The City of Sedalia’s four wards have been redistricted, although City Administrator Gary Edwards said it will have a “very small” impact.
The Sedalia City Council approved the new ward lines during Monday’s meeting, voting on a recommendation from the Ward Adjustment Committee. Edwards said the redistricting will have a small impact on the city, and it will not impact any council members.
“Before we did the redistricting, there were some wards that were much less than the other wards as far as population goes — Second Ward — there was one other ward that was much higher than all the others, that was Fourth Ward, so the goal was to get them as even as possible population-wise,” Edwards told the Democrat. “If we didn’t do that, with each subsequent year there’s a pretty good chance it would get out of balance as far as the population goes. That’s the main reason you always do redistricting.”
According to information provided in the council meeting packet, the redistricting process has been worked on for about two years. After the first meeting of the Ward Adjustment Committee, it was discovered the census figures from the federal government were incorrect, and it took about a year to get the correct figures.
“The county also needs to know about it because where the lines are drawn for east and west, for example, commissioners, races outside of the city, it could call for some changes,” Edwards added. “No significant impact, but call for some changes. So the county clerk (Nick La Strada) has been following this very closely for that reason. … Sometimes redistricting can be very controversial, but not in this case.”
Council also approved the appointment of Joyce Foster to the Bothwell Regional Health Center Board of Trustees, completing Mary Nell Strautman’s term expiring June 2017. Chairman Glen Nelson, of Lincoln, and Vice Chairman Strautman, of Warsaw, submitted their letters of resignation after the board’s September meeting a few weeks ago. Both were elected to their officer positions in June.
Born and raised in Sedalia, Foster started her nursing career at Bothwell, working there for about nine years as a nurse aid, LPN and RN. She also worked at the dialysis clinic in Sedalia and most recently taught at State Fair Community College in the Allied Health and Nursing Department. She is now retired, although she still serves as an adjunct professor.
“So I am very familiar with health care and its challenges,” she told the Democrat after taking her oath of office Monday night. “We certainly need to keep our patients safe and have a qualified, competent staff.”
Foster said her background as a nurse and her love for her community are what compelled her to be part of the Bothwell board.
“As a nurse you have an oath with society to protect them,” Foster said. “That’s the major reason for being a nurse, the only reason for being a nurse, and so there are just some things we need to probably do a better job in taking care of our patients at our local hospital. And I’d like to be a part of that change process.”
During the meeting council also:
• Approved an ordinance amending Ordinance No. 9940 relating to amending an existing classification and job description for Animal Care Attendant for the Sedalia Police Department. According to the meeting packet, the part-time job description will be updated so it can be converted to a full-time position.
• Approved an ordinance granting a rezoning application by Nathan and Rhonda Ahern for property located at 1227 w. Main St., 1301 W. Main St. and 1307 W. Main St. According to the meeting packet, the property will be used for the family’s real estate business. The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved this request.
• Approved an ordinance amending Section 16-2(e) of Chapter 16 of the Code of Ordinances by increasing the fees collected by the Sedalia Municipal Court from $2 to $4 for the purpose of providing operating expenses for shelters for battered persons and incorporating said fees into the city’s fee schedule. This will take effect Jan. 1, 2016.