Public hearing set for minor changes
The Beacon City Council on Monday (April 25) is expected to schedule a public hearing for May 2 on minor revisions to the city’s four ward boundaries.
The proposed changes, which are based on 2020 census data, would move 268 residents from Wards 3 and 4 into Ward 1. Seventy-four residents would move from Ward 3 to Ward 4. Ward 2 would not change.
The changes would ensure that the difference in population between the most and least populous ward does not exceed 5 percent of the average population of all wards, the city said. If approved, the new districts would become effective for the fall 2023 elections.
The changes would be subject to a permissive referendum, which means that if residents disagree with the redrawn boundaries, 277 people, which is 5 percent of the number of city residents who voted in the last gubernatorial election, could sign a petition within 45 days forcing a citywide vote on the changes this fall.
