Another reason to switch to single member council districts

If only to remove the geographical imbalance and bias on the Planning & Zoning Commission, the Charter Review Commission needs to change the makeup of the Kyle City Council so that all six council members are elected from single member districts.

I’ll get to the problems with P&Z momentarily, but I’m not sure the city’s current system of three single- member districts, three at-large districts could withstand a court challenge. According to the most recent demographic data, the city has a population that’s more than 50 percent Hispanic, yet only one council member, 14 percent, has an Hispanic surname. It would be a much better idea and far less divisive if the city decided to change the council makeup instead of having the federal courts do it.

Once the council is comprised of six persons elected from individual districts with the mayor elected at large, the boards and commission appointment process needs to be changed so that each council person has the opportunity to appoint someone living in their district to each board/commission with the mayor electing the chair of that board/commission.

Which brings me back to the Planning & Zoning Commission which contains a geographical imbalance that staggers the imagination. Here’s the breakdown: Five of the seven P&Z commissioners live in two subdivisions within the city. Three of them – Michael Wilson, Mike Rubsam and Michele Christie – all live in Plum Creek. Two others– Dan Ryan and Lori Huey – live in Kensington Trails. Only one of the commissioners – Timothy Kay – lives in the downtown area.

I’m not making any accusations of geographical bias against the commissioners. But anyone can see at a glance that the entire city is not adequately represented on what is, next to the City Council itself, the most influential body in municipal government.

It stinks. And if the Charter Review Commission doesn’t change the council makeup, then the council should, on its own, change the composition of P&Z by dividing the city into six districts of equal population and then making sure only one P&Z commissioner represents each district, with the chair named at-large.

At least then P&Z could pass the smell test.