Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 9-17-21

Feature
Commissioner Myers Encouraging Community To Attend Redistricting Meetings
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
Hillsborough County
Commissioner Gwen Myers is asking members of the community to attend the upcoming Redistricting Meetings. Comm. Myers is especially asking the com- munity to attend the District 3 meeting on Wednesday, September 22, 2021, 6 p. m., at All Peoples Life Center, 6105 E. Sligh Ave., Tampa (33617).
“Now is the time for your voice to be heard and for you to share your concerns,” Comm. Myers said. “Come out and see how the redistricting will affect your
community, where you live.” The U. S. Census is taken every 10 years, which leads to redistricting the commu- nity. Some areas lose resi- dents, while others gain. After the 2020 Census, the numbers changed, which led to the redrawing of maps
for the areas.
Commissioner Myers and Commission Chair- woman Pat Kemp pre- sented their own maps at a meeting of the commission- ers last Friday (Sept. 10th). Four maps from the com- mission staff had been pre- sented, but three of them were not inclusive of the African American commu- nity, and another split
COMM. GWEN MYERS
Progress Village in half, an area that is normally in Dis- trict 3, represented by Comm. Myers.
District 3 has had an African-American represen- tative since the formation of Single-Member Districts more than 40 years ago.
Nicholas Glover of the Tampa Bay Chamber and Ed Narain spoke before the commissioners. Both shared their concerns about the maps.
Redistricting determines which neighborhoods and communities are grouped together into a district for purposes of electing a repre- sentative to the Hillsbor- ough County Board of County Commissioners.
Three of the districts are countywide and 4 have ap- proximate populations.
Four meetings are being held next week in each sin- gle-member commission district. The first is for Dis- trict 1, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021, 6 p. m., in the Ruskin Branch Library; District 2, Sept. 21, 6 p. m., Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library; Dis- trict 3, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 6 p. m., All Peoples Life Center; and District 4, Friday, Sept. 24, 6 p. m., Bloomingdale Re- gional Library.
The in-person event will be open house style, where the public may see the maps up close and provide com- ment. COVID safety proto- cols will be observed. PLEASE WEAR MASKS.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY PAGE 3-A