Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 9, 1991 TAG: 9104090499
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LEE B. EDDY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
In Roanoke County, a committee of staff personnel has developed maps showing boundaries based on four, five, six and seven districts. By consensus, the four-district and five-district plans appear to best meet the redistricting criteria. Geographical barriers, major road locations, the doughnut shape of the county, and the Vinton area of influence limit the number and types of plans that make good sense.
Roanoke County's government has comprised five districts and five board members for many years. Among Virginia's 95 counties, boards of supervisors now range in size from three to nine members, some having multimember districts and some having one or more at-large members.
Fairfax and Prince William counties have seven or eight single-member districts, plus one member elected at-large who serves as board chairman. Loudoun County has eight single-member districts. Henrico and Chesterfield counties each have five single-member districts. Augusta, Bedford, Franklin, Montgomery and Pittsylvania counties each have seven single-member districts. In all, 43 Virginia counties have five-member boards and 20 have seven-member boards. Odd numbers predominate, to reduce the possibility for tie votes. In every county, other than Fairfax and Prince William counties, the chairman is elected annually from among the board members.
The decennial redistricting process offers a significant opportunity for changing the structure of a local government: by modifying the number of districts, by changing the district boundaries, by establishing one or more at-large seats, and/or by changing the way the board chairman is selected. This is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to improve the responsiveness of a government to its citizens, a chance to fine-tune the nuts and bolts of a democratic system.
A public hearing to solicit citizen comments is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight at the Roanoke County Administration Center. Anyone with an opinion on how the county should be governed for the next 10 years is urged to attend and speak at this meeting. The final redistricting plan, as approved by the Board of Supervisors, must be submitted to the U.S. Justice Department to verify compliance with the Voting Rights Act.
I have suggested that county supervisors consider changing from five to seven members and having the board chairman elected at large by the voters. These changes could be accomplished by establishing five magisterial districts plus two at-large members, one of whom would serve as board chairman for a term of four years. Alternately, a plan with four district members and one at-large chairman could be considered.
A five-district, seven-member board would allow citizens to vote for and be represented by three people, rather than one. An elected chairman would strengthen that position and make it comparable to the mayor of a large city. Having served as Roanoke County's board chairman in 1968 and 1971, I am well aware of the limitations associated with a one-year term for that position.
All things considered, I favor the concept of a board chairman elected by the people. County governments are becoming more like cities all the time, and having a strong chief elected official would enhance the county's ability to deal effectively with other localities and with state agencies.
Fairfax and Prince William counties have already recognized the potential advantage in this governmental structure. The 1991 redistricting process provides an opportunity for Roanoke County to evaluate the approach for our government.
Unfortunately, a serious evaluation is not likely unless the Board of Supervisors hears a groundswell of support from citizens. The prevailing attitude seems to reflect the philosophy: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." But we can't know what's best unless we take a careful look at all reasonable alternatives.
\ AUTHOR NOTE: Lee B. Eddy is a Windsor Hills District member on the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB