Title
Consider a memorandum/resolution approving an Interlocal Cooperation Contract between the City of Killeen, City of Temple, Temple Independent School District, and Bell County engaging Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta to perform redistricting services in relation to the 2020 Census.
Summary
DATE: July 6, 2021
FROM: Kent Cagle, City Manager
SUBJECT: Interlocal Cooperation Contract for Redistricting Services
BACKGROUND AND FINDINGS:
Every ten years, the U.S. Census Bureau conducts a census to determine the number of people living in the United States. That information is used by federal, state, and local governmental entities to draw their voting boundaries. “Cities with single-member voting districts, such as Killeen, are constitutionally required to draw their single-member voting districts so that each district has equal or nearly equal population and complies with the Voting Rights Act.
On March 19, 2021, representatives of Killeen, Temple, and Bell County interviewed law firms with expertise in leading the joint redistricting efforts of cities, counties, and school districts. The law firm of Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta (“Bickerstaff”) was selected as the firm having the most experience. While each entity has different redistricting needs and timelines, there are aspects that can be coordinated among the entities to allow the community to benefit from economies of scale and efficiency. Bickerstaff has experience successfully coordinating joint redistricting efforts in multiple communities including Bexar County, the City of San Antonio, and Alamo College District; Brazos County, the Cities of Bryan and College Station, and Bryan ISD; and Galveston County, the City of Galveston, and Galveston ISD.
Bickerstaff will provide an initial assessment to determine whether Killeen’s districts are out of balance and will require rebalancing to comply with state and federal legal requirement...
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