The Yates County Legislature appears to have come up with a redistricting plan that everyone can agree on.
In a special meeting Tuesday, the Government Operations Committee approved a proposal that will keep the legislative membership at 14, while moving some residents to other districts. Yates County Administrator Nonie Flynn says several recommendations have been put forth during the process, but none that had broad support.
Related: Yates County rejects proposal to add new legislator
New committee takes new approach
After previous proposals were rejected, legislators appointed an ad-hoc committee last month to try once again. Following the federal census, the legislature must draw new district boundaries every ten years. The most recent proposal will go to the full legislature next Monday. The legislature is expected to hold a public hearing on the issue, which would require the passage of a local law.
The new 14-member proposal calls for moving some residents from District 2, which is now the towns of Benton, Potter, and Torrey to District 3, which is currently the town of Milo. Others would move from District 3 to District 4, currently covering the towns of Barrington and Starkey. The latest plan requires several hundred fewer residents to change districts than the most recent plan to be rejected.
Legislator Jesse Jayne, a new member of the legislature, volunteered to head the new committee, using the work of the previous panel as a starting point.
