When Holiday Island incorporated last November, the five serving council members were elected at large. Meaning each council member represented the whole community. It was necessary for us to do that in order for the city council to establish wards which must be done by ordinance. These wards must be in place for the 2022 election where two council members from each ward will be elected to replace the current council.
The law is somewhat general in how the wards must be set up. 14-44-101 simply states that:
(a) As soon as practicable after an incorporated town becomes a city of the second class, the city council shall form the city into the number of wards that, to it, will seem to best serve the interests of the city.
(b) It shall be the duty of the council to see that each ward has as nearly an equal population to each of the other wards as would best serve the interests of the taxpayers of the city.
Working with the State of Arkansas Geographical Information Service and after conducting a public workshop on July 13th, we are proposing three wards represented on the Proposed Ward Map posted on this website under the Governance heading. Using these boundaries Ward #1 would have an estimated population of 718, Ward #2 - 757, and Ward #3 - 789. It is the intention of the city council to consider at the August meeting an ordinance adopting these ward boundaries. The ordinance will be read three times at three consecutive regular meetings in order that everyone has ample time to express an opinion on the proposed boundaries and/or ask questions as to how they were determined.
Once the ordinance is final, the map and description of the ward boundaries will be given to the County Clerk and County Election Commission. Prior to the next election, they will notify every registered voter in Holiday Island as to what ward they are in. Those registered voters can then decide if they want to run for one of the two positions in their ward and/or be aware of who the candidates are that are running to represent them. Questions can be directed to me or any council member.
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