Barbour school board approves redistricting plan

Credit: Submitted photo

This map shows Barbour County Board of Education school districts.

By: Tiffiny Woo | Eufaula Tribune
Published: July 19, 2011

The Barbour County Board of Education voted to accept the newly reconfigured districts during last week’s meeting.

The map will be submitted to the Department of Justice.

Myles Mayberry, Manager of the Alabama State University Demographic Research Services Center, presented the new plan to the board of education in a public hearing. Only a handful of central office staff members and members of the media attended the hearing.

Fryer said the meeting was publicized in the Clayton Record.

Since no concerns were raised during the hearing, the board voted to add approval of the plan to the regular meeting agenda. It passed unanimously.

Superintendent Jimmie Fryer said that the population recorded in the 2010 census caused a shift in the district lines because the prison was counted in the new figures. Having recently taken over the position of superintendent, Fryer wasn’t familiar with all of the details of the redistricting. But he did know that District 4 and District 5 changed considerably due to the population shift associated with the prison.

District 4 board representative is Fred McLaney. His district now includes most of the areas along the southern edge of the county, bordering Henry County and also includes the Clio area. Dennis Ryals is the board’s representative from District 5. His district includes residents in the White Oak Shores and Blue Springs communities.

The largest district, geographically, is District 1 represented by Shirley Johnson. After the public hearing for the redistricting plan, Johnson pointed out that most of the area covered in her district is in the northern part of Barbour County, which is sparsely populated. But it also includes parts of Baker Hill and most of the area between Eufaula and Clayton. The smallest district geographically is District 3 represented by Jacqueline Davis. The district includes the Clayton area, where many of the system’s residents reside.

District 2 is represented by Ruth Clark and mainly includes the Louisville area.

Board members were eager to get the redistricting plan approved before elections begin next year.