County prepares for precinct restructuring

Grimes County commissioners held a Special Meeting Wednesday, Oct. 27, to begin the redistricting process resulting from the 2020 census data.

Addressing changes to the county’s 14 voting precincts and four commissioner precincts which include justice of the peace and constable positions, County Judge Joe Fauth said, “We know by the census numbers, the way it’s been put together, we cannot leave everything as it is. We’re supposed to have a 10% balance of population within the four precincts, and in Commissioner’s Dobyanski’s, we’re at 21-22%, so we’re going to have to take some of your voting public and distribute to whatever the number reflects.”

Fauth said, “Ideally, they’d like us to be at a 5% variance. I think we have a responsibility to look at not just what are the lines today but in our crystal ball, what are they going to be over the next 10 years. Whether we want to adjust any of the precinct lines or not, that’s not a choice. What is a choice is how we break those lines and how we move population from one precinct to another.”

According to the Findings of Fact Regarding Political Boundaries of Grimes County, Texas, prepared by Allison, Bass & Mcgee, LLP, the law firm hired by the County, Grimes County has a total deviation of 37.69% and any total maximum deviation in excess of 10% is presumptively unconstitutional under established federal law.

Commissioners must approve the newly drawn precinct lines no later than Nov. 15.

Elections Administrator Lucy Ybarra and 9-1-1 Addressing Coordinator Kat Lee were tasked with working with Allison, Bass & Mcgee to present new precinct map configurations for consideration at the Nov. 3 Regular Meeting.

A public hearing to receive citizen comments will be held at the Nov. 10 Special Meeting and commissioners will approve the new precinct map at a Special Meeting Nov. 15.

Commissioners court may be viewed in its entirety at www.facebook.com/Grimes-CountyCourtHouse.

Other court action:

•Approved increasing the maximum paid for the Law Enforcement 2 salary grade in the Grimes County Salary Structure.

•Discussed and set review parameters for items being funded through the America Recovery Plan Act.