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A resolution directing the Metropolitan Planning Department to prepare a Council redistricting plan consisting of 17 district councilmembers and 3 councilmembers at-large to comply with state law; requesting the Metropolitan Planning Commission to hold the necessary meeting(s) to approve the redistricting plan; and requesting the Vice Mayor to call any special Council meeting(s) that may be required to effectuate the redistricting plan.
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WHEREAS, Senate Bill No. 87 and House Bill No. 48, recorded with the Secretary of State as Chapter 21 of the Public Acts of 2023 (the "Act"), approved by the Tennessee General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor on March 9, 2023, limits the size of the membership of a metropolitan council to no more than 20 members; and
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan County Council has determined that the makeup of the membership of the governing body should be as consistent as practicable with the Metropolitan Charter, adopted by referendum in 1962 - which provides for 35 district council members and 5 at-large council members - by maintaining both district members and at-large members; and
WHEREAS, in conformance with the Act's mandate to reduce the size of the Metropolitan Council to no more than 20 members, the Metropolitan County Council has determined that the appropriate number of council members should be 17 district council members and 3 at-large council members; and
WHEREAS, the Act provides that the reduction to the size of a metropolitan council is to take effect as of the next general metropolitan election after the effective date of the Act; and
WHEREAS, the next general metropolitan election is scheduled for August 3, 2023; and
WHEREAS, the Act provides that within 30 days of the effective date of the Act, the metropolitan planning commission shall establish district boundaries using the most recent federal census to ensure that a reapportionment maintains substantially equal representation based on population ...
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