02/17/11 The number of seats on the Plymouth Common Council will have to be increased by the year 2016. Indiana ordinances require that cities over 10,000 in population must have a Council of seven members as opposed to the five members that make up the Council currently. The final census tally lists Plymouth as having a population of 10,033.
According to City Attorney Nelson Chipman, the seven seats can be formed by having four districts and three members at-large or changing to five districts with two at-large seats. Chipmn said the Common Council members will have to adopt an ordinance with their preference in the year 2015 and then the seats would become effective in 2016.
Tom Bredenweg, Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, said Tuesday that Plymouth will have to arrange for re-districting in 2012. Chipman confirmed that opinion saying that even if the council retains four districts, they would have to be “tweaked” since the population has increased. Re-districting is not allowed during an election year and is done in the second year after the census is taken.
Carol Anders Correspondent
