HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2011.12.15 - 18843MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION # 11318
BY: Commissioners Craig Covey, District #25, Gary McGillivray. District #24, Marcia
Gershenson, District #17, Tim Greimel, District #11, Janet Jackson, District #11, Jim
Nash, District #15, Nancy Quarles, District #23, Helaine Zack, District #22, Mattie M.
Hatchett, District #10, Dave Woodward, District #18
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — OPPOSITION TO HOUSE BILL 5187
REDISTRICTING LEGISLATION
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS Oakland County has a long-standing and well established protocol for redistricting its
county commission seats each decade that strives for bi-partisanship and is made up of elected officials
including the county clerk, the county treasurer, and the county prosecutor, along with the chairs of
both the Republican and Democratic parties; and
WHEREAS the Oakland County redistricting process has been completed, vetted, and ruled proper by
Michigan courts and was done in a timely, transparent and legal manner and the process itself ensures
local control and includes Oakland County voters input through elections of three of the five members
of that redistricting committee; and
WHEREAS the biannual Oakland County commission elections are just months away with new
districts and maps that ensure representation of all residents of Oakland county including minority
residents; and
WHEREAS last minute partisan political maneuvers by Lansing State House of Representative
Republicans threaten local control and voters intent through House Bill 5187 that woUld eliminate four
commission seats and Would negate the legally adopted apportionment plan now in place with a new
system that allows current County Commissioners to redraw their own districts in 2012 for the elections
in 2012; and
WHEREAS the author of House Bill 5187 Rep. Brad Jacobsen has admitted on public radio that part of
his reasoning and goal of his bill would be to prevent any possible election of additional Democratic
County Commissioners in 2012 because he does not agree with some Democratic policies and proposals;
and
WHEREAS House Bill 5187 violates the spirit of home rule and local control as well as using blatant
political power to unfairly impose a partisan system to favor one party over the other; and
WHEREAS House Bill 5187 could be used to violate rules designed to protect minorities from being
marginalized in political boundary setting; and
WHEREAS House Bill 5187 would allow current sitting majority County Commissioners to redraw
their own districts just prior to their elections in 2012.
Chairperson, we move the a.cliztption of the foregoing resolution.
,,----)
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ComMis—Sioner Craig Covey
District #25
AiLti (7e.
Commissioner Gary R. McGillivray
District #24
Commissioner Marcia Gershenson
District #17
Commissioner Tim Greimel
District #11
Carfrrrirs-s'ioner-Iabet Jaciesui
0,--Distri ct #21.
Commissi
District #:
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Commissioner attie . chett " M Aaf'"
District #10
4,67,7c:
Commissioner Hel4ine Za
/15ari,ct #22,_ r 1
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Commission& Dave Woodward
District #18
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners in the
strongest terms vigorously opposes this last minute partisan attempt to impose new state rules on our
county that removes local control, negates the actions of county voters, forces a new system of
redistricting without our consent and places the ability of drawing new county commission lines in the
very hands of the current sitting majority county commissioners which is unfair, unethical, and possibly
illegal, and goes against the democratic process, and we call on the Michigan Senate and the Governor
of the State of Michigan to oppose this bill.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds is requested to
forward copies of this adopted resolution to Governor Snyder, the Oakland County delegation to the
Michigan legislature, members of the Michigan Senate, the City Clerks of the 61 cities, villages and
townships in Oakland County, the members of the Oakland County Apportionment Commission and the
Michigan Association of Counties.
Con i issioner Jim Nash
Di rict #15 /5.--
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Resolution #11318 December 15, 2011
Moved by Covey supported by Nash to suspend the rules and vote on Miscellaneous Resolution 11318 -
Board of Commissioners — Opposition to House Bill 5187 Redistricting Legislation.
Vote on motion to suspend the rules:
AYES: Hatchett, Jackson, McGillivray, Nash, Quarles, Woodward, Zack, Covey, Gershenson,
Greimel. (10)
NAYS: Hoffman, Long, Matis, Middleton, Nuccio, Potts, Runestad, Scott, Taub, Weipert, Bosnic,
Crawford, Dwyer, Gingell, Gosselin. (15)
A sufficient majority having not voted in favor, the motion to suspend the rules and vote on Miscellaneous
Resolution #11318 Board of Commissioners — Opposition to House Bill 5187 Redistricting Legislation
failed.
Discussion followed.
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the General Government Committee. There were no
objections.