Reapportionment Meeting Draws Big Crowd

Monday's reapportionment meeting co-sponsored by Forsyth County's Tea Party, Democratic Party and Republican Party, drew a crowd of about 100 people, including some from the neighboring counties of Hall, White, Gwinnett and Cherokee.

Much of the discussion centered on the new U.S. Congressional district boundaries. Speaker after speaker, including those from outside the county, made it clear that Forsyth County should be made whole with just one congressman representing the entire county.

Forsyth County Tea Party founder Steve Voshall said, "Our congressional district sits on the border of the 6th, the 7th the 9th districts and now, potentially the 14th district. We literally could have four congressman if this isn't drawn up properly. That makes it very, very difficult to have representation in Congress if we have to go to four different people every time we have an issue."

Democratic Party Chairwoman Sharon Gunter said the co-sponsors of the event drew a map that includes Forsyth, Hall, Cherokee, Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Union, Towns and a portion of Habersham counties.

"We looked at Forsyth, Hall, Cherokee, Dawson and Lumpkin counties and considered those our core counties," she said. "We are connected by water. We all commute for our jobs. Our new residents have fled North Fulton, Gwinnett and Cobb counties. They have the same issues and concerns we do."

In one of the most forceful comments of the evening, Republican Party Chairman Ethan Underwood said, "I usually try to be very diplomatic but this is redistricting and it's not going to be diplomatic. The point is someone is going to get split up. Forsyth County generates a lot of money. We generate a lot of votes and we put a lot of folks in these state offices. So if somebody is going to get busted up, we want you to tell those guys (on the reapportionment committees) we don't want it to be us."

Sen. Jack Murphy, who attended along with Forsyth County's entire state delegation, said he had made it clear to the reapportionment committees that keeping Forsyth County whole was his preference.

Cumming Mayor Ford Gravitt attended, but did not speak. Most of Forsyth County's Board of Commissioners also attended with the exception of Chairman Brian Tam, who sent word that due to a death in his family, he could not be there.

There was a limited amount of discussion regarding the boundaries for the Board of Commissioners and Board of Education.

Former Dist. 4 Commissioner David Richard said the proposed county map was outdated and should be scrapped in its entirety and a new one drawn. By a show of hands, the majority of attendees, disagreed, opting instead for a few minor tweaks.

Forsyth County's Geographical Information Services Department formulated the county's map. The population of each district must have a deviation of no more than one percent.

Once it's been approved by commissioners, it will undergo a lengthy process, ultimately being reviewed by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Lawmakers say they need to have the county's proposed map by Thursday, Aug. 18.