CLEVELAND — Cleveland City Council’s new redistricting plan is one step closer to being approved.
This comes following a press conference on Tuesday where City Council President Blaine Griffin revealed the new ward boundaries.
“This council redistricting process was fair, transparent and accomplished several objectives that we were required by law to do,” said Griffin.
Still, Griffin said tough decisions were made to reduce two wards due to 2010 and 2020 U.S. Census results that revealed a population loss on the city’s southeast and northeast sides of town.
Griffin said each ward needed to meet a minimum of 23,600 residents and a maximum of around 26,000 people.
“The residents mandated this when they supported a charter change in 2008 to tie council size to census results. If anything, this process showed us that we have to get people to fill out the Census and we have to improve quality of life in Cleveland,” said Griffin.
While Griffin said all wards, including his area of Ward 6, have been impacted by council’s new redistricting plan, the new Ward 10 is one of the territories that will now include parts of the old Ward 8 and Ward 10.
Another ward that’s being restructured is a combination of parts of the old Ward 5 and Ward 12, which will now be the new Ward 5, where Councilman Richard Starr is currently seated.
“I’m just here to do a job and serve the people rather ‘XYZ’ is in the race, I’m in the race to make sure I serve the people in whatever area, Ward 5 or however the lines are drawn,” said Starr.
Meanwhile, Starr’s potential contender, Councilwoman Rebecca Maurer of Ward 12, declined our interview request but referred us to this Facebook post, saying she doesn’t think this map did right by our neighborhoods.
“I stand very firm on this process. I believe that this does accurately reflect Cleveland,” said Griffin.
Other changes will include a new Ward 11 in consideration of Cleveland’s growing Hispanic community, which emphasizes the importance of keeping the neighborhood whole and making sure institutions and landmarks remain.
“The new ward 11 predominantly the old Ward 15 and part of the old Ward 13 was reconfigured to reflect an approximate 29% Hispanic population,” said Griffin.
Although Griffin said council set up multiple community meetings to get people’s feedback, which city leaders said is a first for Cleveland when it comes to this process, one Downtown resident said he’s concerned for his area because he said his home is at the intersection of three wards.
“It’s been interesting to hear council speak about how transparent this process has been. But transparency on its own is not enough. Transparency can still transparently create bad results and I’m worried that this might be what we’re seeing here,” said Matthew Ahn.
Councilman Mike Polensek was not available to speak, and we have yet to hear back from Councilman Anthony Hairston.
In the meantime, Griffin said they are accepting public feedback.
But he said there will be minimal changes at best due to the expectation to vote on maps, it will take place at council’s Jan. 6 meeting.
