Also on Monday, the city held its second public hearing to discuss criteria for mapping out districts for City Council representation. Ventura just started the process of drawing up new maps with seven distinct geographical locations as part of its move to district-based elections.
Several people spoke during the meeting, with a handful urging the council to keep the west end (off Ventura Avenue), Saticoy and Montalvo neighborhoods together to give members of those three communities a voice. None of those areas currently has representation.
Alyssa Fava, a junior at Ventura High and youth member of the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy, said "our priority is to protect low-income, Latino neighborhoods."
Resident Andrew Prokopow said if there isn't time for a citizens committee to draw up the lines, the city should draw six straight lines running from west to east. That would ensure a "wide range of economic and cultural diversity. Also, this proposal would eliminate any possibility of gerrymandering," he said.
Read more:In Ventura, the power to design voting districts is yours
The city is seeking input into the process. Submit your map through Nov. 17 by visiting cityofventura.ca.gov/districtelections. The next public hearing will be Dec. 4 at City Hall, 501 Poli St.