Jan 25, 2022 Special City Council

[1. CALL TO ORDER. Mayor Anders.]

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SPECIAL CALLED MEETING THE AUBURN CITY COUNSEL MEETING. WILL CALL.

[3. 2021 REDISTRICTING PLAN. Federal decennial census. Reapportion Council districts. Postponed from January 18, 2022.]

THIS ITEM RECEIVED A MOTION AND SECOND TO DECEMBER 21 MEETING AND WAS POSTPONED TO JANUARY 4.

THIS ITEM HAS POSTPONED BOTH TO JANUARY 4 AND JANUARY 18 MEETING.

HEARINGS WERE HELD DECEMBER 21 MEETING OF WHICH THAT PUBLIC HEARING WAS CONTINUED THROUGH JANUARY 4. WAS HELD AGAIN ON JANUARY 18 AND THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS CLOSED AT THAT TIME. PARKS ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE COUNCIL?

>> I BELIEVE I WOULD LIKE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. WE HAVE A LOT OF CONSTITUENTS HERE TONIGHT THAT I THINK WOULD LIKE TO EAK. IS THAT OMETHING THE COUNCIL WILL ENTERTAIN? > COUNCIL WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED AS MS. CROUSE JUST STATED THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC HAS HAD 3 DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS. CERTAINLY HAVING 1/4 WOULD BE UNUSUAL BUT, WE'VE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE EXITS TO PUBLIC HEARINGS THAN, DECEMBER 7 BEFORE THIS IS ON THE AGENDA YET CITIZENS COMMUNICATION ABOUT IT. YOU DID AGAIN JANUARY 4 WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. CLOSE TO PUBLIC HEARINGS.

>> TO PUBLIC HEARINGS THAN OTHERS FOR SOME COMMENT. SPARKS WHAT WITH THE COUNCIL'S

PLEASURE BEING QUICK WORKS WELL. >> JUST TO BE HONEST WITH I THINK PUBLIC HEARING WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TONIGHT BECAUSE OF SOME ACCUSATIONS THAT WERE MADE. I THINK THAT WILL GIVE THE NAACP OR WHOEVER THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THOSE TO THE TABLE IF THAT'S WHAT THEY PREFER.

I THINK A PUBLIC HEARING WOULD BE APPROPRIATE. >> I SUPPORT THE PUBLIC HEARING BECAUSE WE HAVE NEW INFORMATION IN OUR LAST MEETING. IT'LL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO DIGEST IT AND BRING THOUGHTS TO IT. I THINK IT WOULD BE

ADVANTAGEOUS TO US TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC AGAIN ON THIS ISSUE. >> OKAY I'VE HEARD FROM THEIR COUNCILMEMBERS. ANYONE ELSE HAVE A STRONG OPINION ON THIS? IF WE DO MOVE FORWARD WITH PUBLIC HEARING WITH I STRONGLY SUGGEST WE HAVE A 5 MINUTE TIME LIMIT. TO ALLOW AS MANY PEOPLE TO TALK AS POSSIBLE.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS BEEN A TOPIC THAT CITIZENS HAVE TALKED TO THE COUNCIL AT LEAST 3 MEETINGS WE KNOW. SO FAR.

I THINK 5 MINUTES MIGHTLY 5 MINUTES IS PLENTY OF TIME FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO THE COUNCIL TONIGHT. IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING I LIKE TO ASK THE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT A 5 MINUTE TIME LIMIT. IS EVERYONE GOOD WITH THAT?

>> I DON'T SUPPORT A TIME LIMIT. I HAVE TO GO WITH THE MAJORITY.

>> REST OF THE COUNCIL OKAY WITH THAT? >> 5 MINUTE TIME LIMIT.

>> YES. >> YES. >> WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. THAT WILL BE FINE MINUTE TIME LIMIT AS YOU ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. PLEASE MOVE FORWARD AND GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. ROBERT THIS IS YOUR TIME TO ADVOCATE YOUR POSITION REGARDING THIS TOPIC TO THE CITY COUNCIL. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF EMOTION TIED UP INTO THIS TONIGHT. ASK EVERYONE BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYONE THE CODES WERE TO TALK TONIGHT. THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING AND I ASK TO HAVE THE MOST PROFESSIONAL QUORUM AS POSSIBLE. WHO WILL BE FIRST?

>> GOOD EVENING COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS BERNARD SUBTLETY AND PRESIDENT OF THE ALABAMA STATE CONFERENCE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE.

I'M HERE FROM HARVEST ALABAMA. ADDRESS 15376 PEPPER CREEK ROAD, HARVEST ALABAMA.

THAT'S OF NORTH ALABAMA. HUNTSVILLE AREA. HERE TONIGHT TO SUPPORT THE LEE COUNTY BRANCH OF THE NAACP AND THE CITIZENS OF AUBURN CITY IN THEIR EFFORT TO ACHIEVE AN EQUITABLE AMOUNT THAT COMPLIES WITH SECTION 2 OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965.

IN 1965 CITIZENS OF ALL RACES AND COLORS AND ALL AGES MARCHED FROM SOME ALABAMA TO MONTGOMERY ALABAMA TO DEMAND THE RIGHT TO VOTE BECAUSE CITIZENS WERE BEING REFUSED THE RIGHT TO VOTE BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT PASS WHAT WAS THEN A LITERACY TEST TELLING HOW MANY DOUBLES ON THE BAR OF SOAP OR RECITING THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

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I KNOW MANY OF YOU ALL THAT ARE SITTING IN FRONT OF ME AND PERHAPS BEHIND ME ARE SAYING, BLACKS HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. BUT, WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR VOTE MEANING AS MUCH AS MY VOTE I COULD TELL YOU THE CITIZENS, BLACK CITIZENS AND PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA VOTES ARE NOT COUNTED EQUITABLE AND EQUAL BECAUSE OF SITUATIONS LIKE WE HAVE HERE IN AUBURN WHERE THEY ARE PACKED INTO EITHER ONE DISTRICT OR THEY ARE SPREAD OUT SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY VOTING STRENGTH WHERE THEY CAN ELECT A PERSON OF THEIR CHOICE TO RUN, TO SEEK IN OFFICE. SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO DISCUSS. I'M QUITE SURE MOST OF YOU ALL HAVE HEARD AND ESPECIALLY YOUR ALL ATTORNEYS HAVE READ. YESTERDAY THE FEDERAL COURT IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA IN THE NORTHERN DISTRICT MADE A MOVEMENT ON THE ALABAMA STATE CONFERENCE WAS A PARTY TO AND I'M NOT GOING TO READ ALL 200 SOME PAGES OF WHAT THE JUDGE'S SAID.

WAS IT 3 PANEL THAT RENDERED A DECISION. THESE WERE JUDGES APPOINTED BY DEMOCRATIC AS WELL AS REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTS. SO BASICALLY I WANT TO READ A SHORT PORTION OF IT. IT SAYS A CONSIDERATION OF RACE AND DRAWING DISTRICT LINES MAY BE PURPOSE A BULL AND NECESSARY IN MANY AREAS OF ALABAMA TO ASSURE COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 2 OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT. ALABAMA'S CONSIDERATION OF RACE IN THE DRAWING OF HB ONE WAS NOT TAILORED TO TO COMBINED WITH VR INCOME VOTING RIGHTS ACT.

RATHER HB ONE REFLECTS THE LEGISLATORS DESIRE TO RACE, TO MAINTAIN POWER BY PACKING 3RD OF BLACK VOTERS INTO ONE DISTRICT. ONE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, DISTRICT 7 WHICH IS CURRENTLY HELD BY CONGRESS TERRY SCHOOL. BASED ON THESE FINDINGS OF THE FACT CONCLUSION OF OUR ASSESSMENT OF BUILT-UP EXPERT WITNESS WE CONCLUDE THE MILLIGAN PLAINTIFFS ARE SUBSTANTIALLY LIKELY TO ESTABLISH THAT THE PLAN VIOLATES SECTION 2 OF VOTING RIGHTS ACTS AND MORE PARTICULARLY CONCLUDE THE MILLIGAN PLAINTIFFS ARE SUBSTANTIALLY LIKELY TO ESTABLISH EACH PART OF CONTROLLING SUPREME COURT TASKS. THE BLACK ALABAMIANS ARE SUFFICIENTLY NUMEROUS TO CONSTITUTE A QUOTED AGE OF MAJORITY AND A SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. IT LISTS SEVERAL OTHER THINGS THAT I WON'T GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT TONIGHT. BUT, BASED ON THESE FACTS AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE STATES REDISTRICTING PLAN, I JOINED WITH THE CITIZENS OF AUBURN AND THE NAACP AND ASK THESE DULY ELECTED OFFICIALS TO SET ASIDE THE AMOUNT THAT THE AUBURN CITY COUNCIL HAS PROPOSED THEN ADOPT

THE MAP THAT IS PRESENTED TO YOU BY THE NAACP OF AUBURN. >> THANK YOU SIR.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> WHO WILL BE NEXT? >> HELLO.

I'M BILLY ALLEN. I RESIDE AT 930 RETAIN TRACE, STONE MOUNTAIN GEORGIA.

HOWEVER I MIGHT GRADUATE OF Ã UNIVERSITY DELMAC HIGH SCHOOL AND AUBURN UNIVERSITY.

I'VE BEEN HERE FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS AND I'VE SEEN SEVERAL PEOPLE, TO TALK TO YOU S AND GIVE THEIR POINT OF IT'S BEEN ITE INTERESTING. FROM THOSE CONVERSATIONS I'M

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7 THINGS ARE, FIRST, HERE IN THE STATE OF AUBURN WE HAVE 76,000 RESIDENTS.

FROM THE LAST CENSUS. WILL HELP FOR PRECINCTS. FOR PRECINCTS 4 76,000 PEOPLE.

IT NEEDS TO BE MORE ACCESSIBILITY. FORCE THE CITIZENS HERE TO VOTE. THE NEED TO BE EDUCATED. THEY NEED TO KNOW WHERE LOCATIONS ARE. TO VOTE. AND THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE SOON.

THAT'S A PROBLEM. NUMBER 2, THE SYSTEM IN THE PROCESS WE'VE USED HEREIN AUBURN PORT REDISTRICTING IS BROKEN. PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT TO YOU GUYS. IT'S BROKEN. THERE SHOULD BE MORE EXTENSIVE INVOLVEMENT OF THE CITIZENS BEFORE THE MAP IS DRAWN. NO STAKEHOLDERS SHOULD BE ELIMINATED AND WE SHOULD ALSO MAYBE PIGGYBACK OR LOOK AT OTHER CITIZENS IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA LIKE MOBILE, LIKE HUNTSVILLE.OW THEY CONDUCT THEIR REDISTRICTING.

IT'S NO PROBLEM LEARNING FROM OTHERS. BECAUSE, WE DON'T NEED TO GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN IN 10 YEARS. NUMBER 3, IT'S BEEN SAID THAT THE NAACP PETE MAP WAS ILLEGAL.

THAT'S NOT TRUE. WE STAND BY OUR MAP AND IT IS LEGAL.

NUMBER 4, WE'VE HAD CONSULTANTS TO LOOK AT OUR AND THOSE CONSULTANTS HAVE VERIFIED THAT OUR MAP IS LEGAL WHEN IT COMES TO THE 3 PRONGS AND ANY OTHER PRECONDITIONS.

IT IS LEGAL. NUMBER 5, IT'S ALSO BEEN PRESENTED TO THIS BODY THAT YOUR COUNCIL HAS A CERTAIN RECORD AND ALSO IT'S BEEN PRESENTED, HIS SUCCESS IN COURT. HIS PERCENTAGE OF SUCCESSFUL CASES.

NUMBER 6, WE FOUND CITIZENS FROM ALL OVER. IT'S BEEN STATED.

LOOK AT THE TAPES. WE HAVE CITIZENS FROM ALL OVER AUBURN THAT HAVE COME HERE.

LAWYERS, EVERYDAY CITIZENS, AND THEY HAVE COME HERE AND SUPPORTED THE NAACP MAP.

LASTLY, NUMBER 7. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY OF AUBURN TO SHINE.

IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY BE THE LOVELESS VILLAGE ON THE PLANE.

WE HAVE TO DO IS WORK TOGETHER, PARTNER AND APPROVE A MAP THAT REPRESENTS EVERY CITIZEN OF AUBURN. NOT JUST ORDERED ONE, MUCH AS WARD 2, WARD 3, WARD 4, 5 WARD 6, WARD 7, OR 8. BEFORE EVERY CITIZEN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> YES SIR. GOOD EVENING LADIES AND TLEMEN. MY NAME IS BILL LEE.

IN THE EVENT NT 1652 SAINT ANDREWS LANE. I'VE BEEN CHEESE WARD 7. A PROUD 19 Ã7 GRADUATE OF AUBURN UNIVERSITY. DURING LAST WEEK I IZED THAT I'VE BEEN N GOING ABOUT TRYING TO PERSUADE YOU THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO VOTE FOR THE

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IT'S CONSISTENT.ITH A 37 PERCENT MINORITY POPULATION. I'M TRYING TO APPEAL TO YOUR SENSE OF FAIRNESS AND EQUITY. AND JUSTICE. I'VE SUGGESTED THAT THE ALTERNATIVE MAP IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. I'VE SET A VOTE FOR THE ALTERNATIVE MAP SENDS A MESSAGE TO THE CITIZENS OF AUBURN THAT AUBURN IS PROGRESSIVE, FORWARD-LOOKING AND FAIR. BUT, I FAILED. I'VE TALKED WITH A NUMBER OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY. AND, I DON'T THINK I'VE BEEN PERSUASIVE.

SO, HERE'S WHAT WE'VE GOT. WE'VE GOT AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.

YOU PROBABLY SEE HIM TOO. RIGHT HERE IN THIS COUNCIL MEETING ROOM.

WE ARE AUBURN. DON'T ALLOW ANIMALS IN THE MEETING ROOM.

ESPECIALLY NOT AN ELEPHANT. NOW, IN ORDER TO GET RID OF THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM I HAVE A HYPOTHESIS AND I HAVE A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. FIRST THING IS WE HAVE TOMMY, TOMMY DAWSON. HIS WARD HAS 65 PERCENT POPULATION ON THE WHITE POPULATION ON THE ALTERNATIVE MAP. SORRY ON THE CITY AMOUNT.

THEN 70 PERCENT ON THE ALTERNATIVE MOUNT. SEE YOU WOULD THINK TOMMY WOULD VOTE. FROM THE ALTERNATIVE MAP. BUT I DON'T KNOW.

WE HAVE JAY AND WORK 7. WITH A 70 PERCENT WHITE POPULATION ON THE CITY MAP AND 79 ON THE ALTERNATIVE MAP. SURELY JAY WILL VOTE FOR THE ALTERNATIVE MAP.

AND BOB 6. WELL, HE MAY VOTE FOR THE CITY MAP BECAUSE HE'S REALLY INTERESTED IN KEEPING THE CONSTITUENCY CURRENTLY HOUSE. AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND RIGHT WARD 4, THE CITY MAP HAS HIM 65 PERCENT WHITE AND THE ALTERNATIVE MAP HAS 59.

WELL, HE MAY VOTE FOR THE CITY MAP BECAUSE IT GIVES HIM A BETTER CHANCE OF BEING ELECTED.

THEN IN BETH'S CASE, HER CITY MAP PORT HAS 68 PERCENT WHITE AND THE ALTERNATIVE MAP HAS 69.

IN THESE 2 MAPS ARE ALMOST IDENTICAL. BUT, IT'S KIND OF A TOSSUP IN BETH'S CASE. SO, MY PROPOSED SOLUTION. YOU MAY HEAR TONIGHT A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE ALTERNATIVE MAP. I HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER IT. YOU MAY HEAR AN AMENDMENT TO THE ALTERNATIVE MAP. THIS AMENDMENT WOULD MOVE IF IT'S PRESENTED TO THE CENSUS BLOCKS FROM WARD 6 INTO WARD 5. IF THAT MOTION HAPPENS I HOPE YOU WILL SERIOUSLY CONSIDER IT.

