City begins redistricting process

The U.S. Census, completed every decade, provides communities with population counts. The data is used for a variety of purposes, and one of those is to properly align each city ward with similar-size populations.
While the pandemic may have delayed the process, the city of Perryville is starting to get the populations in each ward more equal.
“This whole process has been odd this year,” said city administrator Brent Buerck in comments at the Perryville Board of Aldermen meeting Oct. 19. “Because of COVID the federal census numbers were delayed.”
The city now has the census data and will try to equalize its more than 8,500 residents into the three existing wards.
“The goal is to not have a deviation in excess of 10 percent,” Buerck noted. “We do have that because of transitioning and rolling population.”
The existing ward demographics have 2,657 people in Ward 1, another 3,138 residents in Ward 2 and 2,790 residents in Ward 3. There were two proposals provided by Buerck which would equalize the ward populations.
Proposal A would move 162 residents from Ward 2 and into Ward 1.
Proposal B would make the following three changes: 1) move 162 residents from Ward 2 into Ward 1 in the area of Moore Drive, Sander Drive and east of Old St. Mary’s Road but west of Highway 61; 2) shift 218 residents (west of Sycamore Drive and north of St. Joseph) presently in Ward 3 to Ward 2; and, 3) Move 184 residents from Ward 3 into Ward 2.
“That would meet the spirit of the law, as it’s defined today, but barely,” Buerck said.
In his discussion with the aldermen, Buerck explained why he favored the second option.

“Proposal B, is really what I believe to be a more permanent, longer-term solution,” Buerck said. “It impacts more people initially.”
Buerck said he likes the second version since it has divisions along major streets
All five of the five aldermen present — Larry Riney in Ward 1, Curt Buerck and Dennis Martin in Ward 2 and David Schumer and Prince Hudson in Ward 3 — favored recommendation of Proposal B presented by the city administrator.
Alderman Tom Guth, who was not in attendance, was the only elected official Buerck didn’t receive feedback from on the redistricting proposal.
The plan is to put together an ordinance for the first November meeting reflecting the changes to the ward maps.
“Once it’s approved, we’ll let everybody know the changes that impacting them and what their new trash day is, those kinds of deals,” Buerck said.
The aldermen didn’t have any major concerns about the redistricting process.
“What would happen if an alderman got moved into a different ward?” asked alderman Doug Martin. “I’m just curious.”
“Just like when they redistrict at the federal and state level, you’d have to run in that new ward,” Buerck said.
The specific ward areas don’t have a legal description until street names are added.
“It’s very intricate writing these redistricting ordinances,” city attorney Tom Ludwig said. “We’ll want to jump on it really quickly because we’ll have to track it street by street to describe it properly.”