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235 <br /> <br />/s/ Arne L. Fennel <br /> <br />Arne L. Fennel, Chairman <br /> <br />ATTEST: <br />/s/ Frankie F. Bonds <br /> <br />Frankie F. Bonds, Clerk to the Board <br /> <br />Resolution Opposing the Proposed Redistricting Plan to Separate Cabarrus <br />County into More than One Congressional District <br /> <br /> Commissioner Freeman reported that he and Commissioner Privette spoke <br />at a meeting in Raleigh on Thursday, November 15, concerning the proposed <br />congressional.redistricting. He stated he spoke in opposition to the plan <br />presented by Representative Thomas Wright to split Cabarrus County into three <br />congressional districts and also objected to the splitting of the County into <br />four house and two senatorial districts. According to Commissioner Freeman, <br />the multiple districts would make it difficult for County residents to know <br />whom to call when they have a problem. <br /> <br /> Commissioner Privette also addressed the issue of redistricting and the <br />splitting of Cabarrus County into multiple districts. He stated the need to <br />remove redistricting from the legislature and place it in the hands of an <br />appointed Citizen$s Commission. <br /> <br /> There was discussion regarding the proposed redistricting, including the <br />targeting of Representative Robin Hayes and the politics involved in the <br />redistricting process. <br /> <br /> Chairman Fennel requested Commissioner Privette to draft a resolution for <br />the Board to consider at its next meeting asking the State to establish a <br />Citizen's Commission for redistricting purposes. Also, Vice Chairman Carruth <br />asked that the resolution include the method for choosing the members of the <br />proposed commission. <br /> <br /> UPON MOTION of Chairman Fennel, seconded by Commissioner Freeman and <br />unanimously carried, the Board 'adopted the following Resolution. <br /> <br />RESOLUTION <br /> <br />Resolution No. 2001-33 <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, Representative Thomas Wright (D-New Hanover), Chairman of the <br />North Carolina House of Representatives Congressional Redistricting <br />Committee, introduced a congressional redistricting plan, known as the Wright <br />Plan, on November 6, 2001; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, the Wright Plan divides Cabarrus County into three separate <br />congressional districts; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, upon introducing his plan, Representative Wright described his <br />motivation as. purely partisan, saying, "I am a Democrat and I am drawing a <br />Democratic-majority map here. There's no shyness about that"; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, we believe Cabarrus County receives outstanding representation <br />from our current Congressman, a life-long resident of Cabarrus County; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, dividing the county is harmful to the people of Cabarrus <br />County because it diminishes our influence in any one congressional district; <br />and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, dividing the county is further harmful to the people of <br />Cabarrus County because it is confusing and may lead to decreased voter <br />participation; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, the General Assembly this year has already passed plans that <br />divide Cabarrus County into two state senate districts and three state house <br />districts; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS~ the North Carolina Constitution directs the General Assembly <br />to respect county lines when drawing legislative districts; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, THE INDEPENDENT TRIBUNE described the Wright Plan as a "bad <br />plan" for Cabarrus County and has called upon business and political leaders <br />from Cabarrus County to oppose the Wright Plan on a bi-partisan basis; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, the house leadership, through its refusal to allow any <br />additional debates or amendments to the legislative redistricting plan, is <br /> <br /> <br />