WHAT IT DOES IS IT PUTS BOB IN WARD 5. YOU MAY POSSIBLY HEAR THE PERSON, STEPHEN WHO'S HOLDING WARD 5 MAY BE INTERESTED IN SAINT HE IS NOT RUNNING.

THAT GIVES BOB A CLEAR SHOT AT WINNING WARD 5. SO, IF YOU VOTE FOR THE ALTERNATIVE MAP TONIGHT, YOU SAW 2 PROBLEMS. NUMBER ONE, BOB HAS A CONSTITUENCY THAT HE REALLY IS DESIRED. AND NUMBER R 2, YOU SOLVED THE PROBLEM BECAUSE, GOODNESS THE DUBLIN AND P IS VOTED ON. THE LAWSUIT HAS KIND OF DEAD IN THE WATER.

YOU WOULD CHOOSE VOTE FOR THE ALTERNATIVE MOUNT. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. WHO WILL BE COULD HE BEAT MY NAME IS TABITHA I START.

I RESIDE AT 4349 ACRES ROAD. WELCOME ALABAMA A 13606. I'M GONNA PROVIDE A LITTLE CONTEXT ON MARCH 30, 2011 THE PERMANENT JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON REAPPORTIONMENT AT ITS FIRST MEETING OF THE 2011 REDISTRICTING PROCESS. NOT MEETING DORMANT WALKER WAS

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LEGISLATIVE MAPS APPROVED BY THE ALABAMA LEGISLATURE AND GOVERNOR IN 2011 LATER FOUND TO BE IN VIOLATION. OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT. BECAUSE THEY EXCESSIVELY PACKED MINORITY VOTERS INTO A LIMITED NUMBER OF DISTRICTS. THAT'S REDUCING THE POWER OF THE MINORITY VOTE. ALABAMA STATE LEGISLATOR HAD TO REDRAW BOTH THE STATE SENATE MAP AND THE STATEHOUSE MAP IN 2017. AFTER 8 YEARS LONG COURT BATTLE WITH THE LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS. THAT TOOK THEM TO THE SUPREME COURT. IN AUGUST 2021 THE PERMITTING COMMITTEE ON REAPPORTIONMENT MET AS A RESULT OF THE 2020 CENSUS AND HELD ITS FIRST MEETING OF THE 2021 REDISTRICTING PROCESS. IN THAT MEETING AGAIN, DORMANT WALKER WAS INTRODUCED AS THE ATTORNEY FOR THE COMMITTEE. SELECTED BY THE CHAIRS. BECAUSE, AS EXPLAINED TO THE COMMITTEE. HE WAS SELECTED BECAUSE HE DID THE SAME WORK FOR THE COMMITTEE IN PRIOR YEARS. AND WAS AN EXPERIENCED LAWYER IN REDISTRICTING.

NO MENTION WAS MADE OF THE FACT THAT MR. WALKER'S PREVIOUS WORK HAVE BEEN RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL BY THE COURTS. IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2021 PUBLIC HEARINGS WERE HELD.

THAT ATTORNEY WALKER CHAIRED. AT THIS MEETING TO WELCOME PUBLIC INPUT, LIMITED TO 3 MINUTES. THAT INPUT WAS NEVER ACTUALLY CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE.

THE ONLY MAP CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE MUST AMOUNT PROPOSED BY THE COMMITTEE CHAIR.

BACK BY MR. WALKER. IN EARLY 20 IN EARLY NOVEMBER 2021 THE ALABAMA LEGISLATURE VOTED ON A CONGRESSIONAL MAP, STATEHOUSE MAP, STATE SENATE MAP, A STATE SCHOOL BOARD MAP.

ROUTE THE DILUTIONS ATTORNEY WALKER WAS PRESENT. ADVISING BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE. HE LED THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE TO BELIEVE THAT A, IT WAS TO LATE TO MAKE ANY CHANGES. TO ANY OF THE MAPS.

AS IT WOULD TAKE TO LONG TO PROPERLY ANALYZE THE CHANGES. BEING, HE TOLD THEM THAT IF ANY CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE MAP THEY WOULD BE PERCEIVED AS RACIALLY MOTIVATED CHANGES.

HE INSISTED THAT THE BOND REQUIRED RECENT BLIND MAPS. DESPITE WHAT THE COURTS HAVE SAID AGAIN AND AGAIN ABOUT THE NEED TO CONSIDER RACE. THESE TALKING POINTS ARE REPEATED EACH TIME A MEMBER OF THE MINORITY CAUCUS PROPOSED A CHANGE TO THE MAPS.

NONETHELESS, THE COMMITTEE COCHAIR, CHRIS PRINGLE WHITE REPUBLICAN PROPOSED COMMITMENT TO THE STATEHOUSE MAP. IN THE AMENDMENT WAS APPROVED THAT VERY DAY.

WITHOUT THEIR HAVING BEEN ANY PROBLEM ABOUT ANALYZING THE CHANGES.

NOR ABOUT THE CHANGE BEING RACIALLY MOTIVATED. IT APPEARED TO AN OUTSIDE OBSERVER CHANGES PROPOSED BY WHITE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE WERE ACCEPTABLE.

BUT SHE JUST PROPOSED BY NONWHITE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE WERE CLEARLY RACIALLY BIASED. AND THEREFORE UNACCEPTABLE. IN THE END THE MAPS WERE PASSED THROUGH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE AND SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR.

THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS THE ATTORNEY REASSURED ALL INVOLVED THAT THE MAPS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE WERE EXEMPLARY. AND WOULD HOLD UP IF CHALLENGED IN COURT.

BUT YESTERDAY, A PANEL OF 3 FEDERAL COURT JUDGES FOUND ALABAMA CONGRESSIONAL MAP DILUTES THE VOTING POWER OF MINORITY RESIDENTS IN ALABAMA. THEY BLOCKED ITS IMPLEMENTATION. THIS IS THE SAME CONGRESSIONAL MAP WAS APPROVED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND ENDORSED AS EXEMPLARY. MULTIPLE FEDERAL LAWSUITS HAVE BEEN FILED. INCLUDING BY THE ALABAMA STATE CONFERENCE OF THE NAACP.

THE JUDGE'S FOUND THEIR CHALLENGES WERE VALID. THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN THE LATENT STATE LEGISLATOR AND WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE ARE NOTABLE.

BUT, WHAT'S DIFFERENT HERE IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT. WHAT'S DIFFERENT HERE IS THAT THERE IS STILL TIME. STILL TIME TO AVOID LITIGATION. STILL TIME TO AVOID THE PERCEPTION OR REALITY. EITHER WAY DOES IT MATTER? THE PERCEPTION OR THE REALITY THAT MINORITY POWER IS BEING DILUTED IN AUBURN. LET'S AVOID GOING TO COURT.

LET'S AVOID LITIGATION. LET'S HONOR THE MINORITIES IN THIS COMMUNITY BY VOTING FOR

MAP WHICH IS IN FACT LEGAL. >> THANK YOU. WHO WILL BE NEXT?

>> HELLO. MY NAME IS DOCTOR KELLY THOMPSON.

I RESIDE AT 806 FLORAL STREET IN OPELIKA. NONETHELESS A PROUD ALUMNI AND

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EVERY NOW AND THEN WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE BRAVE VOTES.

TO DO BRAVE THINGS BY THE CITIZENS THAT SENT US IN THOSE CHAIRS RIGHT THERE.

SOME OF US GET TO DO BRAVE THINGS BY SHOWING UP ON A CORNER AND KEEPING A PROTEST GOING. THAT'S SOMETHING I'M PROUD TO DO.

I'M PROUD TO KEEP IT GOING IN THIS CITY, IN THIS SOUTHERN RED STATE.

AS A VISUAL REMINDER OF THE HARD WORK THAT WE MUST CONTINUE.

YET IF I FOUND MYSELF IN YOUR POSITION SITTING WITH THE DIFFICULT, DIFFICULT DECISION YOU HAVE TO MAKE, I GET IT. BUT IF I HAD TO LEAN ON SOMEONE IN TRUST THE HISTORY OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS DONE THE HARD WORK OF CENTERING THE VOICES OF MINORITIES IN THIS COUNTRY. I WOULD LEAN TOWARDS TRUSTING THE NAACP.

BECAUSE IN THE SUMMER OF 2020 WHEN I STARTED THIS PROTEST IT WAS BECAUSE MANY OF US INCLUDING MANY OF YOU, INCLUDING MANY OF US IN THIS ROOM.

WE TOLD OURSELVES WE WOULD BE CHANGED BY THAT SUMMER. WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT BROUGHT MANY OF US TO STREET CORNERS. ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.

WE KNOW THE ANGER, WE KNOW THE PAIN. WE DON'T ALL THE EMOTION THAT BROUGHT US OUT THERE. WE TOLD OURSELVES WE WOULD BE CHANGED.

AND WE WOULD BE DIFFERENT. AND NOW IS OUR TIME. NOW IS OUR TIME TO CONSIDER IF WE WILL BE CHANGED BY THAT WOMAN OR NOT. IF WE WILL CONSIDER THE LONG, LONG HISTORY OF VOTER SUPPRESSION. PARTICULARLY IN THE DEEP SOUTH.

AND THE TRUSTED LEADERSHIP OF THE NAACP IN FIGHTING THOSE BATTLES.

THAT'S WHAT I WOULD BE CONSIDERING IF I WERE YOU. AND SO I HOPE AS YOU CONTINUE TO SEE MANY OF US CONTINUE TO SIT OUT WITH SIGNS LIKE THAT. AT THIS MOMENT AND EVERY MOMENT YOU WILL HAVE IN THE FUTURE. TO BE CHANGED. PLEASE BE CHANGED.

I SUPPORT THE NAACP'S MAP BECAUSE I SUPPORT THEIR LEADERSHIP.

I SUPPORT THE WORK THEY'VE BEEN DOING. I TOLD MYSELF AND MY FRIENDS

THAT I WOULD BE CHANGED. THANK YOU. >> WHO WILL BE NEXT?

>> I'LL PUT THE MASK BACK ON BEFORE FINISH. [INAUDIBLE] I WOULD URGE YOU ALL FIRST OF ALL TO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE THAT THE ALABAMA LEGISLATURE MADE ON THE CONGRESSIONAL MAP. WHICH MR. SIMONTON POINTED OUT HIS COMMENTS WAS RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL OR ILLEGAL IF YOU WILL. BUT, I WOULD NOT URGE YOU TO AVOID THE MISTAKE OF MAKING SURE YOU COMPLY WITH THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT EVEN WITH THE CHANGES THAT ARE REJECTED BY THE U.S. SENATE THIS PAST WEEK. BUT, REMEMBER THE HISTORY OF HOW WE EVEN GOT HERE TODAY TO DEBATE THIS MATTER. PREFERABLY THE SELMA TO MONTGOMERY MARCH. OF MARCH 7 AND SUBSEQUENT DATES IN 1965 RIGHT HERE IN ALABAMA.

WHICH LED TO THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT IN THE FIRST PLACE. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART

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I SAY THIS AS A PERSON WHO HAS A PHD IN PUBLIC POLICY FROM AUBURN.

I ALSO HAVE A HISTORY DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA. JUST LIKE THE CONSULTANT THAT YOU ALL HIRED TO DO THIS PROJECT, ON THE UTA GRADUATE. AND YES, OH I SHOULD TELL YOU I DID MY BABY SISTER SENT ME IN THE MAIL A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP COLLEGE FOOTBALL SHIRT. IN THE MAIL ABOUT AN HOUR AGO. DURING WHICH I ALSO RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA STUDENT. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE NATTY.E WERE TALKING ABOUT THE MEN'S BASKETBALL GAME HERE LAST WEDNESDAY.

AND IN THAT CONVERSATION SHE ASKED ME TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE FUND JUST LIKE OTHER COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES YOU HAVE TO KEEP RAISING MONEY AND I DECIDED TO CONTRIBUTE.

AT THE END OF THE CONVERSATION I TOLD HER THAT UTA HAS COME A LONG WAY.

ATHENS COUNTY HAS COME ALONG WAY WE ARE LONG WAYS TO GO. YOU COULD SAY THAT ABOUT AUBURN ALABAMA. AND AUBURN UNIVERSITY. ALSO.

AND AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA WE HAVE A SIMPLE MODEL. TO TEACH, TO SERVE AND TO INQUIRE INTO THE NATURE OF THINGS. I'M HOPING THAT IN YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY OF AUBURN AND ON THIS MATTER IN ANY OTHER MATTER THAT YOU'VE INQUIRED ENOUGH INTO THIS REDISTRICTING PLAN. WITH THAT WE CAN GET BETTER INQUIRIES INTO THINGS LIKE THE AIRPORT AND THINGS LIKE A CULTURAL CENTER. OR A LIBRARY BRANCH.

WHERE TO MOVE THE RECYCLING CENTER. OR THE MADNESS OF COX ROAD.

AND MATTERS JUST LIKE HOW WE HANDLED LAST WEEKEND WITH A VERY IMPORTANT BASKETBALL GAME TOOK PLACE. AND EVEN MATTERS CONCERNING SOMETHING LIKE PERMIT LESS CARRY. AND THE IMPACT IT WOULD HAVE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC HEALTH, NOT JUST FROM A CITIZEN STANDPOINT BUT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT RETREATS PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC HEALTH. CONCERNED WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY JOB IS, WHAT THE POLICE CHIEF JOB IS AND CONCERNS RAISED BY MR. DAWSON IN REFERENCE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY. AND CONCERNS EACH OF YOU HAVE CONCERNING YOUR OWN MATTERS. WE COULD GET BETTER INQUIRIES INTO THAT.

I WOULD CERTAINLY HOPE THAT YOU WOULD, IF YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT AN AMENDMENT ACCEPT A NEW PLAN, DO THAT. LET'S CARRY ON WHAT HAPPENED IN MARCH 1965.

LET'S GIVE THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF AUBURN SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT OTHER THAN A NUMBER ONE RANKING IN MEN'S BASKETBALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> WHO WILL BE NEXT? >> GOOD EVENING. UNKEMPT WHITE.

OTHER BUT 228 CONCRETE DRIVE IN WARD 5. THE PRESIDENT OF THE LEGAL VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA.

THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS SUPPORTS CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AND TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT.

OUR POSITION IS THAT REDISTRICTING AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED IN AN OPEN, UNBIASED MANNER WITH CITIZEN PARTICIPATION AT ALL LEVELS AND STEPS OF THE PROCESS. IT APPEARS THAT CITIZEN ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION WAS NOT ALLOWED UNTIL THE MAPS WERE ALREADY CREATED FOR AUBURN. I'M UNCERTAIN WHETHER ANY CITIZEN COMMENTS WERE USED TO MAKE ANY REVISIONS TO THE MALL. I'M SURPRISED THAT NOT HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT WAS EVEN A CONSIDERATION. I'M GLAD YOU WERE WILLING TO HEAR FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS ON THIS IMPORTANT MATTER. AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED BY OTHERS YESTERDAY A FEDERAL COURT BLOCKED ALABAMA'S CONGRESSIONAL MAPS AND A SECTION TO CLAIM.

I'M NOT HERE TO SAY WHETHER THE CITY'S PROPOSED MAP WOULD WITHSTAND A SECTION TO CHALLENGE. BUT I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT COMPLIANT WITH THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT IS A FLOOR AND NOT THE CEILING. WE CAN AIM HIGHER.

I BELIEVE IT AUBURN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU.

WHO WILL BE NEXT? >> WARRANTED WELL, 1654 PIEDMONT DRIVE.

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THE RANGE OF MOTION WAS INTENSE. FEAR, GUILT, OPPRESSION, ANGER AND SADNESS. RECENTLY MENTIONED TO A FRIEND THERE ARE SO MANY, MANY BLACK PEOPLE, BROWN PEOPLE, DISENFRANCHISED PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY WANT TO DO MORE BUT WE ARE KNEE-DEEP IN SURVIVAL MODE. EVEN THOSE WHO HAVE ARE BUSY TRYING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE. THE DAY-TO-DAY RACISM AND CLASSISM IS DEBILITATING.

I HATE IT HERE. IT BREAKS MY HEART SIMPLY WOULD WRITE THAT ABOUT AUBURN IT'S HURT ME EVEN MORE. THE PEOPLE I KNOW WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.

