2021-09-09 Redistricting Commission minutes (2nd Session)

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LUI: Not the County? NAKAMOTO: No. LUI: Shoot. MELLON-LACEY: I guess, you know, it comes down to this Commission’s decision— what they want to do. I think that Ms. Nakamoto has worked diligently to try to frame something that would possibly, if people feel that they could meet this timeline, enable us to meet our deadline because of course, one always wants to try and meet one’s deadlines. If this isn’t workable for the Commission, if the Commission thinks that this would not be possible, then the Commission would need to come up with something that they think would work for them. And, we would then need to make the Mayor and the Council aware of it as a starting point because we would need to be working to get something changed. As it stands right now, the County Charter requires it to be completed by the end of –the year end. That’s where we sit right now, but this group has to make a decision about what is realistic for them to be able to accomplish this and accomplish it meaningfully. BATH: So, you’re saying that we are bound to have the final plan with the Clerk by December 31st based on the County Charter? So that’s not negotiable right now? MELLON-LACEY: That is what the County Charter requires. BATH: Okay. LUI: But if it was changed at the State level, can it be changed at the County level as well? MELLON-LACEY: Well, that’s what I’m saying. This group has to make a determination about what they think they can accomplish. So, Ms. Nakamoto worked very diligently to try to draft something and keep you within the boundaries and you can see that it’s quite ambitious. It requires a fair amount of effort, and you saw today, what the software was like. I don’t know if any of you have yet to get on board with the software, start to use it, get any idea of what it will take you. I think the staff has actually looked at places where the nine meetings could actually be held in the various districts, assuming that we would be able to go forward with in-person meetings in those locations. And, that’s also in the Charter, requiring us to do that. So, I mean—yes, that’s what the law says we should do. Of course, we got, you know, a very difficult task ahead of us because we didn’t get the data until very, very recently and you’re just now being given the opportunity to use this program. So, I’m saying, you know, this is what the law says, I can’t tell you, you know, you have a task to do, and it be up to you to say, to figure out what you think you can do and whether it’s doable in that timeframe for you or not. And, I don’t know the answer to that for this group. You know what I’m saying? And if you don’t think it is, then you need to come up with some kind of a plan because we would 42