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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-10-28; Independent Redistricting Commission; MinutesINDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION Regular Meeting Minutes Oct. 28, 2021, 4 p.m. CALL TO ORDER: 4 p.m. Council Chamber 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive Carlsbad, CA 92008 ROLL CALL: Fabiano, Stanley, Ashton, Harris, Sardina, Cadwallader, Arndt. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Commission Member Stanley led the Pledge of Allegiance. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Minutes of the Regular Meeting held Sept. 9, 2021 Commission Member Ashton questioned approval by the commission of the entire meeting schedule during its the July 29, 2021 commission meeting as stated in the Sept. 9, 2021 minutes, and said she would follow up on this item. She further questioned if an approved motion under Item No. 2 of the Sept. 9, 2021 minutes required title changes on all Independent Redistricting Commission materials. Commission Member Ashton further stated she would like it noted under Item No. 4 of the Sept. 9, 2021 minutes, that the City of Carlsbad Independent Redistricting Commission is providing language translation items to non-English speaking residents although the Secretary of State declared it is not required for the City of Carlsbad. Motion by Vice Chair Stanley to approve the minutes, seconded by Commission Member Cadwallader, to approve the September 9, 2021 minutes. Discussion ensued among the commission members regarding how to proceed to approve minutes with potential changes. Commission Member Cadwallader withdrew her second to Vice Chair Stanley's motion. Motion failed due to a lack of a second. Motion by Vice Chair Stanley, seconded by Commission Member Cadwallader, for staff to review the Sept. 9, 2021 minutes for presentation on the Independent Redistricting Commission meeting agenda for Nov. 18, 2021-6/1 (Fabiano -No). PUBLIC COMMENT: None. DEPARTMENT REPORTS: 1. MAPPING WORKSHOP RECAP AND NEXT STEPS -Receive a presentation from National Demographics Corporation overviewing the mapping workshop and next steps in the redistricting process. (Staff Contact: Faviola Medina, City Clerk's Office) Oct. 28, 2021 Independent Redistricting Commission Special Meeting Page 2 National Demographics Corporation (NDC) representative Shannon Kelly reviewed a PowerPoint presentation (on file in the Office of the City Clerk). Chair Fabiano asked if public comments would be reflected on commission-generated maps or public-submitted maps. Ms. Kelly explained the commission would be seeing a combination of survey-related information along with additional material. She explained that NDC will synthesize and group the maps for the commission to provide structure. Ms. Kelley added that NDC will also incorporate pieces of information from the submitted maps at the request of the commission. She further added that NDC will try to provide the commission with examples of consistent feedback and if the commission wants to see information that does not have a map, NDC will generate a map for the commission. In response to an inquiry from Chair Fabiano, Ms. Kelly explained the differences in mapping tools District Rand Maptitude. She explained that the District R tool has census information for the City of Carlsbad and is simpler to use than Maptitude. She added that Maptitude has the same underlying data but permits more sophistication with additional fine tuning and layering. In response to an inquiry from Vice Chair Stanley, Ms. Kelley explained that the commission would see the maps in its agenda packet for the Jan. 13, 2022 Independent Redistricting Commission Public Hearing in advance. She added that draft maps will be viewable to the public on the city's website seven days in advance of the hearing and that the District R mapping tool contains a gallery section that can be viewed at any time to see what the public is posting. She explained that NDC will gather and analyze information from the District R tool to be included in the commission agenda packet. At Chair Fabiano's request, Ms. Kelley provided an overview on how to post a map using the District R mapping tool. Commission Member Cadwallader asked if District R maps could be seen without NDC review. Ms. Kelley responded that all information from the maps can be viewed in the District R program at any time and that for the Jan. 13, 2022 Independent Redistricting Commission meeting, all the information in that program will be made available to the commission and will include NDC review and analysis data. Commission Member Ashton asked if the raw version of the maps is only viewable currently for commissioners on District R. She further asked if commissioners will be able to view raw map data in Maptitude and will NDC's presentation show everything originally entered into the map or if modifications are made, is there any other than the overlays to work with them. Oct. 28, 2021 Independent Redistricting Commission Special Meeting Page 3 Ms. Kelley responded that the commission would see everything submitted in its raw form in the District R tool and the information would be shown to the commission during a presentation meeting with an explanation from NDC regarding any issues. She added that the commission will be able to direct NDC to adjust the map(s) to address those issues. She further added that Maptitude contains a gallery for public to see, but this information will be analyzed by NDC for submission to commission Commission Member Ashton asked about maps being reviewed and posted to the city's website. Ms. Kelley responded that reviewed means NDC conducts a standard review of every map with a template that uses a very object set of data. She added that a summary is then generated of every map for the commission and that NDC also conducts a more subjective review of the maps using requirement from the Fair Maps Act. In response to an inquiry from Commission Member Ashton, Ms. Kelly stated the commission will see items that do not meet the requirements of the Fair Maps Act. Commission Member Ashton requested the Spanish survey feedback information be translated for the commission. Commission Member Ashton requested the commission have the opportunityto see the maps to provide input before the general public is able to view them prior to the Jan. 13, 2022 public hearing. She further expressed that she was concerned that there is not enough time for everyone that is interested to use the Maptitude tool. Assistance City Attorney Cindie McMahon explained that under the Brown Act, any information provided to the commission has to be simultaneously provided to the public. Ms. Kelley further explained that the Fair Maps Act