AND ARE LOOKING AT THIS AS DRAWING A MAP AND VOTING ON IT. WHEN WE LIVED IN A REGION WITH SUCH A HISTORY THAT WE CONTINUE TO SET WAYS UPON US BUT WE DON'T ACKNOWLEDGE IT.

WE'VE CENTERED THE VOICES OF THE WHITE FOLKS INVOLVED IN THIS WHILE MINORITY FOLKS HAVE STOOD HERE AND ALL BUT BEG YOU TO SEE THIS THROUGH THEIR EYES. I'M PRETTY SURE NO MINORITIES ARE INVOLVED IN DRAWING THE MOUSE FROM THE CITY. I NOTE THAT WERE HIRED BY ADVISE THE CITY. THIS IS A SET AMOUNT TO ABOUT IT BUT HAS ONE MINORITY WHOSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN OPPRESSED IN THIS COUNTRY. I'M ADMITTING MY CULPABILITY AND COMPLICITY AS A WHITE PERSON IN THE SOCIETY THAT IS MAINTAINED THIS ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE THINK IT'S OKAY IF ONLY WHITE FOLKS ARE MAKING ALL THE IMPORTANT DECISIONS RELATED TO A MINORITY POPULATION IN THE CITY. I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD FOLKS INVOLVED. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR GOOD WHITE PEOPLE JUST LIKE MEET WITH THE BEST OF INTENTIONS. INTENTIONS SHAPE OUR EXPERIENCES AND BELIEF IN THE HERRICK GOODNESS OF THE SYSTEM THAT HAS BEEN GOOD FOR US BUT IS FELT MINORITY FOLKS TIME AND TIME AGAIN HERE AND THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. WHO COULD HAVE SAID WE HEAR YOU AND WE SEE YOU I WOULD WANT TO FIGURE THIS OUT TOGETHER AND DID NOT.

THEN HIRED A CONSULTANT WITH A HISTORY OF HAVING MAPS THEY HELP DRAW RACIALLY BE GERRYMANDERED. AND WHO MADE AWARE OF THIS DID NOTHING BUT ALLOW THIS MAN AND TEAM DISTENDED THIS PUTTING IN TEAR DOWN A BLOCK CONTRIBUTION TO THIS PROCESS.

NOTE RACIAL SLUR SLURS WERE THROWN AROUND HIM WAS PHYSICALLY ATTACKED.

THAT IS TEXT BUT MODERN WHITE SUPREMACY. THE EQUUS OF 1962 WERE HEARD LOUDLY HERE IN 2022. I'VE WATCHED AS PEOPLE INVOLVED FELT ELICITED AUBURN CONSTITUENCY. SHORTLY RESPONSIBLE IF SPEAKING OUT AND LAID AT THE FEET OF THE INACTION OF OTHERS. THEIR POSITION WITH THE CITY OR THE INEVITABILITY OF THE ALREADY DETERMINED END RESULT. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY. WE COULD SET A MESSAGE TO THE WORLD WHO I CAN PROMISE YOU IS WATCHING. IF YOU VOTE FOR A MAP WITH SOMEONE DECLARED TO BE EXEMPLARY WORK BUT HIMSELF HAD MAPS BLOCK YESTERDAY FOR NOT BEING COMPLIANT WITH THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR STAMP OF APPROVAL ON THIS PROCESS. IF YOU VOTE FOR THE CITY MAP, UNTOUCHED THROUGH THIS PROCESS YOU'RE TELLING MY FRIEND WHO HATES IT HERE SHE'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

IF YOU VOTE FOR THE CITY MAP OVER THE END WECP THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED YOU'RE TELLING FOLKS ON THE CRITIC THAT WHITE SUPREMACY IS STILL ALIVE AND ALBERT ALABAMA.

I COULD TELL MY SON, WHEN IT LEARNED BETTER, YOU DO BETTER. COME ON Y'ALL, DO BETTER.

PLACE. >> WHO WILL BE NEXT? >> THERE'S 2 LADIES COMING UP.

Y'ALL DECIDE HE WANTS TO COME FIRST PLEASE.

>> HI I'M ELIZABETH HILL. ABOUT 274 BRAGG AVENUE. IT'S IN WARD 2. I SIT UP BEFORE THIS COUNCIL MANY TIMES ON REDISTRICTING, I DON'T KNOW SOME OTHER STUFF.

BUT I'M NOT SURE I TOLD YOU WHAT MAASAI JOB IS. MAASAI JOB IS MY YOGA TEACHER.

I LOVE THE STRENGTH AND THE FLEXIBILITY IN THE COMMUNITY ASPECTS OF THE OKA.

BUT THE BEST THING THAT HAS GIVEN ME IS THE ABILITY TO HOLD TENSION AND REMIND MYSELF I CAN BREATHE THROUGH IT. RIGHT NOW YOU WERE SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF TENSION.

REMIND YOURSELF TO BREATHE THROUGH IT. I HONESTLY DON'T WANT TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS TENSION. I'M AN UPPER-CLASS WHITE VERY PRIVILEGED.

I DON'T HAVE TO BE HERE TONIGHT.I COULD BE SITTING ON MY COUCH.

I CAN ACTUALLY BE ON MY SON'S BASKETBALL GAME. I HOPE THEY ONE.

I REALLY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO BE HERE. BUT I'M HERE SITTING IN THE TENSION BECAUSE THIS MATTERS. THIS MATTERS. DEEPLY.

[00:40:03]

WE HAVE FAITH IN HER WE WANT HER, WE BELIEVE THAT TO BECAUSE WE TOOK A MAP AND WE SAID WE LOVE LOTS OF PARTS OF IT. WE WILL JUST ANSELM. BUT WHAT HER INTENTION TENTION WAS WITH THE IMPACT OF THAT MAP ARE DIFFERENT. AND YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE . SO WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THE CITY MAP TO THE CITY IMPACT OF THE CITY MAP IS PROBABLY A DELUSION OF MINORITY VOTING POWER THAT WILL LAND YOU IN A LAWSUIT. THAT WILL SPEND MY TAX DOLLARS. PLEASE DON'T SPEND MY TAX DOLLARS ON THAT. THAT'S NOT A GOOD USE OF MY TAX DOLLARS.

THERE'S LOTS OF OTHER THINGS TO SPEND MY TAX DOLLARS ON. THERE'S QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF THE MAP. THE NAACP TOOK TIME TO HIRE ROBERT AVERY FROM JJ A CONSULTANT OUT OF GADSDEN ALABAMA. HE HAS 35 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.

HE SAID OUR MAP MEETS ALL THE LEGAL CRITERIA. NUMBERS, MINDS, BEAUTIFUL.

HE EVEN WENT AS FAR TO SAY MOST CITY COUNCIL'S WOULD JUMP AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A MAP LIKE THIS. THAT HAS 2 COALITION DISTRICTS THAT GIVE MINORITIES VOTING POWER. THEN THERE'S THE CASE THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP FROM YESTERDAY.

THAT IS BEEN SPOKEN TO SEVERAL TIMES BUT I WOULD BE ASKING THE QUESTION, OF THE PERSON STANDING UP AND SAYING THE CITY MAP IS EXEMPLARY, HAVING HAD SAID THAT TO ANOTHER MAP THAT HAS NOT BEEN OVERTURNED, I WOULD JUST BE ASKING QUESTIONS. I ALSO WOULD BE ASKING THE QUESTION, IF I PASSED THE NAACP MAP WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN? I'M NOT SURE.

DO WE THINK THERE WOULD BE A LAWSUIT FROM SOMEONE ELSE? MAYBE? I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT. MAYBE YOU HAVE MORE INFORMATION.

THAT'S A QUESTION I WOULD BE ASKING. YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN SO MUCH INFORMATION. MAYOR ANDERS IS CORRECT. WE SAT THROUGH REDISTRICTING MEETINGS. YOU'VE HEARD FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

SIT IN THE TENSION OF THIS. BREATHE THROUGH IT. MAKE A DECISION THAT IS THE

BEST FOR AUBURN. >> THANK YOU. >> MY NAME IS HARRIET HUGGINS.

THE VET 631 S. DANE ROAD IN AUBURN. I BELIEVE WITH ALL BECOME AWARE OF THE LAST SEVERAL MEETINGS OF THIS BODY THAT THE MINORITY POPULATION IN AUBURN HAS GROWN TO SOME 37 PERCENT. THAT BEING SAID, PROVIDING FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF A SECOND FINAL MAJORITY MINORITY AWARD SINCE A VERY POSITIVE MESSAGE TO THE NOW POPULATION OF AUBURN. IT SAYS YOU ARE NOT ONLY VALUED IN THIS COMMUNITY BUT, WE FEEL YOU ARE NECESSARY TO REFLECT THE DIFFERENT NEEDS AND SERVICES NECESSARY TO ENSURE A GREAT COMMUNITY. I URGE THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE REDISTRICTING MAP THAT SUPPORTS

THAT POSSIBILITY. THANK YOU.>> WHO WILL BE NEXT?

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. LETICIA KHALIFA. 2262 HERITAGE RIDGE LANE.

AUBURN ALABAMA 36830. SO, I WASN'T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING.

BUT AT THE START OF THE MEETING THERE WERE A BUNCH OF REMINDERS ABOUT HOW MANY TIMES WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT REDISTRICTING. WE EVEN WENT ON THE QUANTIFIABLE AND EVERYBODY HELP COUNT AND EVEN STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNICATIONS WE BROUGHT IT UP.

SO, I WOULD ARGUE THAT SOMETHING IS IMPORTANT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DISCUSS IT AND YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DISCUSS IT AS MUCH AS YOU NEED TO BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT.

SO, IN MY OPINION THIS WHOLE MEETING WAS OPENED UP IN A MANNER TO SUGGEST THAT NUMBER

[00:45:04]

WE ARE PRESENTING INFORMATION THAT IS USEFUL AND IMPERATIVE AND RELATIVE TO A DECISION THAT EACH OF YOU WILL MAKE FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS FOR THE CITY OF AUBURN.

SO, DURING THE LAST MEETING AS WELL AS AFTER THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

THE NAACP HAS BEEN DISCREDITED. THE MAP THAT WE PROPOSED HAS BEEN DISCREDITED.

IT WAS WRONG AND IT WAS UNNECESSARY FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. THERE WERE SEVERAL ARTICLES AND CETACEANS THAT SUGGESTED THAT THE MAP THAT WE PRESENTED WAS ILLEGAL.

THEN I HEARD SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY WE STARTED PLAYING SEMANTICS AND IT WAS NEVER SAID THAT OUR MAP WAS LEGAL. MAYBE IT WAS INFERRED THAT IT WAS NOT ILLEGAL. HONESTLY DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. BECAUSE WHAT THE COMMUNITY HEARD IS THAT THE NAACP IS MAP WAS ILLEGAL. SO, UP TO THIS POINT SEVERAL OF YOU CITY COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE SAID WERE WAITING ON A LEGAL OPINION BEFORE YOU CAN MAKE YOUR DECISION ABOUT THEM OUT.

THEN YOU GOT A LEGAL OPINION. THEN HAD A REBUTTAL TO THE LEGAL OPINION THAT AS INTELLIGENT PEOPLE SHOULD BE ASKING YOURSELF WHAT IS GOING ON HERE.

RIGHT? THEN, OTHERS SAID WELL, IF THE NAACP IS MAP IS ILLEGAL THEN I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO VOTE FOR THE CITY'S PROPOSED MAP AND I WOULD AGREE.

IF IT'S A LEGAL ONLY HAVE ONE OPTION ON THE TABLE. BUT NOW THAT YOU KNOW BETTER, RIGHT? THEN WE SHOULD DO BETTER. AND I WOULD SAY IF YOU VOTE AGAINST THE MAP THAT WE PROPOSE TONIGHT THEN, YOU HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO HIDE BEHIND.

AT FIRST YOU COULD HIDE BEHIND THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO OTHER OPTION BECAUSE OUR MAP WAS ILLEGAL. SO, IF YOU DON'T VOTE FOR A MAP THAT IS NOT THAT FAR OFF FROM THE MAP THAT WAS PROPOSED. THE MAP THAT WAS DETERMINED TO BE LEGAL AND VERY NEAR SIMILAR TO WHAT THE CITY PROPOSED THEN, I THINK THAT MEANS YOU DON'T CARE.

I THINK THAT MEANS YOU'RE BEING SELF-SERVING. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY THIS IS JUST ANOTHER REDUNDANT CONVERSATION. TO ME THAT'S VERY SAD.

THERE'S A QUOTE THAT SAYS, CHEMICAL AND PEOPLE SHOW YOU WHO THEY ARE, BELIEVE THEM,.

PLEASE DON'T SHOW US WHO YOU ARE. THANK YOU.

>> WHO WILL BE NEXT? >> I'M LINDA LEE. I RESIDE AT 1652 SAINT ANDREWS LANE. IN AUBURN. 36830.

I WASN'T GONNA SAY ANYTHING EITHER BUT, I FEEL LIKE THAT I NEED TO REPEAT SOME THINGS.

I NEED TO BE REDUNDANT. BUT I DO THINK SOME OF THESE THINGS FOR ME AS A CITIZEN, NOT AS A MEMBER OF AN ORGANIZATION BUT JUST AS A CITIZEN OF AUBURN THAT I THINK LAST TIME I MENTIONED THAT THE PROCESS IS BROKEN. PRESIDENT ALAN MENTIONED THAT AGAIN. I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT I MEAN BY THE PROCESS IS BROKEN.

I THINK IT'S BEEN KIND OF SAD THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING AGAINST MRS. CROUCH AND HER MOUTH.

AND THAT'S NOT TRUE. UNFORTUNATELY MRS. CROUCH IS INVOLVED IN A PROCESS THAT IS BROKEN. THE MANNER IN WHICH THAT PROCESS IS BROKEN IS THAT AS A

[00:50:03]

I WASN'T ASKED TO GIVE INPUT PRIOR TO A MAP BEING DRAWN. NOW, I MAY BE WRONG ABOUT THAT BUT I THINK THE MAP WAS PRESENTED AS FAR BACK AS NOVEMBER 10.

AND I ONLY REMEMBER HAVING A CHANCE TO HAVE INPUT AFTER ONE MAP WAS PRESENTED.

I WASN'T ASKED AS A CITIZEN. WHAT ARE SOME WAYS, WHAT ARE SOME THINGS YOU SEE ABOUT THIS MAP? HOW MUCH WOULD YOU REDRAW IT? I'M NOT REAL SURE THAT, I THINK AT SOME OTHER PLACES IN ALABAMA PEOPLE OR CITIZENS ARE ALLOWED THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT MAPS. ORGANIZATIONS PRESENT MAPS. INDIVIDUALS PRESENT MAPS.

THEY PRESENT CONCERNS ABOUT HOW PARTICULAR DISTRICTS ARE DRAWN. AND, THOSE THINGS ARE LAID OUT ON A TABLE. AND CONSIDERED AS A PART OF THE PROCESS.

SOMEHOW I DON'T FIGURE THAT HAPPENED HERE. JUSTICE IT SEEMED LIKE IT HAPPENS. I'M WALKING AWAY AS A CITIZEN FEELING CHEATED.

THE OTHER THING THAT I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO ADDRESS IS STATISTICS.

I'M NOT A STATISTICIAN. BUT I LISTENED AS DOCTOR HOOD, ONE OF MY ACADEMIC COLLEAGUES FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA PRESENTED. I DO HAVE A DOCTORATE, PHD FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI IN PSYCHOLOGY. I REALIZE THAT'S A SOFT SCIENCE. I DID HAVE TO DO A DISSERTATION.

IT WAS ON STRESS. STATISTICS I FOUND DURING THE PROCESS OF DOING THE DISSERTATION IS ABOUT STATISTICS. I WAS PRETTY GOOD AT IT.

SOME OF THE STATISTICS THAT WERE PRESENTED HERE JUST WEREN'T VALID.

BUT, DOCTOR HOOD PRESENTED THEM ANYWAY. THE SAMPLE WAS TO SMALL.

