After 10 months of debate over how to redraw its own electoral districts, the Burlington City Council agreed in concept Monday night to a plan that would shrink the body from 14 members to 12.
But even after it became clear the plan would move forward, the council found something new to bicker about: precisely who came up with it.
One faction credited Burlington resident George Gamache, who died in July. Others credited resident Robert Bristow-Johnson. Another said Mayor Miro Weinberger came up with the plan, while yet another said it was “drawn up at the 11th hour by councilors” and wasn’t properly vetted by the public.
Whoever conceived of it, the proposal was brought to life by an unusual faction of Progressives, Democrats and the council’s sole Republican — all of whom hail from the city’s New North End and Old North End. Democrats and independents representing the city’s more southerly wards opposed it.
The vote was 8 to 6. The plan will now go to the council’s Charter Change Committee, which will flesh out its details. If the council approves those, voters will have a chance to approve or reject it next March.
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FYI, the map was drawn by me, but the 12-councilor plan where 8 of the 12 are elected from wards and the other 4 of the 12 councilors are elected from pairs of wards, that plan is from the late George Gamache as i have heard.
dunno in what proverbial “smoke-filled-rooms” that map and plan were married to each other and a proposal with sponsoring councilors had emerged.