Community is asked to weigh in on new Summit County Council map

The group tasked with redrawing the Summit County Council districts is seeking public input on its proposed map before its next meeting Oct. 19.

The Nonpartisan Independent Council Fair Districting Commission has been working since September on a new map for Summit County Council. Chairman Irv Sugarman says the commission takes all public comments into consideration.

“So, we’re listening to what folks have to say, and again, I think we’ve done a good job of incorporating those concerns into this map, the draft map that we have in front of the commission at the next meeting,” Sugarman said.

He says the commission has made changes to the proposed map based on concerns, including minority representation.

“We attempted and think we’ve done a good job in making certain that there was fair representation of historically underrepresented people and the African American community,” Sugarman said.

The voting populations of two districts in the proposed map are 33% African American. Sugarman says the commission also combined the communities of Bath and Cuyahoga Falls, which were previously split.

The commission could vote to adopt the new map at its next meeting.

The Cuyahoga County Districting Commission approved a new county council map at the end of August.

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