Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission - July 7, 2021
Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission Regular Meeting of the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission / Reunion Regular de la Comision Ciudadana Independiente de Redistritacion - Meeting will be held with social distancing modifications, and videoconferencing option.
Versión en español a continuación. Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting 07/07/2021 Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission to be held 07/07/2021 in City Hall Council Chambers, 301 West 2nd Street, with Social Distancing Modifications Public comment will be allowed in person or via telephone. All speakers must register in advance (07/06/2021 by noon). All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak in person at the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting, members of the public must: •Call or email the board liaison at 512-974-7665 and matthew.dugan@austintexas.gov no later than noon, (the day before the meeting). The following information is required: speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral. To speak remotely at the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission Meeting, members of the public must: •Call or email the board liaison at 512-974-7665 and matthew.dugan@austintexas.gov no later than noon, (the day before the meeting). The following information is required: speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, email address and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). •Once a request to speak has been made to the board liaison, the information to call on the day of the scheduled meeting will be provided either by email or phone call. •Speakers must call in at least 15 minutes prior to meeting start time in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. •Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. •Handouts or other information may be emailed to matthew.dugan@austintexas.gov by noon the day before the scheduled meeting. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. •If the meeting is broadcast live, it may be viewed here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live Reunión del Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission FECHA de la reunion (07/07/2021) La junta se llevará con modificaciones de distanciamiento social Se permitirán comentarios públicos por teléfono; se permitirá tambien comentarios en persona en este reunion. Los oradores por teléfono deben registrarse con anticipación (07/06/2021 antes del mediodía). Todos los comentarios públicos se producirán al comienzo de la reunión. Para hablar de forma remota en la reunión, los miembros del público deben: • Llame o envíe un correo electrónico al enlace de la junta en 512-974-7665 and matthew.dugan@austintexas.gov a más tardar al mediodía (el día antes de …
§ 3. REDISTRICTING. (A) For purposes of this section, the following terms are defined: (1) COMMISSION means the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission. (2) CONTROLLING PERSON means an officer, director, manager, principal, or shareholder or member owning at least 10% ownership of a legal entity. (3) DAY means a calendar day, except that if the final day of a period within which an act is to be performed is a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday in which the City of Austin's offices are closed, the period is extended to the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday in which the City of Austin's offices are closed. (4) PANEL means the Applicant Review Panel of three qualified, independent auditors that screens applicants for the commission. (5) QUALIFIED INDEPENDENT AUDITOR means an auditor who is currently licensed by the Texas Board of Public Accountancy and has been a practicing independent auditor for at least five years prior to appointment to the Applicant Review Panel. (6) SPOUSE means one's licensed marriage spouse, common law spouse, or recognized domestic partner. (7) SUBSTANTIAL NEGLECT OF DUTY means that an individual has disregarded a manifest duty, prescribed by this section, intentionally, knowingly, or negligently. Missing half or more of the meetings in a three month period constitutes a substantial neglect of duty. (B) In 2013 and thereafter in each year following the year in which the national census is taken under the direction of Congress at the beginning of each decade, the commission shall adjust the boundary lines of the 10 single-member districts in conformance with the standards and process set forth in this article. The commission shall be fully established no later than July 1, 2013, and thereafter no later than March 1 in each year ending in the number (1). The commission shall not draw district lines at any other time, except if the districts must be redrawn because of a judicial decision invalidating the then existing district plan, in whole or in part, or the date of the city election is moved. If the date of the city election is moved, then the dates in this article shall be adjusted to ensure the commission has sufficient time to draw the lines prior to the election date. (C) The commission shall: (1) conduct an open and transparent process enabling full public consideration of and comment on the drawing of district lines; (2) draw …
Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (ICRC) June 30, 2021 at 6:00 pm VIA VIDEOCONFERENCING CURRENT COMMISSION MEMBERS: Prabhu Kannan Brigham Morris Errol Hardin Eugene Schneider Erin Dempsey Luis Gonzalez, Vice-Chair Dr. Sterling Lands Members Present Prabhu Kannan Brigham Morris Errol Hardin Erin Dempsey Camellia Falcon Luis Gonzalez, Vice-Chair Hoang Le Sara Inés Calderón Selina Yee Christina Puentes, Chair Joshua Blank Hoang Le Shaina Kambo Sara Inés Calderón Selina Yee Christina Puentes, Chair Joshua Blank Camellia Falcon Members Absent Eugene Schneider Shaina Kambo Dr. Sterling Lands Staff Present Matt Dugan Lisa Rodriguez Caroline Webster, legal counsel Draft Minutes Meeting goals: Interview candidates and make final hiring decisions for Administrative Manager and Legal Counsel staff positions, public hearings proposed schedule report out, public hearings promotion proposed plan report out CALL TO ORDER Chair Puentes called the meeting to order at 6:03pm with 11 members present. Commissioners Kambo, Lands, and Schneider were absent. CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first three speakers who register to speak no later than noon the day before the meeting will be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. Peck Young (NAACP Committee on Redistricting) addressed the ICRC. