College of the Desert Redistricting Process
College of the Desert Redistricting Process
Redistricting Process
Ensuring Fair Representation
Every 10 years, Desert Community College District and other public agencies that elect their officers by geographical areas are required to review the boundaries of those districts and determine whether they need to be adjusted to incorporate new population data from the most recent U.S. Census.
The process, known as redistricting, ensures the districts are as nearly equal in population as possible. In some cases, the population remains balanced, and no map update is necessary. But if the local population has grown or shifted significantly, a map update is required.
Redistricting is a public process that includes input from community meetings, a Citizen’s Advisory Committee and the Board of Trustees. The District is legally required to complete the process and adopt new representation maps by March 1, 2022.
Any boundary adjustments would be effective starting with the November 8, 2022, District election, and would be used for trustee elections until the next Census.
Stay Up-to-Date with COD’s Redistricting
Current Desert Community College
District Trustee Boundaries
Action Plan for Redistricting
The Desert Community College District will review the 2020 Census demographic data, in consultation with a demographer and legal counsel, with the intent of changing the boundaries of trustee representation areas. To accomplish this task, the Board of Trustees and District staff will be taking a series of actions to ensure transparent and comprehensive compliance by the mandated March 1, 2022 deadline. Below is a general timeline of the process.
Note: All dates are subject to change and contingent upon timely access to specific Riverside County Census data.
| Legal Counsel BB&K | |
|---|---|
| Demographer Retained to provide an analysis of new district boundaries | September 30, 2021 |
| Local Census data available | September 30, 2021 (This date may change) |
| Website Launched | October 8, 2021 |
| Citizens’ Advisory Committee Selected: (Five members, one appointed by each board member) | October 8, 2021 |
| Demographer begins work: Meets with COD team — to review last redistricting effort. Discuss boundary concerns. | October 15, 2021 |
| First Citizens’ Advisory Committee Meeting Held: Organizational meeting | October 22, 2021 |
| Staff reviews scenario options from Demographers | November 22, 2021 |
| Demographer reviews tentative district map alternatives with citizens committee. Committee chooses three alternatives | November 30, 2021 |
| Combined Board Workshop/Citizens’ Advisory Committee meeting to review three scenarios with Demographer | December 17, 2021 |
| One public hearing | January 21, 2022 |
| Citizens’ Advisory Committee meeting (if needed) to review additional scenario changes from information discussed at public hearing | January 28, 2022 |
| Citizens’ Advisory Committee narrows scenarios to two recommendations for board | February 2, 2022 |
| Board adopts resolution approving final plan and transmits to County | February 17, 2022 |
For questions about the redistricting process, please email Jessica Enders at jenders@collegeofthedesert.edu
Submit Feedback on our Redistricting Process
FAQs
Over time, the population of the area represented by a Trustee can change as some communities grow faster than others. Voting districts are reexamined to maintain the balance and ensure equal representation for all.
Draft maps will be posted for review in December 2021, followed by a public hearing on January 21, 2022, where comments on the draft maps will be heard prior to adoption of a final map by the Board of Trustees.
A five-member Citizens’ Advisory Committee will work with a demographer, District staff and legal counsel to develop the maps. Each member of the Board of Trustees appoints a representative to the Committee and those members will help identify potential concerns, review and provide feedback on proposed District maps, and select the final two map options to be presented to the Board of Trustees.
The Desert Community College District Board of Trustees will adopt a final redistricting plan on February 17, 2022. Any boundary adjustments would be effective starting with the November 8, 2022, District election The updated district maps would be used for Trustee elections until after the 2030 Census.
Redistricting Committee
Area 1
Agustin Arreola
Area 2
Joe Mota
Area 3
Kay Hazen
Area 4
Mike Gialdini
Area 5
Ralph Reyes
Agendas & Minutes
Agendas
October 22, 2021 – Agenda
Video
November 30, 2021 – Agenda
https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/cod/Board.nsf/vpublic?openÂ
MEETING DETAILS
Friday,  December 17, 2021
Meeting begins promptly at 9:30 AM
College of the Desert
43-500 Monterey Avenue
Palm Desert, CA 92260
Building C – Boardroom
Live stream may be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtTqgqDtOhPyMni2G4xM3HQ
Pursuant to Senate Bill 361, the meeting will be conducted by teleconference and there will also be in-person public access to the meeting. In-person public access will be limited to 18 individuals to accommodate for social distancing.
Public Participation:
Remote public participation is allowed and will be accepted in person, by email to otp@collegeofthedesert.edu during the meeting and read into the record during public comment or by using the raise your hand function by joining the Zoom link. There is a time limit of three (3) minutes per person. All comments must be submitted or brought forward prior to the end of the public comments section.
Persons with disabilities may make a written request for a disability-related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services, in order to participate in the Board meeting. All requests should be directed to the Office of the President in advance.
The Board of Trustees meeting will be transmitted via live stream from the District’s website, www.collegeofthedesert.edu and via Zoom webinar at https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/98697614847.
Should you experience issues accessing the above links, you may go to the College of the Desert website, scroll to the bottom right of the page and select the ‘Board of Trustees Agenda’ tab.
https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/cod/Board.nsf/vpublic?openÂ
MEETING DETAILS
Friday, January 21, 2021
Meeting begins promptly at 9:30 AM
College of the Desert
43-500 Monterey Avenue
Palm Desert, CA 92260
Building C – Boardroom
Live stream may be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtTqgqDtOhPyMni2G4xM3HQ
Pursuant to Senate Bill 361, the meeting will be conducted by teleconference and there will also be in-person public access to the meeting. In-person public access will be limited to 18 individuals to accommodate for social distancing.
Public Participation:
Remote public participation is allowed and will be accepted in person, by email to otp@collegeofthedesert.edu during the meeting and read into the record during public comment or by using the raise your hand function by joining the Zoom link. There is a time limit of three (3) minutes per person. All comments must be submitted or brought forward prior to the end of the public comments section.
Persons with disabilities may make a written request for a disability-related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services, in order to participate in the Board meeting. All requests should be directed to the Office of the President in advance.
The Board of Trustees meeting will be transmitted via live stream from the District’s website, www.collegeofthedesert.edu and via Zoom webinar at https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/94957728207.
Should you experience issues accessing the above links, you may go to the College of the Desert website, scroll to the bottom right of the page and select the ‘Board of Trustees Agenda’ tab.
COD Public Hearing Staff Report