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Berlin, Ocean Pines News Worcester County Bayside Gazette Logo Berlin, Ocean Pines News Worcester County Bayside Gazette

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Berlin council members to meet on redistricting plan

BERLIN–The Berlin Town Council will meet on Feb. 19 to continue discussions on a proposed redistricting plan, Town Administrator Laura Allen announced during the Feb. 10 council meeting.
In December, the Berlin Town Council and Mayor Gee Williams agreed to take another and closer look at how a computerized modeling system incorporates new census data to define future election districts. Williams said the councilmembers had requested that Nasrin Rahman, manager of the Maryland Department of Planning’s Redistricting and Reapportionment Office, meet with the council in person, to demonstrate how the modelling was conducted and to further explain the proposed changes.
Two of the first proposals created under the computerized system proposed plans that would result in unseating two duly elected officials, Councilmember Dean Burrell (District 4), and Town Council Vice President Elroy Brittingham (District 3).
The redistricting of Berlin’s election district boundaries is in response to updated population data from the 2010 U.S. Census and is meant to keep the town’s four election districts of equal size (1,124 residents), by ensuring that no district deviates by more than 5 percent of the 1,124 resident goal. Berlin has a population of 4,496 residents, according to the adjusted data. According to the town Web site, the next regular municipal election is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 13, for the council seats in Districts 1 and 4, and At-large.