Madison's Redistricting Ad Hoc Committee continued to work through various tentative aldermanic maps for the city Tuesday.
City planner Brian Grady presented eight drafts of possible aldermanic maps to the committee. Members worked through advantages and disadvantages of the tentative plans.
Committee members looked primarily at the amount of minority participation, neighborhood associations and, to an extent, the income of residents in the districts.
One of the primary concerns involved District 8, which would absorb a large chunk of what now lies in District 5 in each draft. District 8 would then absorb Eagle Heights area and the surrounding area near that portion of University Avenue.
This would cause a drop from 38.8 percent to 12 percent in the amount of minority participation for District 5, Ald. Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, District 5, said.
""By segregating all students into District 8, I think that is the wrong way to balance the district,"" Bidar-Sielaff said.
Bidar-Sielaff said she would like to see Eagle Heights and Regent Neighborhood Associations back in District 5. The Regent Neighborhood Association was moved to District 10 under the current version of the map.
""Those two added would balance the number District 5 needs,"" Bidar-Sielaff said.
However, Bidar-Sielaff, added that would create the need for more balance for District 8.
Ald. Satya Rhodes-Conway, District 15, said instead of completely disregarding the maps, the committee members could take parts out that they like in order to help create a new map.
The committee will meet again to narrow down the options and discuss issues April 27.
