DuPage board sticking with six districts

Barring any major shifts in the population makeup of DuPage County when the state’s census data is released next week, the county board’s six-district representation system will stay in place for another decade.

Newly minted county board Chairman Dan Cronin had suggested making changes to the county board’s representation system before his victory in the 2010 election. He talked of possibly adding districts and reducing board members during the campaign.

But during an interview to be aired Sunday on WBBM 780-AM’s “At Issue” program, Cronin said any effort to change the current system will likely fail.

“I was willing to discuss that,” he said, “but I think the board is interested in maintaining the six, three-member districts.”

Cronin said he wanted to examine a different representation system to ensure “quality of governance.”

However, the county board’s redistricting committee appears disinclined to make any wholesale changes to the current system.

“I don’t see what the problem is with the way it is now,” said Brian Krajewski, the committee’s vice chairman. “I know I don’t have a problem with it.”

Committee members said there hasn’t been any talk of changing the number of districts or shrinking the number of board members at committee meetings.

The board can’t add more than the current 18 members without asking voters for permission. However, members could reduce their ranks ahead of the next election without seeking voter approval.

Forest preserve commission President Dewey Pierotti said the county board is making the right decision. State law would require the forest preserve board to follow the county board’s direction on representation districts. Currently, the forest preserve has six elected commissioners. If the county board added districts, the forest preserve would have to add commissioners.

“That’s why we were pursuing legislation in Springfield to separate ourselves,” Pierotti said. “It could cost us more money in commissioner salaries and we think the six districts provide good coverage for the county.”

Redistricting committee members said the issue may arise again if pending census data shows a need to make a radical change. But all indications the committee has received about the population data appears to show the county in a similar fashion to the 2000 census numbers, they said.

Krajewski said the committee will be holding public meetings about any proposed changes to the representation map once the data is released. The county also hired a consultant to assist in the redistricting process. Krajewski noted the contract was awarded at a rate “not to exceed” $125,000.