JACKSON ALDERMEN CHANGE WARD LINES

JACKSON -- The Jackson Board of Aldermen met in special session Monday to approve the redistricting of the city's four aldermanic wards to conform with the one man-one vote guidelines of the U.S. Supreme court.

The aldermen agreed the boundaries adopted are the best compromise because they meet the guidelines, yet do not change the polling places in the wards and will affect the least number of people in each ward.

Robbie D. Roberts, building inspector, prepared seven optional maps that were considered by the board at the Monday meeting.

According to Roberts, here are the new ward boundaries approved by the board:

All boundaries start from the county courthouse at Barton Square.

The boundary between Ward 1 and Ward 2 will extend from the courthouse on High Street south to Jefferson, east to Hope, south on Hope to the intersection of Highway 61-72-34, and east on East Jackson to I-55. Everything north of that line will be in Ward 1. Everything south of that line will be in Ward 2.

The west boundary of Ward 2 will extend west on Main Street from Hope and Main to Hubble Creek, then north along Hubble Creek to Oak Street, west on Oak to Bass, south on Bass to Main, west on Main to the intersection of Highway 72, and west on Highway 72 to the city limits. That will also be the dividing line between Ward 2 and Ward 3, to the north.

The boundary between Wards 3 and 4 will extend from the courthouse to Washington, to Missouri, north to Park Street, then one block over to Highway 61, and north on Highway 61 to the city limits.

The boundary between Ward 4 and Ward 1 will extend east on Main Street from Barton Square to Shawnee Boulevard, then north along Ridge Road, circling around Oak Hill Road to Bainbridge Road, and east on Bainbridge to I-55.

The changes in boundaries will result in:

Ward 1 gaining 416 people and losing 12.

Ward 2 gaining 290 people and losing none,

Ward 3 gaining 114 people and losing 278.

Ward 4 will not gain any new people and will lose 530 people.

City Administrator Carl Talley said maps showing the revised boundary lines will be published in the near future. In addition, letters will be sent to those affected by the revised boundary lines.

The county clerk's office will also be advised of the changes so the voter registration books can be updated.

Talley said the changes must be completed before the registration books close prior to the April municipal election.