BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
In a brief workshop Monday, the Bradford County Commission and School Board agreed on a map depicting the redrawn districts.
All that remains now is for the boards to meet individually and formally approve the new boundaries. That is expected to take place over the next few weeks.
The changes better balance the voting populations within each district and maintains District 1 as a majority minority district.
District 1 lies primarily east of U.S. 301, extending north to Northeast C.R. 125. In Starke, the district jumps 301 at Market Road and extends to the northwest to take in Pleasant Grove. It also wraps around District 3 to take in the Lincoln City community south of Starke, ending just south of the State Farm Insurance Agency.
District 2 covers the north and northwest of the county, primarily west of U.S. 301, with its southernmost point being Market Road.
District 3 covers most of Starke, east to the county line and west to the bypass. The northern boundaries are Northeast Market Road, east of the solid waste collection site, S.R. 16 and Northwest C.R. 229. The southernmost boundary is Griffis Loop. The section of the city south of Edwards Road, however, belongs to District 1.
District 4 still covers the south of the county down to the Santa Fe lakes area. It includes Hampton, Hampton Lake and Theressa and extends west to Graham.
District 5 is the largest area by far, spanning the county from east to west, taking in Griffis Loop from District 4 and extending to Brooker and beyond. It includes Sampson, Crosby and Rowell lakes, stretching north to Northwest C.R. 229 and south to the county line.
The populations based on the 2020 Census are 4,825 in District 1 (51% minority), 4,877 in District 2, 4,706 in District 3, 5,138 in District 4, and 4,964 in District 5. District 4 is still the largest district by population and 4% above average. District 3 is the smallest at nearly 4% below average.