HE LOOKED AT 2 ELECTIONS. WE ALL SHOULD NOTE WHETHER YOU'RE A STATISTICAL GENIUS OR NOT WE SHOULD ALL KNOW THAT A SAMPLE OF 2 IS NOT LARGE ENOUGH TO DRAW ANY KIND OF CONCLUSIONS. OKAY? THE OTHER STATISTICS THAT HE PRESENTED REGARDING OUR HISPANIC AND OUR ASIAN-AMERICAN POPULATIONS.

HE PRESENTED THAT A CERTAIN NUMBER OF THEM WERE NONRESIDENTS.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE GOT HIS STATISTICS. I CAN TELL YOU HE DID NOT GET THEM FROM A CENSUS. AND IF HE DIDN'T GET IT FROM CENSUS THEY ARE NOT VALID IN CONSIDERING DRAWING A MAP. SO, THAT JUST DISTURBED ME AND I WANTED TO SAY THAT.

ALSO, HIS USE OF THE GIGGLES TEST WAS TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE. IT IS NOT A VALID MEASURE TO BE APPLIED IN THIS VENUE. 2 HOUR MAP TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT'S VALID, LEGAL OR IN ANY ANNER. NNER. NOW, IT'S A BIT THAT OR THE

LAW. >> PLEASE WRAP IT UP IF YOU WILL.

>> I THINK WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO SAY TO YOU IS THAT IF YOU END UP GOING TO COURT YOU MIGHT WIN. SO, HE LET YOU KNOW THAT. ALL RIGHT?

>> THANK YOU. >> YES MA'AM? >> EXCUSE ME ON BENNETT APOLOGISTS AHEAD I HAVE A SINUS INFECTION. MY VOICE IS LITTLE ROUGH.

I WASN'T SURE OF MYSELF EVER I WAS GOING TO SPEAK TONIGHT. MY NAME'S ELIZABETH DEVORE.

I RESIDE AT 502 PERRY STREET. MORED 3. FIRST I WANT TO BEGIN BY SAYING THAT I'VE LIVED IN AUBURN NOW FOR 12 YEARS. INTIMATE 12 YEARS. ALL EVENTS BECAUSE I CAME HERE FROM AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE ELECTORAL ENGINEERING. I STAY FOR MY MASTERS DEGREE AND I STAYED EVEN LONGER SO I CAN COMPLETE MY PHD IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING.

NOW WHEN I WAS AN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT I WAS NOT AS INVOLVED. AS I AM NOW WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THIS JUST A REALITY OF BEING AN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT WHO IS

[00:55:08]

BUT ONE OF THE SAD REALITIES IS THAT LOOKING AT THE AUBURN UNIVERSITY POPULATION, THAT POPULATION IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STATE AND IT CERTAINLY IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CITY. THAT'S SAD. I'M CONSTANTLY STRIVING AND TRYING TO PUSH FOR MORE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT ON THE UNIVERSITY'S CAMPUS. I WOULD EXPECT THE MINIMUM OF A CITY THAT'S MUCH MORE DIVERSE THAN THE UNIVERSITY IS. THE MAP THAT'S PRESENTED BY THE NAACP, IT'S A RING CHOICE.

AS STATED BY OTHERS TONIGHT THERE IS HARD DECISIONS YOU HAVE TO MAKE.

MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THE RIGHT CHOICE OF THE EASY CHOICE ARE NOT ONE IN THE SAME.

WE HAVE A HISTORY. ALL OF OUR SYSTEM ARE BUILT ON WHITE SUPREMACY AND SYSTEM OF OPPRESSION. YOU KNOW WHAT'S RIGHT. IN THE MAP CENTER PRESENTED BY

NAACP IS THE RIGHT DECISION. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

WHO WILL BE NEXT? >> GOOD EVENING. HOPE Y'ALL CAN HEAR MEET WITH US ON. I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE TAKING IT OFF RIGHT NOW.

JOSHUA LEWIS APPEARED CHAIRMAN JOSHUA LEWIS. AUBURN ALABAMA.

I AM PROUD CHAIRMAN OF. [INAUDIBLE]. I AM HERE BEFORE YOU JUST LIKE ONE OF HER SISTERS THAT A WHILE AGO. SANCHEZ ASSISTANT TO HUMAN INVESTMENT CLASSIFIED AS A CITIZEN. I'M SPEAKING HUMAN TO HUMAN RIGHT NOW. I THINK THE COUNCIL AT ALL OF YOU IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW Y'ALL HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF INFORMATION GEARED TOWARDS YOU PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FOCUSING THEIR ATTENTION FOR YOU AND RIGHTFULLY SO. YOU HAVE BIG DECISIONS TO MAKE.

AT THIS MOMENT I WANT TO YOU BECAUSE THIS IS A TIME THAT'S A LOT OF WORK.

WHEN I TAKE A BRANCH OF THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE NEXT 4 MINUTES I HAVE.

I DON'T WANT TO YOU BUT I'M LOOKING ACHIEVEMENTS BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND YOU.

THE PEOPLE ALONG WITH YOU DOING THEY BELIEVE IT AUBURN. I COULD SAY OR DO.

I DO BELIEVE THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE UP AUBURN. I BELIEVE THE PEOPLE IS WHO AUBURN IS.T JUST SOME WEIRD SPOOKY ENTITY THAT'S ALL THERE. IT'S BEEN ESTABLISHED AND ROOTED POSSIBLY, IT'S BEEN WRITTEN BY PEOPLE. THESE PEOPLE HAVE CERTAIN INTENTIONS. I CAN'T WHAT THEIR INTENTIONS WERE BACK THEN.

[INAUDIBLE] MACON COUNTY GAVE BIRTH TO AUBURN, RIGHT? BUT ONLY TO GIVE BIRTH BACK IN THE DAY FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO OCCUPY SPACE THAT WAS ORGANICALLY THURSDAY STARTED ANNEXING LAND. THIS BEAUTIFUL PLACE WE HAVE TODAY IS BECAUSE THERE WERE CERTAIN PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T HAVE A VOICE, WHO DIDN'T HAVE A VOID AND COULD DICTATE CERTAIN THINGS BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONES THAT THEIR BACKS HAVE BEEN BUILT ON.

GUESS WHAT? [INAUDIBLE] CHRIS EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL IT LOOKS NICE.

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING THIS THING WORK ARE BEING TOLD BECAUSE THE MAP IS GOING TO BE REJECTED THAT THE NAACP THAT THE PEOPLE PRESENTED AND TRIED TO PRESENT IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MAN, YOU DON'T HAVE NO VOICE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE HERE.

I'M TALKING TO CITIZENS OF THE NEXT 2 MINUTES. WHEN I WOULD TELL YOU IS WE DO HAVE THE POWER. IF WE AS AN ORGANIZATION BUT AS PEOPLE COME TOGETHER NOT THE PEOPLE IN FRONT OF ME BUT IT. [INAUDIBLE] GUESS WHAT, IF THERE WERE MORE PEOPLE IN YOUR WOULD BE STANDING ROOM ONLY. AND THERE WOULD BE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO GET TO THIS BUILDING.

I THINK WE HAVE A LOT MORE PROGRESS THAN WE HAVE NOW. I THINK A LOT OF IT IS GETTING TOGETHER AND AS THE TELL ME LOVE, I KNOW IT'S A BIG HOUSE IT IS HARD.

AS MINORITIES IT IS HARD WORKING 12 TO 12. GIVE 3 OR 4 KIDS TRY TO MAKE

[01:00:08]

I'M TELLING YOU IT'S HARD BUT IT'S POSSIBLE. WE HAVE TO MAKE IT AS PEOPLE IN THESE LIVER STEPS AN ORGANIZATION WE HAVE TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE PULLING PEOPLE.

NOT JUST FOR ORGANIZATIONS. I'M NOT. [INAUDIBLE] SAINT WE NEED MORE THAN THIS ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER STANDING APPEARED. NEED EVERYBODY FEELS THAT THEY NEED TO BE HEARD STANDING UP. THERE'S NOWHERE ANY FORCE CAN STOP THE WHOLE GAMUT OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE STAND TOGETHER. THE POWER DOES LINE THE PEOPLE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

[INAUDIBLE] I LIKE TO SEE THIS BEFORE. FOR THOSE BEHIND ME AND FOR THE MEAT THAT WE CAN FIND SOME WAY TO PUSH THOSE TO MAKE SURE THEY DO EXACTLY WHAT WE TELL THEM TO DO BECAUSE THEY WORK FOR US. DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE CONTRACT SAYS.

DOESN'T MATTER WITH ANYTHING SAYS. AT THE EDGE OF THE DAY AS OUR CONSTITUTION SAYS THE PEOPLE HAS THE RIGHT. [INAUDIBLE].

WE THE PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT AND THE DUTY TO COME TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THESE PEOPLE. THEY SHOULD BE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE WORLD THEY'RE GOING TO GET INTO OFFICE THIS COMING YEAR IF THEY DON'T DO WHAT TO SAY TO DO.

BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE PEOPLE THAT GUESS WHAT IT MAY NOT PUSH THAT WAY.

PEOPLE I'M TELLING YOU, THIS IS FOR YOU. IF WE COME TOGETHER, GUESS WHAT THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN BE STOPPED. LOVE YOU.

>> WHO'S NEXT? >> JASON PRATT, 810 TULLAHOMA DRIVE.

I EMAILED MOST THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. I WANTED TO SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TODAY. LOVE AUBURN. IN HER 5 YEARS.

I'M A SCIENTIST. SO THE NUMBERS MEAN SOMETHING. I WORK FOR A GLOBAL COMPANY.

DO RESEARCH. I COLLECT DATA. PRESENT DATA IS USED TO MAKE MILLION-DOLLAR DECISIONS. SO AGAIN, I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT STATISTICS.

I KNOW LITTLE BIT ABOUT NUMBERS AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DATA. LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING WE HAD AN EXPERT CAN APPEAR AND CLAIM THAT LOOKING BACK ON 2 DATA POINTS WAS ENOUGH TO MAKE A LEGAL DECISION WHICH COULD COST THE CITY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

OUR CLUB GUESS. SECOND, THERE WAS SUBSISTENCE ON THE SCREENS SPECIFICALLY THE 2020 CPAP SENSES. YOU GUYS REMEMBER THAT? THIS IS HOW THE JUSTIFIED LEGAL OR ILLEGAL. THAT'S HOW THEY SHOWED YOU THERE THERE DECISION THAT THIS MAP WAS PULLING THE EXECUTIVE ORDER ON ENSURING A LAWFUL AND ACCURATE ENUMERATION AN APPOINTMENT FOR SUITABLE TO THE DECENNIAL CENSUS. ALL WORK ON THE 2020 CENSUS CPAP WAS STOPPED AND NEVER ISSUED. THE DATA THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THIS COUNCIL CITY COUNSEL MEETING WAS A LIE. IT WAS CRAP.

THEY MADE UP THE DATA THEY USED TO SUPPORT THEM OUT. YOU CAN LOOK IT UP.

ACTUALLY REGGIE OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER. THE DATE IT WAS NEVER GENERATED AND NEVER PRODUCED AND NEVER RELEASED. YOU SAW LAST WEEK BY YOUR EXPERT. IT'S CRAP. THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO BRING UP. I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST ANY CITY COUNSEL NUMBER.

SOME OF AUBURN. NOTHING GETS A CITY MANAGER. I THINK SHE'S TRYING TO DO AN EXCELLENT JOB. THE FACT THAT THE EXPERT AND THE PERSON THAT HELPED THEM DRAW THE MAP YOU HAVE CURRENTLY IS OPENLY POLITICALLY ACTIVE IN SUPPRESSING THE BLACK VOTE.

MINORITY VOTE. I MEAN IT'S NOT EVEN HIDDEN. I THINK EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM KNOWS. THE FACT THAT HE HAS MADE LEGAL ARGUMENTS AND FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES TO SUPPRESS THE BLACK VOTE. I MEAN LOOK AT YESTERDAY.

EVERYBODY'S ARMY SPOKEN ABOUT IT. THE FACT THAT THE CITY OF AUBURN CHOSE TO USE HIM AS AN EXPERT, THAT'S POWERFUL. IT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM. RIGHT? YOU GOT A CHOICE.

MAKE THE RIGHT ONE GUYS. >> WHO WILL BE NEXT? >> GOOD EVENING.

[01:05:19]

SYSTEMIC RACISM MEANS THAT RACISM IS BUILT INTO THE SYSTEM.

RETAINING THE STATUS QUO ALLOWS THE SYSTEM TO CONTINUE MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO ALLOWS RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION TO CONTINUE. THE CITY STAFF HAS MADE A GOOD HONEST ATTEMPT TO CREATE 2 MAJORITY DISTRICTS. THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD LET ME KNOW THAT. I MAKE NO ACCUSATIONS OF INDIVIDUALS BEING RACIST.

BUT, REGARDLESS THAT'S NOT THE POINT. WE ARE ASKING FOR FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE. AT THE PRESENTATION LAST WEEK WAS POSITIVE THAT THE NAACP MAP WOULD NOT BE EFFECTIVE IN AUBURN AS A MAJORITY MINORITY DISTRICT.

I'VE HEARD ABOUT THE LEGAL CONCERNS AND THOSE HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED.

I'VE HEARD NO CASE FOR THE CITY MAP HAVING AN ADVANTAGE COMPARED TO THE NAACP MAP.

I HAVE HEARD CONCERNS ABOUT THE MAP OPERATING AS IT'S INTENDED TO INCREASE DIVERSITY OF REPRESENTATION. AND IF YOU HAVE A CONCERN THAT THE NAACP MAP WILL NOT DO THAT THEN AFTER WE PASS IT WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND SEE WHAT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE.HAT ELSE CAN WE DO? I KNOW SOME OF YOU ARE ALREADY ENGAGED IN THE CONVERSATION.

I HAVE HEARD CITIZENS HEARSAY THAT WE WANT THE NAACP MAP. THIS WOULD BE A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. NAACP, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE. THE NEED FOR ADVANCEMENT EXISTS BECAUSE PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE NOT ON AN EVEN PLAYING FIELD. THE IMPACTS OF THE PAST AND THE BAKED AND INJUSTICES OF TODAY MEAN THAT THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN PUTS THEM AT A DISADVANTAGE.

THIS INJUSTICE, THE SYSTEMIC RACISM WILL PERSIST ESPECIALLY IF WE TAKE NO ACTION.

PLEASE ACT TONIGHT. >>. >> HELLO I'M DAVID MASSEY.

I LIVED IN A WATER CREST COURT. 334 WATER CREST COURT AUBURN. I BET LIVING IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR OVER 20 YEARS NOW. I'M GOING TO SAY IS REALLY GOING TO UPSET PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM OR CLOSE TO IT. WHEN I'M STANDING IS NOT WHAT I WAS TAUGHT IN SCHOOL OR IN THE PAPERS ARE IN SPACE TO MY LIFE EXPERIENCE.

MY FIRST DOUBLE ENDS NAACP WAS WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID I WAS PART OF A GROUP OF KIDS THAT WERE TRANSFERRED TO AN ALL-BLACK SCHOOL. IT WAS ALL BLACK UNTIL WE WENT THERE. I CAN LIKE 70 TO 71. WE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE ACCEPTED WITH OPEN ARMS BUT, IT WAS THERE SCHOOL. THEIR TURF AND WE HAD TO WATCH OUR BACK AND POTENTIAL OF BEING JUMPED ON ARE BEING SUCKED GIRLS BEING SEXUALLY MOLESTED ON DAILY BASIS WAS MATURITY BY SCHOOL. WORKED 3 DECADES IN A CATTLE FARM IN WANEGARD. THE MEMBERS AND NAACP WERE COWORKERS OVER THE MARS PARTNER GET ALONG WITH THAT WORK WELL IN THE CROWDED BREAK ROOMS SHARON DISCUSSIONS FROM THEIR MEETINGS OR UPCOMING MEETINGS. LONG OF WHITES CANNOT ACCEPT THE FACT THAT A LOT OF BLACKS ARE RACIST. AND NAACP ORGANIZATION YOUR WHOLE PURSUIT IS TO BETTER YOUR

[01:10:07]

BUT, THAT'S THE WAY IT IS. SO WHAT ARE YOU DOING? YOU'RE STATING THAT THE ONLY WAY BLACKS CAN BE PROPERLY REPRESENTED IS ONLY BY ANOTHER BLACK.

