Min 12/12/1991 829
I
Wichita Falls, Texas
Memorial Auditorium Building
December 12, 1991
Item 1
The City Council of the City of Wichita Falls, Texas, met
in called session on the above date in the Council Room of the
Memorial Auditorium Building at 2 : 00 o'clock p.m. , with the
following members present.
Michael Lam - Mayor
Angus Thomspon -
Paul Hughes - Councilors
J. W. Martin -
James Berzina - City Manager
Gregory Humbach - City Attorney
Wilma J. Thomas - City Clerk
David Farabee - (Absent)
Terrance E. Loughry - (Absent)
Don Kirkham - (Absent)
After calling the meeting to order, the Council and
Redistricting Committee recessed into the Conference Room.
Mr. Humbach recapped the decision made at the last meeting
to go with Plan 1, with perhaps some modifications to be
presented by Councilor Thompson, and to permit Attorney Rosendo
Rodriquez, Jr. , to bring a plan for a hispanic district.
Councilor Thompson proposed that the southern boundaries
remain as they are now in District 2, instead of including the
Sunnyside Addition. Councilor Hughes noted that we are scraping
to get the ten percent deviation for the minority district. A
charter election would be necessary before an additional
minority district could be created. Councilor Thompson stated
that their people are moving to the North, and they would not
mind extending the district that direction. He stated that
their people seldom move to the South. Mrs. Bardwell pointed
out that his proposal would split Precinct 4 .
Rosendo Rodriquez, Jr. stated they were invited here to
present their plan. He made a general purpose statement
instead. He stated that it seems all they see is a series of
hurdles and roadblocks. Cutting across precinct lines is a
problem. It also requires a city charter amendment for adding
seats or changing an at-large position. He noted that lawsuits
and litigation are very costly. He stated they will remain
undeterred in their goal of having a hispanic on the Council.
He suggested that the at-large seat be abolished and make it a
single member district fashioned so that it will be hispanic.
Many hispanics in the community do not have a situation they can
feel comfortable with. It is their perception that if they are
to achieve that goal, this time constraint is not sufficient.
They will have a confrontation if they cannot agree. He stated
that the perception is that one of the three plans is entrenched
in stone and cannot be changed. He stated they cannot live with
that. He stated a city charter does not have any authority over
federal law. He requested support of the Committee in achieving
their goal. He suggested the Justice Department be contacted
and ask for an extension. Mr. Humbach explained the reason for
the time constraints. Mr. Rodriquez asked for a commitment in
principle and in writing that it is agreed that a hispanic
district should be created. He feels this plan could be left to
the work of the committee.
830
Item 1, cont'd.
Mr. Humbach stated he had asked Professor Morrison about a
geographical minority area, stating you cannot gerrymand for
this purpose. It is not there, and if we were to have another
district, a charter election would be necessary to ask the
voters what they want. Mr. Rodriquez stated if they had a
charter election, and the citizens said "no" , then they would
still not be deterred in their purpose. Litigation would be the
next step.
Dan Shine questioned why this did not come up three years
ago instead of just now. It seems what we were trying to
achieve has been done, and now they do not seem to want that.
Mr. Berzina explained what happened in 1984, emphasizing
that we are playing a numbers game. He stated that we already
have a minority district. The Justice Department in 1984 said
that fixed the problem. The hispanics are included in the
minority district to create that minority district. You cannot
count them twice. The Justice Department has to play that same
game. He is trying to give us an impossible mission. He
further stated that the plan has been done, and the hispanics
are a key element in carving out a minority district. Mayor Lam
commented that the people we hired have told us that his
suggestion could not be solved. Oft
Febe Garcia stated we should continue with Plan 1, and the
Mexican people should form a strong body to see what they can
come up with.
Councilor Thompson stated they would like to move into
District 5, and move District 5 South. He stated he does not
know what that would do to the percentages. Mr. Humbach stated
that numbers have been looked at, and they have been submitted
with the primary goals of not diluting minority vote, and also
complying with the constitution of one man one vote.
Mr. Deleon acknowledged that we do not have enough time,
stating that splitting off District 2 will affect the other
districts. He suggested that they need a year to study such a
proposal. Reginald Blow stated they are in favor of creating a
hispanic district as long as it does not dilute the black
districts. Councilor Thompson suggested that all council
members should be elected from single member districts.
Mayor Lam suggested that we try to resolve some of this one
on one.
The meeting adjourned at 3 : 50 p.m.
PASSED AND APPROVED this the " E-�day of {��y.,��„
1991 .
Michael Lam, Mayor
ATTEST:
Wilma J. Thomas, CMC/AAE
City Clerk