Aurora City Council continues discussion on new ward map; vote set for Aug. 23

The Aurora City Council is preparing to vote on a new ward map during the next regularly scheduled meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 23.

Two proposed new ward maps - 1A and 1B - were presented at the regular meeting of the Rules, Administration and Procedures (RAP) Committee Tuesday, Aug. 2, and again during a special meeting of the RAP Committee on Thursday, Aug. 4.

After public input and further discussion with members of the Aurora City Council, an additional map - 2A - was scheduled to be presented at the regularly scheduled RAP meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 16.

In addition to considering 2A during that meeting, the Committee also considered three other maps, including a proposal submitted by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF).

The additional three maps - which were generated on Aug. 15 - were designed to show the committee how the city council could draw additional wards where Latinos represented more than half of the ward's voting age population of United States' citizens.

After deliberating on the proposals, the RAP Committee forwarded all four concepts to the committee of the whole for consideration during a scheduled meeting later on Tuesday, Aug. 16.

While Proposal 2A is a combination and refinement of Proposals 1A and 1B previously reviewed by the RAP Committee, the committee did not send 1A or 1B to the city council. For that reason, 1A and 1B are no longer being considered by the city council.

During the committee of the whole meeting on Aug. 16, members considered all four map proposals advanced by the RAP Committee. After significant deliberation, the committee directed staff to prepare Proposals 2A and 2D - or a blended option of both - for possible approval at the Aug. 23 city council meeting.

The committee of the whole deemed the two additional maps advanced by the RAP Committee, labeled 2B and 2C, as representing too great of a departure from the city's traditional ward boundaries and declined to advance them to the city council. For this reason, Proposals 2B and 2C are no longer under consideration.

Both maps, all presentations, and links to videos of all aforementioned meetings can be viewed at www.aurora-il.org/WardRedistricting.

The public is invited to continue to offer commentary on Proposals 2A and 2D. Additional adjustments to either or both active proposals remain possible.

Public comments on the proposed maps can be submitted via email at MyAurora@aurora.il.us.