SOMEHOW YOU CAN TRUST THEM TO ALSO REPRESENT OTHER MINORITIES.

I REALLY FEEL LIKE Y'ALL GUYS REPRESENT AIRBORNE REPRESENT EVERYONE IN THEIR WARD.

NOT THEIR RACE. NOT THEIR RELIGION BUT, PEOPLE IN YOUR BOARD.

YOU KNOW AND BUT TO SAY THIS IS 2022 ESTILL 1962. ALABAMA IS WRONG.

THIS ORGANIZATION IS A RACIST ORGANIZATION. THEY DON'T REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE. IN A COLORBLIND SOCIETY WE SHOULD HAVE REGULAR RACIAL

ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING ONLY ONE RACE. CHRIST FINISH UP >> WRAPPED UP

PLEASE. >> STILL GOT 45 SECONDS YOU SET A MOUTHFUL.

I SAID WHAT I SAID IS NOT PC. I HAVE THE BALLS TO SAY T. [INAUDIBLE] COOKS YOUR TIME IS UP. SIT DOWN. NO, YOUR TIME IS UP SIT T DOWN.

WOULD YOU PLEASE ASK THIS GENTLEMAN TO SIT YOUR TIME IS UP SIR.

YOU'RE ONE. YOU'RE DONE SPEAKING. YOU'RE DONE.

PLEASE SIR. JUST PLEASE STEP OUTSIDE SIR. [INAUDIBLE]

>> ENOUGH. [INAUDIBLE] >> I DO NOT HAVE FREEDOM OF

SPEECH HERE. >> I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GREAT TIME 10 THE PUBLIC HEARING. SIR, EACH PARTY SPOKE NCE. YES MA'AM, YOU CAN COME EAK.

>> CAN I JUST SAY SOMETHING BEFORE SHE SPEAKS. >> WERE STILL IN A PUBLIC

HEARING. >> I GOT THAT. I THINK AT THIS POINT WE NEED TO TAKE A BREAK. IF EVEN IF IT'S JUST FOR 3 MINUTES.

>> YOU'RE ASKING FOR RECESS? >> I GOT AGAIN MY COMPOSURE HERE.

>> COUNCILMEMBER ARE YOU REQUESTING A RECESS. HOW MANY MINUTES WOULD YOS.

[01:15:18]

NUTES. >> CAN WE BRING THE MEETING BACK INTO CONTROL.

WE WILL GET STARTED. IS MY INTUITION THAT WE HAVE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING.

WE HAVE HEARD FROM ALMOST 20 INDIVIDUALS. FOR THIS EVENING.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EMOTION THAT IS BEEN SPOKEN SO FAR. WE CAN VERY DIFFICULT ENDING TO THIS PUBLIC HEARING. IT IS MY BELIEF AND WHAT I WOULD ADVISE THE COUNCIL AT THIS POINT IN TIME THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING NEEDS TO AND WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR

MEETING TONIGHT. >> I AGREE WITH YOU MAYOR. >> I AGREE WITH THE MAYOR.

I THINK THAT NAACP SHOULD HAVE ONE SPEAKER AND THEN WE SHOULD END.

>> I DID INTERRUPT SOMETHING, THE PUBLIC HEARING BUT I NEED TO HAVE TO KEEP MY COMPOSURE THAT TIME. I DO APOLOGIZE BECAUSE YOU WERE GETTING READY TO GET OUT.

I THINK WE SHOULD GIVE HER THE OPPORTUNITY OR WHOEVER THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY SOMETHING.

>> IS THAT REST OF THE COUNCIL FIELD PLEASE? >> I COULD SUPPORT THAT CONNIE.

>> I AGREE. >> OKAY. WE WILL ALLOW THE PUBLIC HEARING TO REMAIN ONE ADDITIONAL SPEAKER PLEASE. YES SIR.

>> BERNARD SIMON. [INAUDIBLE] NAACP WAS FUNDED BY MUCH OF A GROUP OF PEOPLE.

THE END AA CP IS ON RACIST ORGANIZATION. WE SEND PEOPLE SEVERAL RIGHTS ARE HIGHLIGHTED WHETHER THE WRITER BLACK. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A WHITE AND DOUBLE C8 RESIDENT IN ALABAMA. MANY COMMENTS THAT THE GENTLEMAN BEFORE US MADE AS IT RELATES TO NAACP BEING RACIST ORGANIZATION IS A FLAT-OUT FALSE LIGHT.

AND WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW THOSE TYPE OF COMMENTS TO ME MADE IN A PUBLIC FORUM LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT HELPS A FORM OF PINIONS. I GET OFF THE STAGE, AS I THINK THAT'S WHY WE NEED PEOPLE TO REPRESENT ALL PEOPLE IN YOUR CITY COUNCIL, IN YOUR STATE AND IN THE STATION. PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T LEVELHEADED. PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN EQUALITY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. AND NOT THAT YOU OU BELIEVE IT REPRESENTS ONLY ONE PARTICULAR R GROUP. E COMMENT BLACK PERSON OR WHITE PERSON REPRESENTING ONLY THOSE PEOPLE HAS BEEN PROVEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS IN PARTICULAR WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTIONS AND WHEN IT COMES TO REPRESENTATION VOTE COHESIVELY AS A GROUP.

AND THAT THEY NEED SOMEONE THAT'S GOING TO REPRESENT HIM ON CITY COUNCIL, COUNTY COMMISSION OR WHETHER IT'S A STATE OR FEDERAL ELECTION. AGAIN, WE DESPISE THE COMMENT OF THE GENTLEMAN AND HOPEFULLY THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WILL PASS SOME KIND OF RESOLUTION TO BAN THAT INDIVIDUAL FROM COMING TO A MEETING AGAIN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> YES SIR. CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. DISCUSSION FOR THE COUNCIL.

>> I MOVED TO AMEND THE PURPOSE MET BY THE CITY OF AUBURN TO THE PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE MAP

PROPOSED BY THE NAACP. >> I SECOND. >> I MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND ALTERNATIVE MAP TO MOVE CENSUS BLOCKS A AND B 01 081 04, 04, 005 POPULATION 79 AND 108-104-0403 1011 POPULATION 40 PER MORGAN 625. THIS CHANGE CAUSES THE ALTERNATIVE MAP DEVIATION BETWEEN THE WARRANTS TO GO FROM 5.8 TO 6.0.

A GROUP OF CITIZENS OF MALVERN CAME TOGETHER DECORATED AMOUNT THEY BELIEVE IS MORE FAIR AND MORE EQUITABLE FOR EVERYONE IN AUBURN AND I BELIEVE IN THAT AS WELL.

I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THE AMOUNT REPRESENTED BY THE CITY HOWEVER, MAP LOW BY THE CITY OF AUBURN CHANGE THE DIAMOND NOMEX AWARD 5 GREATLY. WARD 5 HAS BEEN PREDOMINANTLY MADE UP OF SINGLE-FAMILY UNITS, HOWEVER WITH THE CHANGE BY THE CITY OF AUBURN'S REDISTRICTING

[01:20:11]

WE DON'T WANT TO BE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THIS. I WANT TO BE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THIS. FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH THIS CHANGE WILL ALSO PUT COUNCILMAN PARSONS HOME IN WARD 5 WHICH WILL THEN OPEN UP THE WARD 6 SEAT FOR POTENTIAL MINORITY REP, THIS SUMMER. AS MENTIONED EARLIER I WILL NOT BE RUNNING FOR THE WARD 5 SEAT THIS SUMMER SO COUNCILMAN PARSONS CAN KEEP HIS CURRENT CONSTITUENTS.

I THINK THIS IS A GREAT COMPROMISE AND SOLUTIONS BY SUPPORTING THIS WE CAN AVOID A POTENTIAL LAWSUIT IN OUR TAX DOLLARS CAN BE PUT TO USE IN OUR COMMUNITY RATHER THAN PAYING FOR LEGAL FEES. IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A COPY OF THE MAP THAT I'M

PROPOSING I HAVE COPIES. >> MAYOR 10 TO UNIT IS SECOND TO THE AMENDMENT TO THE LIMIT.

>> I SECOND. >> BEFORE YOU CAN HAVE ANY DISCUSSION.HANK ANK YOU.

>> THIS OBVIOUSLY NEW INFORMATION FOR THE COUNCIL. RUSSIANS ARE CONSTANT.

>> HAS THIS BEEN VETTED? IS THIS THE SAME MAP? >> I'M NO IDEA.

>> THIS EXACT SAME OUT EXCEPT A SLIGHT CHANGE WITH 2 BLOCKS. >> CAN YOU POINT OUT WHERE

THOSE BLOCKS ARE? >> ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE SAME MAP PROPOSED BY AUBURN OR

THE NAACP. >> NAACP MALL. I MENTIONED IT A MINUTE AGO.

WITH THE CENSUS BLOCKS ARE. >> HAS THIS BEEN VETTED THROUGH LEGAL AS TO THE RATIO OF

POPULATION SPREAD FOR ANY OF THAT? >> NO, NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE UNLESS SOMEONE WAS CONTACTED MR. DAVIDSON CORRECTLY. DIRECTLY.

NO, NOT SEEN AS I DON'T HAVE BEFORE ME ANY INFORMATION ON BLOCKS.

>> OUR STAFF MORE LEGAL TMILLS LOOKED AT THIS. >> NO, LET'S BE CLEAR TALKING ONLY ABOUT THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT. THAT IS THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY AMENDMENTS. THIS IS IN ORDER BUT THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT WHICH IS EVOLVING SPECIFIC BLOCK GROUPS THAT WERE MENTIONED WE HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE INITIALLY PROPOSED AMENDMENT THAT'S NOW ON THE FLOOR.

SO I DON'T WANT ANY YOU KNOW LACK OF CLARITY ON THAT. YOU HAVE REVIEWED THAT PEER COMMITMENT TO THE MOMENT HAS NOT BEEN SOMETHING STAFF HAS LOOKED AT MY KNOWLEDGE.

>> THIS WHOLE THING BEING LIKE A PIETY MOVEMENT STRAIGHT TO CHANGE LINES.

THE KIND OF ANALYSIS NEEDS TO BE DONE TO MAKE COMMITMENT TO THE AMENDMENT AND.

>> ON MR. GRAHAM'S SPEECH THAT. IS OUR GIS EXPERT AND THIS IS TIFFANY CHIEF OFFICER.

I HAVE HIM THEM. >> WHAT WERE TYPICALLY LOOKING FOR LOOKING ON BOTH SIDES OF OUTLINE OF WHAT POPULATION IS SHIFTING AND THE MAKEUP OF THAT POPULATION.

IN THE MAKEUP OF THAT POPULATION BOTH IN COMPLETE INDIVIDUALS.

EVERYBODY.E ALSO LOOK AT THE VOTING POPULATION AS WELL. WE CAN UNDERSTAND IF THERE'S A DIFFERENT DYNAMIC AT PLAY MCSHANE WITH A COUPLE SIGNS THAT POINT.> AT THIS POINT

WE HAVE IT. >> NO, THIS HAS NOT BEEN REVIEWED.

>> THANK YOU. >> WAS IT MENTIONED IN THE MEMO TO THE MOMENT WITH THE STANDARD DEVIATION WOULD CHANGE TO. DID YOU STATE THAT?> 5.8 PERCENT TO 6 PERCENT.

>> 6 PERCENT DEVIATION 415? OR WERE 6? >> I BELIEVE IT'S 5. OR 6, SORRY, I'M SORRY. 6. THE WHOLE CITY? THE WHOLE CITY.

>> ARE WE NOT BOUND FOR DEVIATION OF LESS THAN 5 PERCENT.

[01:25:05]

>> DORMANT WALKER SHE WILL EXPLAIN THE DEVIATION. LOOKING AT A TOTAL DEVIATION OF NOT LESS THAN I MEAN NOT MORE THAN 10. WE WILL HAVE EXPLAINED FRONT

LEGAL PERSPECTIVE.>> THE DEVIATION YOU'VE ADOPTED IS EITHER ARRANGED THAT IS 5 PERCENT ABOVE IDEAL POPULATION TO 5 PERCENT BELOW IDEAL POPULATION FOR A TOTAL

DEVIATION OF 10 PERCENT. >> IS A CITY WINE OR IS THAT PER WORD OR DISTRICT?

>> THAT'S DONE ON IT WORD FOR DISTRICT BASIS. SO IF YOU WOULD EXPECT THAT EACH WORN HAS A DEVIATION SOMEWHERE BETWEEN ONE AND 10 PERCENT.

>> OKAY. AGAIN I'M GOING TO ASK THE 6 PERCENT DEVIATION IS FOR WHAT?

>> IS FOR THE ENTIRE CITY. >> OKAY. THAT MAKES SENSE.

>> NO SIR. IN ORDER. YOU'RE OUT OF ANY OTHER

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE NCIL? >> I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS BUT I HINK MOST OF MY QUESTIONS WERE DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING WERE ANSWERED.

I REALLY WANTED SOMEONE TO CLARIFY IF THE MAP WITH THE NAACP PROPOSED WAS IT LEGAL OR

WAS IT NOT LEGAL? >> RIGHT NOW WERE TALKING ABOUT THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT.

>> RIGHT. THEN WE CAN GET TO THAT WITH THE AMENDMENT UNLESS YOU FEEL.

[INAUDIBLE] >> YOU COULD GET THERE. YOU GOT A TICKET IN ORDER FOR THE AMENDMENT TO THE MOMENT. THEN NEXT LEVEL CONNIE. I KNOW YOU SECONDED THE MOTION.

FROM THERE IT'S UP TO YOU GUYS. >> JUST FOR CLARITY THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT NOW IS THE RECONFIGURATION OF THE LINES SEPARATING WARD 5 IN WARD 6, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT THAT WE ARE

DISCUSSING. >> TO THE NAACP MAP. >> WHICH IS THIS?

>> YES. >> SO THIS IS THE AMENDED VERSION OF THE NAACP MAP?

THAT'S WHAT WERE SPEAKING OF NOW? >> YES.

YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT BOB. >> BUT THE ALTERNATIVE MAP CONTINUE MR. DIXON WITH THE

MMX. >> S DESIGNS WHEN IT MATCHUP WITH THE CITY'S PRODUCED AMOUNT. IF WE WERE TO ADOPT THE AMENDMENT THE SECONDARY AMENDMENT AND THEN ADOPT THE CITY'S PRODUCED AMOUNT THE LINES WOULDN'T MATCHUP IT ALL.

>> THE SECONDARY AMENDMENT IS FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AMENDMENT.

THE PRIMARY AMENDMENT IN THE SECONDARY AMENDMENT ARE RELATED TO ONE ANOTHER.

AT THE MOMENT. EVENTS GO ON THE ORDER. >> IN THAT CASE I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER SOME COMMENTS. ABOUT THE AMENDED AMENDMENT. IN ORDER TO SPEAK TO A COUPLE OF COMMENTS MADE BY THE PUBLIC CONCERNING ME AND MY MOTIVATIONS AS A COUNCILMEMBER.

THE IDEA THAT I'M COVETING MY POSITION IN THE FACE OF DEMOCRACY, THAT I'M SITTING BACK TRYING TO BE COMFORTABLE FOR THE NEXT 4 YEARS AND ON THE ELECTION IS PARTICULARLY GALLING TO ME. BECAUSE I BELIEVE I HAVE HONORED THE IDEA OF DEMOCRACY IN EVERY SITUATION THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED AS A PUBLIC REPRESENTATIVE.

THE IDEA THAT I'M GOING TO LOOK AT WHAT'S BEST FOR ME INTEGRATES ME TERRIBLY.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERY MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY IF THEY SO LED TO GET THE MUNICIPAL RACE FOR THE CITY. STATE YOUR CASE, ARGUE YOUR POSITIONS, APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC THAT YOU ARE THE BETTER CANDIDATE AND RUN AND I WISH YOU WELL.

THE PUBLIC WILL CHOOSE THEIR CHOSEN PERCENTAGE OF AND DEMOCRACY IS ASSURED.

WHETHER MY CASE IS STRONGER OR NOT IS UP TO YOU. I'M CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO PERSUADE ANYBODY FROM GETTING INVOLVED IN THE HONORABLE DUTY OF PUBLIC REPRESENTATION.