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The June 16, 2021, minutes were approved without objection. 2. UNFINISHED BUSINESS The ICRC may discuss and take action on the following agenda items A. Update from Hiring Working Group Commissioner Yee gave an update on the hiring process. 3. NEW BUSINESS The ICRC may discuss and take action on the following agenda items: A. Interviews for staff: 1. Administrative Manager Gilda (Lynette) Shapovalov and Christine Granados interviewed with the ICRC. 2. Legal Counsel Attorneys David Mendez, Syd Falk and George Korbel interviewed with the ICRC. B. Executive Session Executive Session was not held, as the commission opted to evaluate the candidates publicly. C. Final Hiring Decision on: 1. Administrative Manager On Commissioner Blank’s motion, Commissioner Yee’s second, the motion to extend the Administrative Manager job offer to Christine Granados was approved on a 9-1-1 vote, with Commissioner Falcon voting nay, and Commissioner Kannan abstaining. 2. Legal Counsel On Commissioner Calderon’s motion, Commissioner Kannan’s second, the motion to extend the Legal Counsel contract offer to the team of George Korbel and David Richards was unanimously approved. D. Update from Public Hearings Working Group Commissioner Gonzalez gave the update. Chair Puentes appointed Commissioner Falcon to the Public Hearings Working Group without objection. …
Austin’s History of Minorities and Representation Elected officials subverted democracy throughout Austin’s history: • Politicians choose their voters; stop voters choosing their representatives • Disenfranchise minorities (Blacks after Reconstruction; Swedes, Irish, and Germans in the early 1900s; Blacks during Jim Crow; Hispanics in the mid-1900s • As Austin minorities gained representation, the establishment changed the rules to disenfranchise the minorities. That drive to subvert democracy and squash minorities continues today • At-large elections • “Place” elections • The “Gentlemen’s Agreement” • Attempts to prevent 10-1 geographic representation The ICRC was created, and its membership is screened, to: • Prevent politicians from choosing their voters • Assure voters, especially minority voters, choose their elected officials • Protect Austin from gerrymandering. NAACP / Hispanic Coalition to Austin ICRC
A Brief History of Race and Ethnicity in Austin Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission July 7, 2021 Ryan Robinson Demographer Presentation Takeaways In terms of race and ethnicity, the City of Austin has experienced profound diversification over the past 50 years. And yet, diversification dynamics are shifting, structurally and spatially. Austin’s collapsing housing affordability is remaking the racial and ethnic landscapes of the City and the metropolitan region. The structural and spatial histories of Austin’s African American, Latino and Asian populations each have had their own unique trajectory. The Single Member District Vote A Brief History African American Population 15 Federal policy formalizes these boundaries with redlining 17 19 20 23 Burnet Williamson Marble Falls Leander Georgetown Taylor Round Rock Hutto Plugerville Travis Bee Cave Austin Manor Elgin Dripping Springs Hays Buda Kyle Wimberley San Marcos Lockhart Caldwell Bastrop Bastrop Smithville Hispanic—Latino Population Asian Population Questions or Comments?
INDEPENDENT CITIZENS REDISTRICTING COMMISSION (ICRC) July 7, 2021 at 6:00 pm Council Chambers City Hall, 301 West 2nd Street Austin, Texas 78701 and Via Videoconference CURRENT COMMISSION MEMBERS: Prabhu Kannan Brigham Morris Errol Hardin Eugene Schneider Erin Dempsey Luis Gonzalez, Vice-Chair Dr. Sterling Lands Members in Attendance Christina Puentes, Chair Luis Gonzalez, Vice Chair Joshua Blank Sara Inés Calderón Camellia Falcon Shaina Kambo Prabhu Kannan Dr. Sterling Lands Hoang Le Selina Yee Hoang Le Shaina Kambo Sara Inés Calderón Selina Yee Christina Puentes, Chair Joshua Blank Camellia Falcon Members Absent Erin Dempsey Errol Hardin Brigham Morris Eugene Schneider Staff In Attendance Matthew Dugan Lisa Rodriguez Caroline Webster, Law Department MINUTES Meeting Goals: Confirm Steps to Onboard Hired Staff, Confirm Dates for Public Hearings, Establish Commission Values and Norms CALL TO ORDER Chair Puentes called the meeting to order at 6:01pm with 9 members present. Commissioner Lands joined the meeting at 6:09pm. CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first three speakers who register to speak no later than noon the day before the meeting will be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. Zenobia C. Joseph addressed the ICRC. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Discussion and possible action on the June 30, 2021, ICRC meeting minutes The June 30, 2021, meeting minutes were approved without objection, with the change that the adjournment time will be added. 2. UNFINISHED BUSINESS The ICRC may discuss and take action on the following agenda items A. Update from Hiring Working Group Commissioner Yee gave the update. 3. NEW BUSINESS The ICRC may discuss and take action on the following agenda items A. Presentation from NAACP Nelson Linder, Gonzalo Barrientos, Attorney Roger Borgelt, Peck Young, Ora Houston, and Ryan Robinson (members of the NAACP/Hispanic Coalition) presented. C. Icebreaker: “What is the best aspect of residing in the city district you represent?” B. Presentation from Dr. Henry Flores This item was postponed until a future meeting. Vice Chair Gonzalez lead the icebreaker activity. D. Discussion and Vote on Values and Norms Chair Puentes lead the discussion on values and norms. E. Update from Public Hearing Working Group 1. Vote on Proposed Public Hearing Dates Vice Chair Gonzalez shared the proposed schedule of public meeting dates. On Commissioner Kannan’s motion, Commissioner Blank’s second, the ICRC unanimously approved the proposed 2021 public hearing schedule. F. Update from Communications Working Group Commissioner Calderón gave the …
