“We need to change the form of government in Holly Springs,” Martin said, adding that five of the six council members live in the same subdivision, Sunset Ridge. “We don’t believe this is a fair system of representation for the residents of Holly Springs.”
He said districting would ensure that neighborhood, economic and population diversity would be represented. In a letter to the council, Martin said that districting would guarantee that all communities in town would be represented “and would not have to fear that one community is being favored over another based on where their councilman lives.”
A town document said a recent council consensus viewed dividing voters into groups as having a “negative effect on the community since now all residents … can call upon any of five elected officials for representation; however, districts would limit their representation on the council to only one member.”
“We will get back to you, sir, and everybody else,” Mayor Dick Sears said after Martin spoke.
Womble then asked if a closed session was needed for discussion. The town attorney said discussion on districting would have to be conducted openly.
Councilman Tim Sack said he thought Martin’s proposal “does us a disservice.”
“I think we represent every part of the town,” Sack said, gesturing at the council. “When things come before us, we look at how does it affect the town as a whole.”
Sack also said districting would be a disservice to the minority in Holly Springs as districting could break up “any type of voting block you could get.” “Some of the citizens just feel like it’s unfair in how they’re represented,” Womble said.
“In what way?” Sack asked.
Womble then called on a resident at the meeting to come to the podium and speak.
“Looking at the board now, I see Ham (Womble), but where I live is the old Holly Springs,” said resident Ralph Joyner.
While Joyner admitted he had not contacted any councilman about an issue, he said he wanted a council member with whom he felt personally connected.
“Ham Womble lives just down the street from you,” Sack said. “How does he not represent you?”
“In the future, as this town grows, if Mr. Womble gets off this board, what situation would present itself then?” Joyner asked. “How would that impact the future town council?”
Womble’s term ends in December 2011. Joyner said that Womble was the only minority on the council.
“When he decides to retire, we’re going to have a very difficult time … getting a minority,” Joyner said.
Councilwoman Linda Hunt Williams disagreed, and she said she felt she was personally connected with the speaker. Sack said Womble was elected at-large.
“Sometimes I feel you neglect our section of town,” Joyner said. He said his neighborhood had no sidewalks and that he would like to see outdoor basketball facilities.
Sack said the council had not heard those concerns.
“If you don’t tell us these things … that is the problem,” Sack said. “Sidewalks are put in as we get the money to put them in in the heavily traveled areas.”
Sears said he did not have sidewalks in front of his house.
“We’re building sidewalks as fast as we can with the money we have available,” he said.
Town staff said Holly Springs has five outdoor basketball facilities: two at Holly Springs High School, two at Holly Ridge Middle School, and one at Holly Springs Elementary School.
“I’d like to see one at Womble Park,” Joyner said.
Womble then called Rev. Otis Byrd to the podium.
“People don’t always readily come to you,” Byrd said. “Sometimes you have to reach out to them, and I think it makes a better impact when you do so.
“We are taxpayers,” he later said. “We are community people. So, we want representation for our community. … What we need in the old (part of) Holly Springs may not be what you need in Sunset Ridge.”
Byrd said the community will “go out to do whatever to make a full scale campaign because we need to have some fair representation. … I’m not talking minority. I’m talking about divisions of the community.”
Councilman Chet VanFossen asked what the current councilmen had done that favored Sunset Ridge over another community.
“You are not open to even considering this,” Byrd responded. “You’re not open enough to say maybe it does need to be looked at because it does.”
Byrd said only two council candidates visited his church during the recent elections.
Williams said she walked the neighborhoods but did not go to any of Byrd’s services. She said she got an invitation to a forum there the morning of the event.
“The issue is that we have qualified people on the board running and doing the business of the town,” Williams said. “I don’t care if they’re living right on the border of Holly Springs. … I don’t care what they look like. I care about how they represent the people of this town.”
Councilmen said districting could reduce the number of qualified people on the council. Byrd said that districting was done all the time, including the United States House of Representatives. Byrd said that different people’s outlook is different but “to the persons who are representing the minority of that group, it would appear that they’re disenfranchised.”
“I think this does a disservice to Councilman Womble,” Sack said. “You’re saying you’re not represented.”
“I don’t go to Sunset Ridge and see what they need,” Womble said. “I stay over on this side.”
“I’m available in the community,” VanFossen said. “It’s not every person that I meet, but I meet business leaders, I meet church leaders, and I talk to them.”
VanFossen said he looks at Byrd as a community leader who could talk with him.
Councilman James Cobb spoke about communication also.
“It’s like a bridge,” Cobb said. “It works both ways.”
Williams invited residents to call her.
Byrd said the council had a standing invitation to attend his morning worship service and said the only way people will know their council is working for them is to see the council members present.
The discussion ended as Sears said he would put together a position paper and poll the council. He said he would get back to the gentlemen.
Elections have consequences and your now starting to see the impact of this last election.