[01:30:17]

I WILL SEE YOU THERE AND I WILL RAISE MY RATES AS WELL. >> ANYONE ELSE?

>> WOULD YOU CLARIFY WHAT WERE PHONY ON AND IN WHAT ORDER PLEASE.

>> WERE VOTING ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT. VOTING ON THE REDRAWING OF

THESE LINES FOR THE ALTERNATIVE MAP. >> NOT THE CITY MAP, THE

ALTERNATIVE MAP. >> THE AMENDMENT ONLY GOES WITH THE ALTERNATIVE MAP.

>> ULTIMATELY THE ALTERNATIVE MAP TO BE ADOPTED THE SECOND COMMITMENT TO BE ACCEPTED.

>> WE WOULD VOTE ON THE SIGNATURE OF THEM AT FIRST. THEN NEXT HE WOULD FILL THE REQUEST WHICH IS ACTUALLY A TOTAL SUBSTITUTION REQUEST WHICH IS A SUBSTITUTION AMENDMENT COMPLETELY SUBSTITUTE ONE MAP FOR THE OTHER. IT WOULD BE SUBSTITUTING THAT MAP AS AMENDED. IN A SENSE. I KNOW IT CAN BE CONFUSING.

THAT IS ORDER WHICH YOU'VE GOT TO DEAL WITH IT. WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT BEFORE YOU IS A MAP THAT HAS SOME PROPOSED NUMBERS AND SAYING WHERE TO MOVE.

IT'S GOT A POPULATION NUMBER OF 789X TO ONE OF IT AND POPULATION OF 40 NEXT TO THE OTHER. IT'S THE ONLY OTHER THING PEOPLE AREN'T SEEING.

NOBODY ELSE CAN SEE THEM OUT. IT'S JUST OUT LETTING SOME BASIC DATA.

>> DID YOU GET YOUR ANSWER QUESTION KELLY COULD. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM ANY OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS? OKAY.

MAKE IT WE WILL TAKE THIS BY ROLL CALL. BOB 3.

>> ON RIGHT BACK COMOTION E TO ADOPT THE ALTERNATIVE E MAP SUMMARIZE THAT MR. R. DIXON.

>> IS WILLING TO AMEND BASICALLY IT'S A A SUBSTITUTION.

>> EXACTLY RIGHT. WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THAT.

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS AND ABLE TO DO MS. TAYLOR. I KNOW YOU WANTED TO MAKE SOME

COMMENTS ON THIS. OR HAD SOME QUESTIONS. >> ABOUT THE AMENDMENT OR OPEN

QUESTIONS? >> THIS WOULD BE RELATED TO THE AMENDMENT FOR THE SUBSTITUTE

NOW. WHICH IS THE ALTERNATIVE MAP. >> THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT BY THE

NAACP. >> OKAY. THAT'S ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW WELL, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE ALTERNATIVE MAP. DOCTOR NAACP HAS D.

THAT WOULD COME BACK TO MY QUESTION THAT CLARIFY IF THIS PROPOSED NAACP MAP I'VE HEARD FROM BOTH FROM ONE SIDE TONIGHT AS TO WHETHER THE MAP IS LEGAL OR NOT.

FROM THE OTHER SIDE JUST FOR CLARITY THE PROPOSED MAP FOR THE NAACP IS LEGAL OR IS IT

NOT? >> IS APPROACH IS THAT SOMEDAY WE CAN ANSWER TONIGHT YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVE MAP AS PROPOSED BY THE NAACP THAT'S CURRENTLY ON THE TABLE.

>> PEOPLE WERE BROADCASTING. >> I WILL ADDRESS THE FIRST PART AND THAT'S MR. WALKER ADDRESSES SECOND. FIRST, THIS IS A LEGAL OPINION FROM ONE SIDE OR ANOTHER.

I'M NOT OFFERING OR NOT ASKING MR. WALKER TO OFFER A LEGAL OPINION THAT TAKES A SIDE OR ANOTHER. WITH THAT BEING SAID THE KEY CAN BEST ADDRESS THE CONCERNS IF ANY AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THAT MAP IS DEFENSIBLE WHAT WOULD BE THE ISSUES WITHOUT

MAP. >> IT MAY BE A LAWYER THING. I DON'T THINK I WOULD CALL THE MAP ILLEGAL. I WENT SAY DOESN'T COMPLY WITH THE LAW.

WHICH MAY BE SEMANTICS TO EVERYBODY ELSE. >> PLEASE AUDIENCE.

[01:35:01]

PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL. >> I WOULD SAY I WAS ASKED TO ADVISE ON THE PLAN.

I HAVE TOLD THE COUNCIL THERE ARE 3 PROBLEMS WITH THE PLAN. THE FIRST IS THAT THE FUNCTIONAL POPULATION OF THE PROPOSED WARD 6 IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO CREATE A MAJORITY MINORITY DISTRICT. IN FACT IF YOU LOOK AT THE CITIZEN VOTING AGE POPULATION DOCTOR HOOD'S TESTIMONY WAS THAT IT WAS ABOUT 78 PERCENT WHITE.

BECAUSE IT IS A SIGNIFICANT POPULATION IN THAT LORD THAT ARE NOT CITIZENS AND THEREFORE DO NOT VOTE. THERE WAS SOME COMMENTS EARLIER ABOUT A GENTLEMAN READ SOMETHING ABOUT COLLECTING CITIZEN VOTING AGE POPULATION. I'M NOT SURE QUITE WHAT HE WAS READING. I COULD TELL YOU IS THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AT ONE POINT SOUGHT TO ADD A QUESTION TO THE SENSES ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE RESPONDENT WAS A CITIZEN. MY RECOLLECTION IS A COURT DISALLOW THAT QUESTION THAT WAS NOT THEREFORE INCLUDED HIS SENSES. CENSUS DATA FOR 2020 DID NOT REPORT AND SO FAR AS NEVER REPORTED WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE IS A SENSES FROM THE VERY FIRST SENSES WAS COUNTED PEOPLE WHO ARE PRESIDENT WHETHER THEY ARE CITIZENS OR NOT.

CENSUS BUREAU HAS A SEPARATE PROJECT CALLED AMERICAN SURVEY. BASED ON A LONGER CENSUS FORM THAT ASKS A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM THE RESPONDENT. CPAP DATA COMES FROM THAT.

IT'S A DIFFERENT SOURCE OF INFORMATION BUT IT'S INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE ABOUT SENSES AND ABOUT WHO IS A CITIZEN WHO IS NOT. IT IS COMMONLY TREATED AS COURTS OF LAW IS RELIABLE. I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT IT'S NOT. DOCTOR HOOD'S TESTIMONY SIMPLY WAS THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT THE PROPOSED WARD 6 WILL ACTUALLY FUNCTION AS A MINORITY MAJORITY DISTRICT. I WILL NOT.

IN FACT IT'S A MAJORITY WHITE DISTRICT. IF YOU LOOK AT CITIZEN VOTING AGE POPULATION. THAT'S WHAT MAKES THAT DISTRICT FUNCTION.

THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THAT THE PROPOSED WARD 6 IS AGGREGATION OF DIFFERENT MINORITIES.

I THINK IT'S ADMITTED THAT THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH BLACK CITIZENS IN THAT DISTRICT TO MAKE MAJORITY BLACK DISTRICT. SO WHAT THE NAACP HAS ATTEMPTED TO DO IS AGGREGATE A SERIES OF MINORITIES INCLUDING ASIANS, AMERICAN INDIANS AND HISPANIC AS WELL AS BLACK.

SAY THAT THIS AGGREGATION, THE STRUGGLE AGGREGATION EXCEEDS THE NUMBER THAT'S NECESSARY TO HAVE A MAJORITY IN A DISTRICT. THAT CAN BE DONE. COMMUNITIES, DIFFERENT MINORITIES MAY BE CONFINED TO FORM A MAJORITY AND MINORITY MAJORITY DISTRICT.

ONLY WHERE THERE IS A SHOWING THAT THE ACT COHESIVELY. IN A POLITICAL MANNER.

THAT THEY SUPPORT THE SAME CANDIDATES THAT THEY SUPPORT THE SAME ISSUES.

THERE'S NO SHOWING HERE. IN FACT GIVEN A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE ASIAN POPULATION AT LEAST IN THIS PROPOSED WARD 6 IS NONCITIZEN. HAS EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE THEY DON'T ENGAGE IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES WITH THE BLACK COMMUNITIES.

THAT APPEARS TO BE A SECOND FAILING OR ONE FOR WHICH NO EVIDENCE WHICH WAS REPEATEDLY ASKED FOR WAS PRODUCED. I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT A PROBLEM WITH THE PROPOSED PLAN IS THAT IT TAKES THE BLACK POPULATION FROM YOUR DISTRICT AND ASSIGNS IT TO WARD 6 AND THE END RESULT I DON'T KNOW COULD BE THAT THERE ARE FEWER, THERE ARE NO AFRICAN-AMERICANS OR NO BLACKS

ON THE CITY COUNCIL AS OPPOSED TO JUST ONE. >> OKAY.

ACTUALLY, I STILL DIDN'T GET THE ANSWER I WAS LOOKING FOR. YOU SAID A LOT.

I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. IT TAKES ME BACK TO I GUESS SOME FACTS DATA THAT WAS

[01:40:07]

THE WARD ONE IS KNOWN ACTUALLY IN MINORITY MAJORITY DISTRICT. IT JUST ACTS AS A MINORITY MAJORITY DISTRICT. TODAY WERE THAT RIGHT? I THOUGHT THAT IS WHAT WAS

SAID. >> THAT IS WHAT WAS SAID. >> NOW, WITH THAT BEING SAID.

WHEN HE DROPPED WARD 6 KENNETH DO THE SAME THING WITH THE DATA THAT'S PRESENTED FOR IT TO BE A MINORITY MAJORITY WARD? IF YOU CAN MAKE UP ONE BOARD THEN IT LOOKS LIKE TO MEET YOU CAN MAKE UP TO WARDS TO DO THE SAME AND FUNCTION THE SAME WAY. I'M NOT AN EXPERT.

THAT'S WHAT I HEAR. >> DO YOU WANT ME TO RESPOND? >> YOU CAN.> OKAY.

WHAT I SAID ABOUT WARD 1 IS WHAT I WAS SHOWN BY THE CITY IS THAT THE POPULATION OF THAT DISTRICT IS NOT MAJORITY BLACK. I THINK IT'S CLOSE TO BUT NOT MAJORITY BLACK.

WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT DISTRICT IS THAT A LARGE POPULATION OF THE CITIZENS IN THAT DISTRICT ARE STUDENTS WHO DON'T VOTE. BECAUSE THEY DON'T VOTE THAT MEANS THE PEOPLE WHO DO VOTE WHICH IS THE BLACK POPULATION OF THAT DISTRICT CAN EFFECTIVELY ELECT THEIR LEADER OF CHOICE. SO WHAT FUNCTIONS AND MAJORITY BLACK DISTRICT.HAT'S NOT THE SITUATION IN THE PROPOSED WARD 6. THE SITUATION IN THE PROPOSED WARD 6 IS THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PEOPLE WHO CAN ACTUALLY VOTE A MAJORITY OF THEM A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF THEM ARE WHITE ACCORDING TO THE CPAP. SO TO CONDENSE WHAT I SAID TO YOU, UNFORTUNATELY I'M FORCED TO THE CONCLUSION THE NAACP PLANT DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE

LAW. >> OKAY. SO, MY QUESTIONS ONCE AGAIN IS, LET'S TAKE WARD 6 OUT OF THE EQUATION. IS THERE ANOTHER BOARD FROM THE 8 BOARDS THAT WE REPRESENT THAT CAN ACT AS A MAJORITY MINORITY DISTRICT? WERE NOT WORRIED ABOUT WARD 6 AT THIS POINT. WHEN WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT AND LET ME FINISH BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND ASKING HERE.

IT WAS SAID THAT THE MINORITIES ARE SPREAD ALL OVER THE CITY. AND THAT SPREAD INCLUDES WARD ONE. SO WITH THEM BEING SPREAD ALL OVER THE CITY THEN, I NOTE THESE LINES DON'T SHOW IT. THE WAY YOU COMPACTED THE DISTRICT LIKE YOU DIDN'T LIKE WITH WARD ONE. CAN ANOTHER WORD ACT AS IF THE SAME WAY THAT WARD ONE ACTED

BESIDES WARD 6? DO WE HAVE THAT? >> THE SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICT SYSTEM IS, IT WORKS WELL FOR MINORITIES WHEN YOU HAVE A COMPACT GROUP OF MINORITIES SO THAT DISTRICT CAN BE DRAWN AROUND THEM AND THEY CAN FORM A MAJORITY DISTRICT.

THAT'S AN OLDER HOUSING PATTERN. THAT IS DISAPPEARING IN CITIES IN THE SOUTH. IN MANY WAYS IT'S A GOOD THING. OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE BECOMING MORE INTEGRATED. IN BLACKS AND WHITES ARE BEING DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE CITY. HOWEVER, THAT WORKS AGAINST THE CREATION OF A MINORITY MAJORITY DISTRICT WHEN THE CITY BECOMES MORE HOMOGENIZED IN ITS POPULATION.

WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE OTHER PLACES IN THE CITY WHERE THERE ARE POCKETS OF BLACK POPULATION THAT COULD BE COMBINED WITH STUDENT POPULATION TO CREATE ANOTHER DISTRICT THAT FUNCTIONS LIKE A MAJORITY DISTRICT IS INFORMATION I SIMPLY DON'T HAVE.

>> OKAY. NOW, THIS IS MY LAST STATEMENT ON THIS.

SO THAT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT ONCE UPON A TIME THIS LITTLE CITY OF AUBURN HAD THAT

[01:45:07]

ANYBODY WHO HAS LIVED AS LONG AS I HAVE 4 MORE AND I'VE BEEN HERE 61 YEARS HAVE SEEN THAT SOMEWHERE SOMEBODY SHOULD HAVE JOINED HANDS THAT SECOND MINORITY DISTRICT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE, NOT NOW BECAUSE I'M MINORITY NOW MAKES OTHER GROUPS OF MINORITY.

BACK SINCE I WAS IN THE CITY THE CITY BASICALLY WAS BLACK AND WHITE.

THE WHITE WAS MAYBE THE INCREASED NUMBER BUT, I THINK THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DONE SOONER THEY SPREAD IT OUT. THEY ALWAYS HAVE BEEN SPRINTED OUT.

BUT THERE HAS BEEN ENOUGH IN THE PAST 2 MAKE 2 MINORITY OR MORE WORDS.

THAT'S MY OPINION AND I AM SUBJECT TO IT. >> I'M SORRY CONNIE I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU. ANY MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL?

>> OF A QUESTION FOR MR. WALKER IF IT'S ALLOWABLE. IF ARE LOOKING AT THE MAP BY THE NAACP AND LOOKING UP WARD 6 AND I KNOW THEY'RE SAYING THAT IT IS MINORITY MAJORITY GROUP AND YOU'RE SAYING IT'S NOT. IF IT'S NOT MAJORITY WHITE OR WHATEVER.

IS THAT MAPS A LEGAL DO YOU HEAR WHAT I'M SAYING? >> IF IT WAS DRAWN IN A RACE

CONSCIOUS MATTER. >> IT'S NOT. AND IF IT'S NOT DRAWN IN A RACE

CONSCIOUS MATTER.T'S A SIMPLE YES, SIR NO. >> NO IT'S NOT.

HE COULD EXPLAIN IT. GO AHEAD MR. WALKER. >> THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE IN THE SECTION TO THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT PUT LIMITATIONS ON HOW PEOPLE CAN BE GROUPED ON THE BASIS OF RACE. YOU CAN'T SIMPLY GROUP PEOPLE ON THE BASIS OF RACE ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT BECAUSE THEY ARE A PARTICULAR RACE THEY THINK IN A PARTICULAR WAY.

