McCordsville officials plan to redraw town council districts in light of population changes reflected in the 2020 census. Each district would have a population of about 2,800. Areas marked with horizontal lines were annexed to town following the census.
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McCORDSVILLE – The town council in McCordsville is the latest governmental body in Hancock County to redraw district lines following the 2020 census.
The quickly growing town will keep three council districts, but shift to a more horizontal positioning. Each proposed district has a population of about 2,800, according to the recent census.
Currently, Town Council District 1, represented by Branden Williams, is on McCordsville’s southwest side. District 2, represented by Greg Brewer, makes up the town’s east side. District 3, represented by Larry Longman, spans the northwest side. Chad Gooding and Tom Strayer represent the town at large on the council.
Now, town officials are looking to have three council districts making up the north, central and south sides of town.
At a town council meeting earlier this month, leaders said the proposal makes the most sense. They recalled contemplating a four-district scenario, but noted populations would have fluctuated more between districts.
“You can’t get much cleaner lines,” Strayer said of the layout under consideration.
Brewer agreed, adding it maintains the three-district, two at-large setup longtime town residents are used to. He said it also keeps neighborhoods intact for the most part.
“You don’t want half of one neighborhood being represented by one person and the other half represented by somebody else,” he said.
Ryan Crum, McCordsville assistant town manager, pointed out a slight split had to be done on the north side of the Deer Crossing neighborhood between the proposed south and central districts. It was difficult to avoid, he continued, in order to keep populations as close as they are.
McCordsville leaders have approved several annexations since the 2020 census. The new parts of town will join council districts they’re closest to.
The council’s two at-large seats are up for election this year while spots held by Brewer, Longman and Williams will be on ballots in 2023. If Brewer and Williams seek re-election next year, they’ll face each other, as they both live in what is slated to be the council’s new southern district.
To see the redistricting through, council members must pass an ordinance on the new borders by Nov. 8. Officials were eyeing a public hearing and introductory vote at the Oct. 11 council meeting before finishing in a special session being planned for Oct. 25. Gregg Morelock, McCordsville’s attorney, said legal descriptions of the districts needed for the ordinance that the town hired out remain to be completed, however, which may push the hearing and both votes to the Oct. 25 meeting.
The town posts agendas for its meetings on its website, mccordsville.org.
McCordsville’s plans follow redistricting approvals in Greenfield and Cumberland earlier this year.
