BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
STARKE — Starke city commissioners advanced a redistricting ordinance to second reading last week.
The proposed changes will also be sent to the United States District Court for judicial approval.
This will be the first time the district lines will be redrawn since they were first established in the late 1980s. Since then, population changes left the districts unbalanced.
The proposed update lowers the population deviations between districts to less than 1.5%.
It also preserves a majority minority district as required by the court following litigation. City attorney Clay Martin said the court will be asked to reopen the 1989 ruling and replace the previously approved maps with the new maps. Because both sides, plaintiffs and defendant, are working together, they don’t anticipated this to be a drawn out process.
The primary changes are with Districts 1 and 3, with the former shrinking to grow the population in the latter.
District 1 is the city’s southernmost district, represented by Danny Nugent. It’s northern boundaries are primarily Laura Street and Wilson Road east of U.S. 301. West of the highway, District 1 covers the city south of Alligator Creek down to Walmart and the city spray field.
District 2, represented by Janice Mortimer, is the city’s majority minority district (63% Black, 8% Hispanic). It is the northeast section of Starke, north of S.R. 16 and east of 301. It will change very little, taking a small bite out of District 3 between Davis and Weldon streets west of 301.
District 3 is the northwestern section of Starke, west of U.S. 301 and north of Weldon Street. It is represented by Shannon Smith. It is losing a section south of Weldon and north of Pratt to District 5. However, it is also growing through the center of Starke to absorb much of the area lost by District 1. This section extends through Starke to Edwards Road.
District 4, represented by Scott Roberts, extends from U.S. 301 in central Starke to the eastern city limits. It’s northern boundary is S.R. 16, and its southern boundaries include Laura Street and Wilson Road.
Across the map on the western side of Starke is District 5, represented by Wilbur Waters. It will absorb the area of Starke Elementary and the middle school from District 3. It’s western borders are largely Orange and Westmoreland streets, while Alligator Creek lies to the south. The district extends westward down S.R. 100 to include Pinewood Apartments and Lakewood Subdivision.
Districts 1, 3 and 5, are up for election this year. The election will line up with the county’s primary on Aug. 23. In the event of a runoff election, the date will be Nov. 8.