YOU HAVE TO IDENTIFY COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST THAT WHERE IT'S UNDERSTOOD THAT EVERYONE OR MOST OF THE PEOPLE SHARE CONCERNS ABOUT HEALTH OR TRANSPORTATION OR EMPLOYMENT OR EDUCATION AND A WHOLE HOST OF THINGS THAT MAKE UP OUR LIVES. IT'S A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU TRYING TO DO WHEN YOU DRAW DISTRICTS IS PROTECT COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST.WARD 6 DOES NOT AGGREGATE, IT AGGREGATES COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST WITHOUT ANY INDICATION THAT THE SEPARATE COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST THAT ARE ASIAN, HISPANIC BLACK, I THINK THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF AMERICAN INDIAN IN THEIR HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH EACH OTHER. SO, IF THAT WAS DONE ON A RACE CONSCIOUS BASIS THAN THAT PROBABLY VIOLATES THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE. IF THEY HAPPEN TO BE DRAWN INTO

THE SAME DISTRICT IN A THEN IT WOULD NOT WANT. >> THANK YOU.

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE THE AMENDMENT FOR THE SUBSTITUTE FOR SUBSTITUTE MAP WHICH IS BEEN COMMONLY CALLED THE ALTERNATIVE MAP THIS EVENING. OKAY.HAT'S WITH THE MOTION ON THE TABLE.

[01:50:02]

OR QUESTIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD WE. >> I MOVED TO AMEND THE PROPOSED REDISTRICTING MAP TO MOVE CENSUS BLOCKS ON THE EAST SIDE OF NORTH GAY STREET.

SOUTH SEED OF EAST GLENN AVENUE WESTSIDE OF NORTH TO MODEL EVEN IN NORTH SIDE OF EAST MAGGIE RULLI WARD 5 TOWARD 4. MOVE CENSUS BLOCKS ON THE SIDE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF EAST GLENN AVENUE, WEST SIDE OF EAST UNIVERSITY DRIVE. NORTH SIDE OF OLD MILL ROAD AND EAST SIDE OF NORTH DEAN ROAD FROM WARD 4 TOWARD 5. AS SHOWN ON THIS ATTACHED MAP.

>> IS AT THE MAP IN FRONT OF US BOTH? >> WE HAVE A MOTION FOR AN

AMENDMENT IS HER SECOND?> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND IS ALSO ON THE SCREEN IN FRONT OF US. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM

THE COUNCIL? >> I MAKE THIS MOTION AS A REQUEST OF SOME CONCERN CITIZENS. SEVERAL OF WHOM BROUGHT THIS IDENTIFIED PROBLEM WITH REGARD TO THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS IN THE PROPOSED WARD 5 BEING 65 PERCENT AND THEY FELT WARD 5 ASSETS PROPOSED FOR THE BURDEN OF EXCESSIVE STUDENT POPULATION AND THEY FELT ONLY EQUITABLE TO SHARE SOME OF THE LOAD OF THE STUDENT VOTING POPULATION BACK INTO WARD FOR WHERE IT BELONGED

FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS. >> ALL RIGHT. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?

>> I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT THE CONSTITUENTS IN THIS CASE IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM.

THEY IDENTIFIED A SOLUTION. IT WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE CITY MANAGER WHO VIEWED IT AND FOUND IF I MAY SAY AS MUCH THAT IT MET THE REQUIREMENTS AS LAID OUT BY LAW.

AND THIS HAS BEEN GENERATED BY A GROUP OF CONSTITUENTS IN WARD 5.

>> MS. CROUSE CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE STAFF RELATED TO THIS. >> CLARIFY REAL QUICK IN TERMS OF COUNCILPERSON PARSONS AND HE CONTACTED ME ABOUT THIS. I WAS THE INITIAL MEETING.

I WAS NOT AVAILABLE WHEN THE STAFF MET BACK WITH HIM. YESTERDAY.

THAT IS CORRECT. SOME CITIZENS CAME TO US AND HAVE DONE TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF WORK WITH BLACK GROUPS. WE HEARD FROM ONE CITIZEN I BELIEVE IT WAS IN NOVEMBER.

IT MAY HAVE BEEN EARLY DECEMBER ABOUT THIS. ALSO RECENTLY ASKED FOR A MEETING. I HAD MR. GRAPH WITH ME IN THE MEETING WITH THE CITIZENS.

THEY PROPOSED AND ASKED US TO LOOK AND THEY GAVE US DATA AND WE REVIEWED THE DATA.

MR. GRAPH WILL WHEN WE WERE REVIEWING DATA THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN REVIEWED BY MR. WALKER NOR MR. DAVIDSON. WE WERE LOOKING OUT FROM OUR STANDPOINT IS ANY DEVIATIONS.

MR. GRAPH CAN ROUGHLY HOW MUCH POPULATION THAT SHIFTS FROM ONE WAR TO THE OTHER.

AND IF IT RAN AFOUL OF ANY OF OUR MAJOR CRITERIA. >> I GUESS TO BE CLEAR UP FRONT WE DON'T HAVE STUDENT POPULATION DATA SO WE WEREN'T ANALYZING THIS FOR THAT ROOT DESIRE OF HOW TO BALANCE THE STUDENT POPULATION. BUT, AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT THE SUGGESTION OF WHAT TO MOVE FROM WARD 5 INTO WARD FOR HIS ROUGHLY 978 PEOPLE.

THEN THE OTHER PIECE MOVING FROM WARD 4 INTO WARD 5 THAT'S 1016 PEOPLE.

MAKING THAT SWAMP, DOES NOT MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE TO THE DEVIATION.

IT'S WITHIN, IF I'M REMEMBERING CORRECTLY IT'S WARD FOR HIS GOING FROM -.59 DEVIATION TO A POSITIVE .74. WORD 5 WOULD BE TRANSITIONING FROM -0.56 2 -0.16.

[01:55:02]

THEN YOU GO LOOK AT THE DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN OF WHO THOSE THOUSAND PEOPLE AREN'T ANSWERED TRANSITIONING. I GUESS THE ONE NOTABLE THING IS WE ARE MOVING A COUPLE OF PERCENTAGE POINTS OF ASIAN POPULATION FROM I THINK IT WAS WARD 5 INTO WARD 4. AGAIN, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO SWING AN ALREADY ESTABLISHED BALANCE AND WHAT WAS ALREADY IN

THE PROPOSED PLAN. >> ARE WE ALLOWED ON THE BASIS OF STUDENT HOUSING IS A REASON?

IT'S OUT IN THE BOUNDS OF WHAT WERE ALLOWED TO DO LEGALLY? >> NOT THAT I'M NOT IN SUPPORT OF THIS. I'M ASKING WHAT MRS. ESTHER PARSONS SAID PEOPLE REACHED OUT

FOR STUDENT HOUSING SPECIFICALLY. >> AS MR. GRAPH MENTIONED, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK AT STUDENT POPULATION IN TERMS OF WHEN YOU HEAR MR. BARKER TALK ABOUT IT.

GOING INTO A STANDARD AND LOOKING ACROSS THE BOARD AT A NUMBER OF THINGS.

I WILL HAVE HER LEGAL TEAM SPEAK TO FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND FROM OUR LEGAL TEAM STUDENTS ARE NOT A CONSIDERATION. YOUR ABILITY TO ADJUST MAPS THAT MEET CRITERIA WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THE LEGAL TEAM COULD I DON'T BELIEVE STUDENTS ARE CRITERIA FOR CONSIDERATION DIRECTLY. AS SOMETHING THE COURTS HAVE VIEWED.

>> I DON'T SEE ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT. >> OKAY.

>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM ANYBODY ON THE DAIS?

ANY THOUGHTS? >> I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS. THIS IS SOMETHING I LEARNED TODAY IS THE WARD 5 REPRESENTATIVE. IT WAS BRAND-NEW TO ME.

I KNOW WHEN I FIRST SAW THEM OUT I THOUGHT SOME MORE COLLEGE STUDENTS IN WARD 5.

LOOKING AT THIS TODAY I DID NOT SEE THEM OUT UNTIL I WALKED APPEAR.

LOOKING AT IT I DON'T REALLY THINK IT MAKES ANY CHANGE. SOME OF THESE AREAS THAT WOULD MOVE BACK INTO WARD 5 ARE ALREADY OR MOSTLY COLLEGE STUDENTS.

THERE ARE DUPLEXES WERE MOST MOTIONS LOW. THERE'S MAYBE A COUPLE OF STREETS OVER WHERE IT'S FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD. FOR THE MOST PART IT DOESN'T REALLY CHANGE WHAT'S BEING ASKED. I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTIVE OF

THIS. >> I ALSO HAVE A COMMENT. NOW, OR OF THE SUBJECT ABOUT THE PROPOSED NAACP MAP. SOME ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE PROPOSED CITY MAP, RIGHT?

>> YES MA'AM. >> ARE WE UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IF WE PASSED THIS MAP, OUR PROPOSED MAP THAT'S PROPOSED BY THE CITY STAFF.

THAT THERE IS LIKELY A LAWSUIT FROM THE LEGAL DEFENSE FUND. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WERE

GOING TO TAKE THAT RISK IS BASICALLY WHAT I'M ASKING. >> RIGHT NOW WERE TALKING ABOUT

AN AMENDMENT TO THE CITIES IT. >> I AM TOO. IF WE ACCEPT THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT OR WHATEVER. NOT EVEN TALKING BACK TO MINORITY DISTRICTS ANYMORE? I'M ASKING ABOUT THE AMENDMENT. THE AMENDMENT STILL HAS TO DO WITH THE MAP THAT WERE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT 2 MINORITY DISTRICTS. TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING?

>> NOT REALLY. >> WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE AUBURN PROPOSED MAP AMENDMENT.

>> YES, CORRECT. >> SO LEGALLY I'M TALKING LEGAL NOW.

I GUESS THIS IS ILLEGAL ACCORDING TO SOME EXPERTS. SO, WE JUST CANNOT FORGET THE FACT THAT EVEN WITH THE AMENDED AUBURN PROPOSED MAP, NOT EVEN THINKING ABOUT 2 MINORITY

DISTRICTS. THAT WERE LIKELY TO BE SUED. >> CANNOT QUITE SURE HOW TO

[02:00:07]

AUBURN'S AMOUNT.>> WILL JUST KEEP IN MIND. THAT'S ALL.

IF YOU'RE NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT I'M SAYING. YOU KNOW I JUST WANT YOU TO KEEP THAT THOUGHT IN MIND. EVEN IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AND AMENDED NOW.

LOOKS LIKE TO COMMENT TO THAT. I THINK IT'S A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT TO MAKE DECISIONS OUT OF FEAR OF LITIGATION. WE SIT APPEAR MAKES DECISIONS EVERY COUNSEL MEETING THAT IS SUBJECT TO LITIGATION ON EITHER SIDE OF A VOTE. I THINK IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO TAKE THE FACTS IN FRONT OF US AND MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.

I GUESS ORONO AND IF SOMEONE DETERMINES THAT THEY NEED TO LITIGATE A VOTE THEN WE HAVE A

TEAM OF ATTORNEYS THAT HANDLE THAT FOR US. >> OKAY, GREAT.

>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS RELATED TO THIS AMENDMENT? TO THE ORIGINAL MAP WE ARE VOTING ON TONIGHT? DOES EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND? OKAY, I GUESS IS HE WILL APPROVE THESE AMENDMENTS ON A NOTE IS THAT YOU DON'T.

LINDSEY,

ANY OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS? >> MR. MAYOR HAVE A AMENDMENT

OF HER AS WELL. >> INSERT. >> MOVED TO AMEND THE POST REDISTRICTING MAP TO MOVE SMALL CENSUS BOX LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF WRIGHT AVENUE, EAST AND NORTH SIDES OF WHERE YOUR COURT, WEST SIDE OF NORTH COLLEGE STREET AND SOUTH SIDE OF MITCHUM AVENUE FROM WARD 52 WARD 2 AS SHOWN ON THE ATTACHED AMOUNT.

>> SECOND. >> HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND. >> THIS WAS SUBMITTED ON NOVEMBER 17. WE HAD A LOOK AT IT. AT YOUR DISCRETION I COULD HAVE

MR. GRAPH GO OVER THE DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE. >> PLEASE, IF YOU WOULD, YES.

>> SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS WERE NOT DEALING WITH A LARGE POPULATION HERE.

THERE'S A POPULATION OF 27 RESIDENTS ON THE WEST SIDE OF COLLEGE.

THE EAST SIDE OF COLLEGE IS A BUSINESS. WE DON'T HAVE ANY RESIDENTS THERE. AGAIN, REMOVING 27 RESIDENTS INTO WARD TO FROM WARD 5. WITH THAT NUMBER IS 18 WHITES, 7 PLAQUES AND 2 HISPANICS.ITH THOSE NUMBERS THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN THE DEMOGRAPHICS FOR EITHER WARD 5 OR WARD TO.

>> MR. GRISWOLD WE YOUR INTEREST IN PURSUING THIS? >> ABSOLUTELY.

THIS CHANGE BRINGS THE ENTIRE HISTORIC DISTRICT INTO THE SAME WARD.

THUS THE INTEREST HERE APPEARED THE STORE DISTRICT WAS DETERMINED A LONG TIME AGO NOT BY THIS COUNCIL BUT MY OTHER CITY OFFICIALS, ELECTED AND STAFF.

AS A REGION THAT HAS A SIGNIFICANT ARCHITECTURAL AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE.

GRANTED, NOT ALL THE BUILDINGS IN HERE ARE CONTRIBUTING ASSETS.

AT SOME POINT THE CITY OF AUBURN DETERMINED THAT THESE BOUNDARIES AND GROUPED THESE BLOGS INTO A COHERENT COMMUNITY. TO KEEP THAT COHERENT COMMUNITY INTACT I WOULD PROPOSE THIS BELOVED IN WITH THE OTHER PORTIONS OF THE AUBURN NORTH COLLEGE HISTORIC DISTRICT. THIS WAS PROBABLY BACK IN NOVEMBER BEFORE ANY OF THE

OTHER CHANGES WERE THOUGHT ABOUT. >> THIS WAS BROUGHT UP ON

NOVEMBER 10 IN YOUR REDISTRICTING WORK SESSION. >> BASICALLY GOT THE DEPOT, FRATERNITY HOUSE, A FORMER RESTAURANT, YOU'VE GOT A HOUSE THAT FUNCTIONS AS AN OFFICE BUILDING RIGHT THERE. THEN YOU HAVE SOME APARTMENT COMPLEXES BEHIND.

>> THE HOUSE FUNCTIONS AS AN OFFICE, EXCEL, UNDERWENT SIGNIFICANT PERHAPS $2 MILLION WORTH OF RENOVATION IN ORDER TO BE COMPLIANT WITH THE HISTORIC DISTRICT STANDARDS.

SO THAT IS A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE. >> ALL RIGHT, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL? ANY THOUGHTS? OKAY, LINDSEY, ROLL CALL.

[02:05:07]

>> I WAS GOING TO ASK THE CITY MANAGER WHEN CONSIDERING THE PROPOSED MAPS BY THE CITY THERE ANY MINORITIES THAT WERE PART OF THE DECISION-MAKING? OR STAFF OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT?

>> DECISION-MAKING. DECISIONS WERE MADE BASED ON DATA.

THE STAFF MEMBERS INVOLVED, IT'S ONE THING DIFFERENT PEOPLE IDENTIFY IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

I'M HAPPY TO DIVULGE THE NAMES OF THE STAFF MEMBERS INVOLVED AS WE DID TO YOU.

MOST OF THEM ARE IN THE ROOM IF NOT ALL OF THEM. I THINK EVERYBODY'S HERE.

AT THE NOVEMBER 10 MEETING BUT, OUR MAIN 2 STAFF MEMBERS INVOLVED UPFRONT FOR MR. GRAPH AND MR. KIP LOGAN KIP IS ONE OF OUR PRINCIPAL PLANNERS. OUR PLANNING DIRECTOR STEVE FOOTE WAS AVAILABLE AND IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS OUR ONE OF OUR OTHER PRINCIPAL PLANNERS K ROBERTSON SERVED AS ACTING PLANNING DIRECTOR IN PREVIOUS REDISTRICTING EFFORTS WERE INVOLVED. WE HAVE SEEN SOME MR. GRAPH GIS STAFF WAS RESPONDING TO REDISTRICTING COMMENTS AND SO ON ANOTHER MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING STAFF.

