GENTRY — As a result of the new population figures in the 2010 Census, ward boundaries must be re-adjusted in the city to comply with state law. City council members, on Sept. 12, passed on it's first reading an ordinance that would make those necessary changes.

Under Arkansas statute A.C.A. 14-43-311, cities of the first class are required to ensure wards are as equal in population as possible, and courts have generally limited population deviations between wards to a maximum of 10 percent.

Using the existing ward boundaries and the newcensus figures, the ward populations in the city were: Ward 1 - 384; Ward 2 - 867; Ward 3 - 1,348; Ward 4 - 559; Total population - 3,158.

In order to equalize populations within each of Gentry’s four wards, the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission proposed a change in boundaries which would equalize populations and also leave elected aldermen within the wards they were elected to serve.

Under the proposed change, ward populations would be: Ward 1 - 789; Ward 2 - 786; Ward 3 - 765; and Ward 4 - 818. The proposed ward boundary changes were illustrated in previously printed ward maps.

According to Gentry mayor Kevin Johnston, the city requested the proposed changes already last spring so that it could pass an ordinance to comply with the law. He urged the council to pass the proposed ordinance so that new ward boundaries could be in place in plenty of time for the 2012 election. He said more adjustments could be made to boundary lines in the future if they become necessary because of annexation of additional lands.

Of concern to aldermen are islands and near-islands of land encircled by the city which could be annexed to square-up city borders. Councilman James Furgason urged the councilto be looking at this in the future.

Ward population figures and proposed boundary changes used in this article were submitted to the city by Jeff Hawkins, Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission director.

News, Pages 7 on 09/21/2011