provides requirements about advance noticing of public hearings. She added that the commission will see maps in additional meetings after Jan. 13, 2022 from the Maptitude tool and that most public comments are generated from other channels and not Maptitude. Chair Fabiano called for public comment on Item No. 1. Arnie Cohen asked when the District R mapping program would be receiving a population update, stating he just visited the program to create a new map and it is still showing outdated population numbers. Ms. Kelley explained that the District R mapping tool is a third-party program used by NDC and added that all demographic data, paper· mapping tool kit data, and Excel spreadsheet data are correct. She explained that NDC is waiting for the third party to update the population numbers. Oct. 28, 2021 Independent Redistricting Commission Special Meeting Page4 Chair Fabiano asked if staff could be notified once the District R program has been updated to relay on the city's website. In response to an inquiry from Commission Member Arndt, Ms. Kelly said she had no timeframe regarding this update. Vice Chair Stanley requested staff notify the commission by email when the District R tool has been updated. Commission Member Ashton stated she had the following concerns: • data from two third party companies contains outdated information and is not real except for the total population of Carlsbad; • responses from the Maptitude tool will have fewer responses because a smaller part of the population will use the tool; • Maptitude will not be available to use for the same period of time as the District R tool, and because of potential difficulty, those people who do use Maptitude will probably need more time; • not concerned with NDC normal processes and what other cities do, because being better than somebody else isn't being your best and Carlsbad is better; • relying on NDC to assist commission through the redistricting process and doesn't want to hear about third party companies not delivering; • commission has a tight timeline to complete this task as it was brought in at a late date and wants to provide an opportunity to the public with as much time with the mapping process as possible. Commission Member Ashton requested that NDC do everything it can to resolve these issues to provide the public and commission the opportunity to work on their maps. Assistant City Attorney Cindie McMahon reminded the commission about meeting decorum. In response to a concern relayed by Commission Member Cadwallader regarding the timeline to receive the maps prior to the Jan. 13, 2022 public hearing, Ms. Kelley explained NDC's preference is to provide the commission with the maps as a package in January as a best practice to allow the commission to equally evaluate a map created at the end of the process versus a map created the first day District R was available on the website. She added NDC could provide the commission with an analysis of some of the earlier cre_ated maps. Commission Member Cadwallader asked if Maptitude permitted to allot people independently of the census district. Ms. Kelley stated that the census blocks are provided, and there are times they do not fit the way a city like Carlsbad has developed. She explained that the reason not to divide the data is that the Federal Voting Rights Act evaluation was given on a census block level. She added that census blocks can be cut but there are risks. She further Oct. 28, 2021 Independent Redistricting Commission Special Meeting Page 5 added if there are some blocks that are egregious, they should be highlighted for evaluation. City Clerk Services Manager Faviola Medina clarified for the record that the Oct. 28, 2021 meeting was noticed and agenda packets made available to the commission and public 72 hours in advance in compliance with the Brown Act. 2. PUBLIC INPUT RECEIVED IN THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS -Receive a staff presentation regarding public input received from Sept. 9 through Oct. 23, including responses to a community survey administered by the city. (Staff Contact: Kristina Ray, Communication & Engagement Department) Communication and Engagement Department Director Kristina Ray and Community Relations Manager Bree Robertoy gave the report and PowerPoint presentation (on file in the Office of the City Clerk). There was no public comment on this item. Commission Member Cadwallader requested staff repair one of the website pages where the text went past the end ofthe page and could not be read. At the request of Commission Member Ashton, Ms. Ray stated it was possible to leave the current survey available on the website. 3. REDISTRICTING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT DISCUSSION -Receive a staff presentation regarding public engagement actions taken resulting from recommendations given by the Independent Redistricting Commission at their Sept. 9, 2021 meeting. (Staff Contact: Kristina Ray, Communication & Engagement Department) Community Relations Manager Bree Robertoy gave the report and PowerPoint presentation (on file in the Office of the City Clerk). Arnie Cohen requested that one of the public hearings be an interchange of discussion between the public and the commission. Discussion ensued among the commission regarding a potential paper insert in the city's water bills. In response to a request from Chair Fabiano, Communication and Engagement Department Director Kristina Ray explained that the paper mapping kits are located at city hall and both libraries. In response to an inquiry from Chair Fabiano, Ms. Ray explained that print advertising in the Coast News, Carlsbad Magazine and Union/Tribune could be considered. Oct. 28, 2021 Independent Redistricting Commission Special Meeting Page 6 Commission discussion continued with staff regarding alternative, potential print advertising opportunities. Motion by Commission Member Ashton, seconded by Vice Chair Stanley, to use a portion of the budget from digital advertising for print advertising in the following ways: A 1/3 page insert with no specific date and universal information about redistricting in as many of the 40,00 water bills as possible. If one district does not approve, utilize the other districts within Carlsbad; and place at least one and hopefully 2 advertisements in the Coast News supplemented by a column in Carlsbad Magazine -7 /0. STAFF AND COMMITTEE MEMBER REQUESTS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: Chair Fabiano asked for an update on the print advertising materials at the next meeting of the Independent Redistricting Commission meeting on Nov. 18, 2021. ANNOUNCEMENTS: None. CITY ATTORNEY COMMENTS: None. ADJOURNMENT: Chair Fabiano adjourned the duly noticed meeting at 6:3 Sherry Fre singer Deputy Ci y Clerk