all state and federal requirements;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE DALLAS COLLEGE:
A. That the existing single-member trustee district boundary lines for the College are hereby amended, and the new districting plan depicted on the map attached hereto as Exhibit A, defining new trustee districts, as such new districts are further described in the tables attached hereto as Exhibit B reporting populations and demographic statistics for each such new district, is hereby adopted and designated to define the College’s seven single-member trustee districts from and after the Effective Date; that Exhibits A and B are incorporated by reference in and made a part of this RESOLUTION, and shall be kept on file in the Board’s Office.
B. That the Board hereby provides that the trustees in office at the first election after this redistricting order shall serve for the remainder of their terms in accordance with Section 130.0826 of the Texas Education Code, and that the trustee districts established by this redistricting order shall be filled as the staggered terms of trustees in office expire. The position of each trustee in office will be filled as it becomes vacant from the new trustee district created by this order for the same position.
C. That this RESOLUTION shall take and be given effect immediately; and that hereafter all College trustee elections shall be held under and in accordance with the new single-member trustee districting plan here adopted by the Board until such time as a subsequent lawfully-enacted districting plan shall be adopted to replace this plan.
PASSED AND APPROVED by the Board of Trustees of the Dallas College this 7th day of December, 2021.
DALLAS COLLEGE
Monica Lira Bravo, Board Chair
ATTEST:
Joe D. May, Board Secretary
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Robert Wendland, General Counsel
Additional Redistricting Documents:
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