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IRC Staff Present: <br />IRC Attorney, Alan Polackwich <br />IRC GIS Manager, Will Rice <br />Supervisor of Elections IT Manager, <br />Gary Gordon <br />Poll Worker Coordinator, Martha Osborne <br />Assistant to County Administrator, Dorri Roy <br />INDIAN RIVER COUNTY <br />DECENNIAL REDISTRICTING <br />WORKSHOP <br />TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011 — 6:30 P.M. <br />SEBASTIAN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS <br />1225 Main Street, Sebastian, Florida <br />Also present: <br />IRC Commissioner Wesley Davis <br />IRC Commissioner Peter O'Bryan <br />Fellsmere Mayor, Susan Adams <br />Fellsmere Vice Mayor, Joel Tyson <br />Sebastian Council Member Richard Gillmor <br />1. INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS AND LEGAL OVERVIEW <br />Attorney Polackwich explained the district system in Indian River County, whereby there are five <br />commissioners and five districts, population in each district should be relatively equal, that a <br />commissioner is required to reside within each of the five districts, though the commissioners <br />are elected at large. He explained this redistricting is slightly different than State redistricting <br />since the representatives of State districts are elected by the citizens in that district only. He <br />said the County is working, in accordance with Florida law, to create a better balance for the five <br />County Commission districts given the change in the population seen in the 2010 decennial <br />census. He said the goal is to have each district's population be within 3 percent of the target of <br />27,606 residents, noting that each of the current districts is either over or under that goal. <br />He outlined guidelines adopted by the Board of County Commissioners on July 12, 2011: <br />1. Equal Population: population shall be within 3% of the ideal average <br />2. Compact Districts and Contiguity: districts shall be compact rather than spread <br />out and no part of a district shall be separate or apart from the rest of the <br />district <br />4. Respect for Existing Districts: The geographical core of the District shall be <br />preserved. All current County Commissioners and School Board <br />Commissioners will be maintained in the current districts. No Commissioner <br />can be redrawn out of their existing District. <br />5. Communities of Interest: Neighborhoods of communities of interest shall be <br />included within a single district <br />6. Natural Boundaries: District boundaries shall follow major natural or man- <br />made features such as major roads or canals. <br />7. Census Blocks: Census Tabulation Blocks shall not be split <br />8. Fair and Equal Representation: No district shall be drawn to split or minimize <br />the political influence of any group of residents. <br />