Esko student pitches county redistricting plan

The only person to propose a plan at Tuesday's county redistricting hearing was an Esko High School student. He was also the only person to get his plan in on time.

Senior Nathan Barta explained his proposal for redrawing the boundaries of Carlton County's five commissioner districts, pointing out his plan kept the districts close to dead even in population as tabulated by the 2020 Census.

As required by Minnesota state statute, county commissioners had called for a hearing on the redistricting issue during their board meeting April 12. Auditor/treasurer Kevin DeVriendt presented a handout at the beginning of the hearing which detailed the process of how the changes in county population and movement of people within the county affected the need to increase or decrease the size of the districts.

The population of Carlton County, according to the current Census, is 36,207 people. In regard to the guidelines requiring redistricting when there is more than 10 percent difference between any of the five current commissioner districts, DeVriendt showed detailed figures that that was not the case.

Barta presented his possible layout for the boundaries of the five commissioner districts. He said he realigned the boundaries to make the difference in overall population between the five districts almost negligible.

Pine Knot News reporter Dan Reed is also an Automba Township officer as well as the Carlton County Association of Township Officers representative for such gatherings as the committee of the whole meetings once a month. Reed said Barta's layout of commissioner districts split the rural areas more evenly and could provide an opportunity for more commissioners to understand concerns of rural residents. The issues of urban concern in the northeast corner of the county, he said, are not the same as those who live in the rural areas. Reed did not endorse Barta's plan but thought it was worthy for discussion of what type of choices could be made for the future.

Barta said he had testified in Duluth earlier in the winter when a delegation of judges came for a hearing on how to proceed with the establishment of new state house and senate districts. He said Carlton County had been in one legislative district for some time and he hoped the judges would leave the county wholly in one legislative House seat. Barta said he was happy when the new redistricted map left Carlton County in one district.

Barta also said he had fun with the county redistricting plan, adding that he would not take it personally if the board decides to keep the current boundaries or chooses a different approach.

County commissioners have to make a decision on redistricting boundaries by April 26. In reality, the decision will be made at the adjourned session on April 25. Commissioner Dick Brenner was not at this hearing or meeting nor did he participate via Zoom, due to illness. It is possible that only four commissioners will make the decision of redistricting. If the board decided to redistrict, every commissioner would have to run for office in November.

Flood watch

County zoning administrator Heather Cunningham reported that a new preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Map "reflecting proposed flood hazard determinations within Carlton County" has been created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Included are base flood elevations, base flood depths, special flood hazard area boundaries and the regulatory floodway.

The proposal can be viewed at https://www.floodmaps.fema.gov/fhm/BFE_Status/bfe_main.asp; or, call the FEMA mapping and insurance eXchange at 877-336-2627. There is a 90-day period to appeal the material.

"This expansion of the floodplain includes elevation data that makes it easier for homeowners to know information of what affects their property and possible building plans without the need of complex survey work," Cunningham said.

The zoning administrator also said that the new maps of Carlton County are very detailed and a lot of scientific study has gone into their creation. New technology makes them easy to use and access, she said.