DID I MISS ANYONE THAT WAS INVOLVED? >> PUBLIC AFFAIRS, MR. DORTON WAS INVOLVED BUT NOT IN THE DRAWING OF THE NATIONAL COPS. EITHER I WAS INVOLVED.

ORGANIZING MEETING AS I TOLD YOU. WHEN WE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO BE GETTING DATA AND MY ONLY INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO TAKE THE DATA AS I'M REQUIRED TO DO BY STATE LAW. I'M REQUIRED, THIS IS A COUNSEL MANAGEMENT FORM OF GOVERNMENT.

NOT A POLITICAL APPOINTEE. I AM A PROFESSIONAL IRON CITY MANAGER WHO HAS TO FOLLOW GUIDELINES WHO PROPOSES SOMETHING TO STATE LAW THAT ASK I PROPOSED IT IN A POLITICAL LENS WHEN A MAP IS PROPOSED. MAYBE A DIFFERENT EXERCISE IN UNDERTAKING.

INVOLVES POLITICS. THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF THAT WORKED ON THIS ARE THE PEOPLE YOU SEE IN THE ROOM. HOW THEY IDENTIFY RACIALLY AND SOME TO THEM AND NOT A QUESTION

I'M GOING TO ASK THEM TO RESPOND TO. >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR

QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL? >> I'VE A FEW COMMENTS. FIRST DEMONIC KNOWLEDGE THE NAACP'S EFFORTS IN ALL THAT HAS GONE INTO IDENTIFY ONE UPON THE GROUP FOR THOSE EFFORTS.

THAT WAS IT WAS IMPORTANT PROCESS TO BE INVOLVED IN. I THINK IT WANT TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF POINTS I THINK WHEN WE BEEN COMPARED TO OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, MOBILE, HUNTSVILLE AS MS. CROUCH IDENTIFIED. WE ARE A COUNSEL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT. WHICH MEANS THAT THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF IS THE ONE WHO MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS AND THIS BODY TAKES THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, IDENTIFIES THE DECISION-MAKING FACTORS THEN MAKES A DECISION BASED ON THAT. AN 8 MAYOR FORM OF GOVERNMENT WHICH MOBILE AND HUNTSVILLE HAPPENED TO OPERATE UNDER OPERATE IN A VERY DIFFICULT SPECTRUM THAN WE DO. MUCH HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT THE STATES REGISTERING PROCESS HOW DECISION WAS BROUGHT FORTH YESTERDAY BY THE COURTS. IT WAS A VERY POLITICAL PROCESS BY IDEOLOGIES OF THEOLOGIES. THIS BODY IS NOT PARTISAN BODY. NOT WE BRING IN LOCAL IDEOLOGIES OR THEORIES TOWARD DECISION-MAKING. I PERSONALLY DO NOT THE REASONS WHY LOVE THE CITY OF AUBURN. IT'S ALMOST BODY BECAUSE IT IS NONPARTISAN.

WE HAVE HAD WE HAVE THE STAFF DREW THE MAP, MADE A PROPOSAL, NOVEMBER 10 WE RECEIVED THAT MAP THE SAME TIME THE ENTIRE PUBLIC RECEIVE THAT AMOUNT. IF HAD TO OPEN HOUSES.

ASIDE FROM COUNCILPERSON GRISWOLD'S CHANGES EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS UNTIL TODAY KNOW

[02:10:09]

I SAT THROUGH A PRIVATE ZOO MEETING WITH THE NAACP REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE MEMBER MR. BILLY. PRIMARY JANUARY 14. I HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS.

IVAN SAT IN ON THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS SO MEETING LAST NIGHT.

WHEN THEY HEARD FROM THE PRESIDENT OF BILLY ALLEN AND HE OUTLINED THE GOALS OF THE NAACP. THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND I RESPECT FOR THE PROCESS I MADE A PERSONAL CHOICE TO JOIN THAT NAACP. BECAUSE I WANT TO BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION. I THINK THAT THIS MAP IS A STARTING POINT BUT IT IS NOT WHAT DEFINES US AS A COMMUNITY. I BELIEVE IN THE WORK ETHIC AND NON-BIAS, NONPARTISAN PROCESS THAT OUR STAFF PUTS FORWARD. IT WAS STATED EARLY ON BY MULTIPLE GROUPS INCLUDING THE NAACP REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CITY MAP WAS A GOOD MOUNT. IN A GOOD STARTING POINT.

SO I THINK WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US IS A SOLID MAP. I TO ECHO THE FACT THAT I WELCOME ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY THROUGH THIS ENTIRE CITY. IF YOU FEEL LED TO SUPER COMMUNITY WHETHER ON A BOARD OR COMMISSION OR ON THIS BODY AS A COUNSEL REPRESENTATIVE.

BY ALL MEANS JUMP IN. LET ME HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU OFF-LINE AS TO WHAT THAT INVOLVEMENT REQUIRES. AND WHAT GOES INTO BEING THIS. THE PUBLIC SEEN US 2 MEETINGS A MONTH IS SCRATCHING THE SURFACE ABOUT WHAT THIS BODY PUTS FORTH IN THIS COMMUNITY.

I THINK WE ALL COME WITH GOOD HEARTS. I THINK WE ALL COME WITH A SERVANT LED APPROACH TO THE DECISION-MAKING WE MAKE.I'M PROUD OF THIS BODY AND I'M PROUD OF THE DIFFERENCES ON THIS BODY. I KNOW WE ALL DON'T AGREE ON A LOT OF THINGS. AND THAT I THINK IS THE BEAUTY OF IT.

I CANNOT SIT UP HERE AND PRETEND THAT I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MINORITY.

I'M NOT GONNA PRETEND TO BE ONE. BUT, I RESPECT AND I APPRECIATE AND I ADORE THE FABRIC THAT EVERY PERSON IN HUMAN BRINGS TO THE CITY.

I DO NOT APPRECIATE MR. MASSEY'S COMMENTS. HE LIVES IN MY WARD.

I KNOW HIS FAMILY. I KNOW HIS FAMILY TO THIS POINT TO BE GOOD FAMILY.

I DO NOT SUPPORT HIS COMMENTS THIS EVENING. I THINK THEY ARE OUT OF LINE.

I THINK THEY SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS ANY REPRESENT TENSION OF WHAT THIS BODY IS GONE THROUGH THROUGH THIS PROCESS. I DO THINK THROUGH MULTIPLE CHANNELS, I'M, SKIRT BACK, BUILT REAL QUICK. I LOOKED ONLINE, THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE EXACT SAME PROCESS THAT WE OUTLINED. THEY ARE PUTTING FORTH A MAP. THERE HAVING MULTIPLE TOWN HALLS. THE RECEIVING CITIZEN INPUT. HEN THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE ON A MAP. THEY'VE NOT VOTED YET ON A MAP. THEY'RE GOING TO THE SAME PROCESS AND WE'VE BEEN COMPARED TO MOBILE AND WE SHOULD BE LIKE MOBILE.

I DISAGREE. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE LIKE MOBILE.

I THINK AUBURN IS BETTER. I LIKE MOBILE. HUNTSVILLE, THEY HAD MULTIPLE MAPS PRESENTED. AND IN MY UNDERSTANDING THE FOOT ON THE MAP THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY PRESENTED THEMSELVES. SO, I'M SURE THEY COULD BE ARGUED THAT THEY JUST IGNORED WITH THE PUBLIC SENT TO THEM. I LIKE HUNTSVILLE.

I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST HUNTSVILLE. AGAIN, THEY REPRESENT A DIFFERENT PROCESS AND A DOUBLE POLITICAL STRUCTURE THAT WE DO. I SAY ALL THAT TO STATE THAT I THINK THE MAP IN FRONT OF US, I APPLAUD THE PROCESS AND THE COMMUNICATIONS AND THE LENGTH

[02:15:03]

I DON'T BELIEVE ANY OF US SET UP YOUR OWN KNOW WE'VE GOT A HERE AGAIN FROM THE CITIZENS.

I THINK WE HAVE ALL TAKEN THIS TO HEART.E HAVE HAD SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, AT LEAST I HAVE WITH REGARDS TO THESE MAPS. I DO NOT MAKE THIS VOTE LIGHTLY TONIGHT. I DO LEAVE THIS DAIS TONIGHT KNOWING THAT IF WE VOTE IN THE

CITY MAP THAT WE HAVE A GOOD FABRIC FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS. >> THANK YOU.

>> ANYONE ELSE ON THE COUNCIL LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT? WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VOTE. ANYONE? OKAY.

I HAVE A STATEMENT I WANT TO MAKE BEFORE WE FINISH. BEFORE I BEGIN I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE'S PART OF THIS PROCESS. THERE BEEN PEOPLE THAT HAVE ENTERED THIS FACILITY HERE MAY BE A NUMBER COME TO A COUNCIL MEETING.

IN OTHERS PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING HERE TONIGHT THAT I'VE NEVER MET BEFORE THIS MOMENT.

THE TIME THAT YOU TOOK AND VESTED TO BECOME PART OF THIS IS IMPORTANT.

I APPRECIATE IT AND I RESPECT THAT. I LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAD THE COURAGE TO COME TO THIS PODIUM AND ALL OF HER PUBLIC MEETINGS AND SHARE YOUR POINT OF VIEW. I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR STAFF. AND MEGAN FOR THEIR WORK AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC, TO ANALYZE ALL OF THE ALTERNATE PROPOSED MAP TO PASS ALL THIS INFORMATION ALONG TO US.THAT IS HER JOB. I KNOW THE CITY MANAGER AND HER STAFF WELL ENOUGH TO TELL YOU THIS. THEIR ONLY GOAL EVERY DAY THEY GO TO WORK IS TO DO WHAT'S BEST ON BEHALF OF OUR CITY. WITH THAT SAID I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE REFLECT AGAIN ABOUT WHAT GOT US HERE TONIGHT.

THIS COUNCIL MEETING FIRST HEARD FROM THE CITY MANAGER IN LATE JULY WITH THE PROPOSED TIMELINE AND A PROCESS FOR REDISTRICTING. IT REFLECTED THE SAME PROCESS THAT'S BEEN USED IN THE CITY FOR MULTIPLE GENERATIONS. WE KNOW THE DATE IT WAS EXPECTED FROM THE CENSUS BUREAU BY AUGUST 12 BECAUSE THAT DATA PROVIDED BY THE CENSUS BUREAU REQUIRED SOME PROCESSING TO BECOME USEFUL WE HAVE THAT DATA IN SEPTEMBER.

60 DAYS LATER OUR STAFF HAD PUT TOGETHER A PROPOSAL MAP FOR US TO CONSIDER.

THIS MAP WAS PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL AND TO THE PUBLIC ON NOVEMBER 10.

ALMOST 3 MONTHS AGO. SINCE THEN WE'VE INVITED CITIZENS TO 2 DIFFERENT OPEN HOUSES AND 2 DIFFERENT AREAS OF TOWN. BOTH OF THOSE MEETINGS WE HAVE STAFF THERE WHO CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTION ON THE MAPS, THE DATA, THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OR PROCESS. WE INVITED CITIZENS INCLUDING BY ADVERTISING INTO LOCAL NEWSPAPERS AND SOCIAL MEDIA TO A PUBLIC HEARING IN DECEMBER UNREGISTERED DRAIN.

AND HELD OTHER PUBLIC HEARING JUST LAST WEEK. WHETHER A PUBLIC HEARING, CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS OR CITIZENS OPEN FORM LISTEN CLOSELY TO MANY HOURS OF PUBLIC INPUT OVER THE 5 REGULAR COUNSEL MEETINGS AND TO OPEN HOUSES WE'VE HAD IN THOSE 77 DAYS. WE'VE INVITED AND RECEIVED PHONE CALLS, EMAILS AND LETTERS ARE CITY MANAGER AND STAFF MET SEPARATELY NOT ONLY WITHIN THE NAACP BUT OTHER RESIDENTS HAVE ASKED FOR TIME TO HAVE THEIR QUESTIONS ADDRESSED. WE POSTPONE A VOTE ON THIS 3 DIFFERENT TIMES. I LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE ONE ON THE 18TH.

I COULD NOT BE HERE. SO WE CAN KEEP LISTENING PRIMARILY TO WHAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE TO SAY. FOR ALL OF THOSE DAYS WE HAD OUR WEBSITE.ITH BOTH CURRENT AND CLUED IN PROPOSED MAPS BY DISTRICT WITH CENSUS INFORMATION AND WITH A SURVEY INVITING PUBLIC COMMENT. THE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLIC AS PART OF THIS PROCESS HAVE ALL BEEN PROVIDED TO THIS COUNCIL TO MAKE OUR DECISION TONIGHT.

ANYONE COULD'VE SUBMITTED A MAP DURING THE 77 DAYS. CAREFULLY, CAREFULLY ANALYZE THE ONE ULTIMATE MAP THAT WAS SUBMITTED. DURING THIS PROCESS WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR OWN CITY ATTORNEY AS WELL FROM EXTERNAL CONSULTANTS THAT HE ENGAGED, ASSESSED AND ANALYZED IN THE PLAN. THE LEGAL TEAM DID NOT DRAW ONE LINE ON THE MAP BEFORE US TONIGHT. THE ONLY FUNCTION WAS TO EVALUATE THE PLANT THAT OUR STAFF CREATED TO CONFIRM THAT IT'S COMPLIANT WITH FEDERAL LAW INCLUDING THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT AS WELL AS STATE LAW. THEIR CHARGE WAS TO LOOK AT IT CRITICALLY, TO FIND ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING WRONG WITH IT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD A PLAN THAT COMPLIED WITH THE FACT AND THE SPIRIT OF ALL THE BALLS. LAST WEEK I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE IN THIS DISCUSSION ON REDISTRICTING. I CERTAINLY WATCHED AND LISTENED CAREFULLY AND BEFORE I FINISHED I LIKE TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF WHAT I HEARD.

FIRST I HEARD THAT ARE CITY MANAGER SPENT HUNDREDS OF HOURS AND HER STAFF SPENT HUNDREDS OF

[02:20:07]

AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANT I HEARD THAT THEY COULD MAKE IT WORK.

THE ANALYSIS SHOWED THERE'S NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE FUNCTIONALITY OR COHESION OF A SECOND MAJORITY MINORITY DISTRICT. BUT THAT IT COULD DAMAGE THE FUNCTIONING BLACK MAJORITY NORDIC DISTRICT WE HELP BY DILUTING THE BLACK VOTE WARD ONE. PLEASE HEAR ME ON THIS. IF THIS COUNSEL VOTES TO PASS THE CITY'S REDISTRICTING PLANS STANDS TODAY, IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE REFUSED ALTERNATE PLAN CREATING A SECOND DISTRICT. BUT, RATHER BECAUSE OUR LEGAL AND DATA ANALYSIS SHOW THAT THE ULTIMATE MAP DOES NOT ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL AND COULD DAMAGE OR DILUTE THE VOTING INTEGRITY OF OUR COMMUNITY IN WARD 1. THIS IS BEEN A CHALLENGING NIGHT WITH A CHALLENGING EPISODE THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN THIS COUNCIL.

THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF LESSONS TO LEARN FROM. AUBURN IS A VERY UNIQUE TOWN.

OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS WE'VE GROWN BY OVER 40 PERCENT WHICH IS CREATED THE SITUATION THAT WERE HERE TONIGHT. WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO EQUALLY DISPERSE ALL OF THOSE EXTRA PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME TO THIS TOWN. THAT CAME HERE TO SEEK A BETTER LIFE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. TO RETIRE,,, GOOD JOB, TO PUT THEIR KIDS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. I WILL NEVER TELL YOU AUBURN IS A PERFECT COMMUNITY. WERE NOT. WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE THINGS TO WORK ON. WE'VE GOT A LOT TO BE PROUD OF. IT'S MY HOPE AND PRAYER THAT WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE OVER THE LAST MONTH AND AND A HALF CAN BE TURNED INTO A POSITIVE AND WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND WE CAN LOCK ARMS AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE AUBURN AN EVEN BETTER PLACE FOR ALL OF ITS CITIZENS. FOR THE FUTURE. I'M DONE.

>> LINDSEY? ROLL CALL.

>> MOTIO

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.