To enhance engagement opportunities throughout the redistricting process, the Merced County Board of Supervisors held a workshop at the Merced Office of Education, Downtown Professional Development Center, and at the Westside Transitional Center in Los Banos on Tuesday, July 13, 2021 at 6 p.m.
The workshop was broadcast live on the County Facebook page and website. The recorded workshop is now available for viewing on the County’s YouTube Channel and Facebook page.
Merced County’s redistricting consultants, National Demographics Corporation and Tripepi Smith, answered questions about the redistricting process and shared information about how the community can get involved. Residents discussed their communities of interest, collaborated on where boundaries should be drawn and saw a demonstration of how to use the mapping tools.
Based on feedback from the public, the Merced County Board of Supervisors has scheduled an additional workshop on Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at 6 p.m. The Board also rescheduled the final hearing on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 to 6:30 p.m. to accommodate the schedules of a majority of residents.
“The input we receive from the community during this process is extremely helpful for us and we want to ensure we are engaging the public as much as possible,” said Chairman Daron McDaniel of the Merced County Board of Supervisors. “To maintain the integrity of our communities and neighborhoods, I encourage every resident in the County to get involved by attending the workshop in October.”
Redistricting is a unique and exciting process as it allows residents to get more deeply involved; rather than simply expressing support or opposition to County-prepared ordinances and resolutions, residents have the opportunity to draw their own maps for review and consideration. All drafted maps received by the Board of Supervisors will be posted on the website DrawMercedCounty.org/Draft-Maps.
The Merced County Board of Supervisors will hold its second public hearing on August 10, 2021 at 1:30 p.m. at the Merced County Administration Building. The hearing will also be broadcast live at www.countyofmerced.com/BOSBroadcast.
For more information on Merced County’s redistricting process and to sign up for updates and information, visit DrawMercedCounty.org.