City Council

CITY COUNCIL MINUTES CITY OF ODESSA, TEXAS April 28, 2022 On April 28, 2022, a special meeting of the Odessa City Council was held at 3:11 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 5th floor, City Hall, 411 W. 8th, Odessa, Texas. City Council present: Mayor Javier Joven; Council members: Mark Matta, District One; Steven P. Thompson, District Two; Detra White, District Three; Tom Sprawls, District Four; Mari Willis, District Five; and Denise Swanner, At-Large. Others present: Michael Marrero, City Manager; Norma Aguilar-Grimaldo, City Secretary; Natasha Brooks, City Attorney; Cindy Muncy, Assistant City Manager; Phillip Urrutia, Assistant City Manager; and other members of City staff. A quorum being present, Mayor Joven called the meeting to order, and the following proceedings were held: Overview of the Initial Assessment and redistricting process based on 2020 census data with outside legal consultant. Syd Falk, Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta consultant, provided an overview of the federal law on redistricting. The redistricting was to be considered after a census and using the data. The Council districts must have approximately equal populations. He explained the law and legal requirements and constraints. He reviewed cases with limits race-based redistricting and the census block level. Criteria was adopted to balance population and to follow the law with the guide to redistricting. Criteria included identifiable boundaries, maintaining communities of interest and neighborhoods together, use whole voting precincts, basing plan on existing districts and drawing districts that are contiguous. Criteria was used to redistrict the entire city for a balanced plan. Mr. Falk reviewed the 2011 benchmark with the 2020 census data. The current districts were reviewed. He stated that there was an overpopulation in Districts 2 and 4 and there was under population in Districts 1, 3, and 5. The idea size for the districts were 22,897. The assessment provided an overall deviation of 40.72%. He reviewed the summary of the voting age population. He stated that territory needed to be added to Districts 1, 3 and 5 by shedding Districts 2 & 4. Presentation by outside legal consultant of example redistricting plans. Discuss example plans and possible amendments to develop a redistricting plan for future adoption. Mr. Falk reported that there were three proposed plans. He reviewed Plan A and the deviation. Plan B was reviewed. Mayor Joven stated that Plan B was not as clean as Plan A. Council member Swanner proposed a plan that has a deviation of 6.10%. The plan was reviewed. Council members Matta and Thompson agreed to support the plan with the lower deviation. Mr. Falk reviewed the difference with Plan A and Council member Swanner’s Plan. The Council discussed the plans on the boundaries and population. Mr. Falk would provide the demographics and Council member Swanner’s plan to the Council. He stated that there was no required public input but advised for public comments. He suggested written comments for a public hearing on the proposed plans. Council Minutes April 28, 2022 Page 2 Council member Willis asked that there be public discussion for any comments and input. She stated for the meetings to get publicized stating that Council district lines would be changed. Possible date and time for a public hearing to receive comments on designated draft redistricting plan(s). Council had a consensus to receive public comments on May 3 at the work session and May 9 at 1 p.m. for the proposed Plan A and Council member Swanner’s plan (Plan D). The meeting adjourned at 4:08 p.m. ATTEST: APPROVED: Norma Aguilar-Grimaldo, TRMC, CMC Javier Joven City Secretary Mayor