Public hearing set for first proposal to redraw Cerro Gordo supervisor district boundaries, plan would pit two incumbents against each other

MASON CITY — The Cerro Gordo County Board of Supervisors today set the public hearing date as part of considering new supervisor districts.

After the 2020 Census was completed and the Iowa Legislature this fall approved new congressional and legislative districts starting next year, the Legislative Services Agency turned their attention to creating new county supervisor districts across the state.

The LSA’s first proposal has supervisors Chris Watts and Tim Latham grouped into the same proposed District 2, which includes all of Mason City’s Third Ward, Ward Two Precinct Two, and Ward Four Precincts Two and Three. The rest of Mason City, as well as Plymouth, Rock Falls and the Lime Creek-Mason North and Falls townships are in the proposed District Three. The rest of the county, including Clear Lake, Ventura, Burchinal, Portland, Rockwell, Swaledale, Thornton, Meservey and Dougherty, are grouped into the proposed District 1.

County Auditor Adam Wedmore says the supervisors can accept or reject the LSA’s first plan.  “Following the closure of that public hearing, the board will have the option to accept or reject. If they reject, then it does go back to the Legislative Services Agency to develop a plan two.”

Wedmore says if the supervisors approve the LSA’s first plan, elections would likely have to take place in all three supervisor districts this year despite Supervisors Latham and Watts being elected to four-year terms in the 2020 election.  “There’s a chance that if this first plan was adopted that yes, there would be some additional candidates on the primary, different additional supervisor districts on the primary election ballot.”

Watts expressed disappointment in the LSA’s first plan, especially since it has one all-urban-based district instead of the typical three districts that are a mix of urban and rural areas of the county.  “My initial reaction when you brought it down was the geographic compact as you may call it with one supervisor having about four-fifths of the county for representation, which is a lot. One of the districts is pretty much all urban and no rural involved in it at all. It just doesn’t seem right.”

All three current supervisor districts have a mix of rural and urban areas. The public hearing will take place at the supervisors’ February 8th meeting.

You can see more information about the redistricting process, including reviewing the proposed plan, by clicking here

 

 

 

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