Champaign County Board Backs Size Resolution

The Champaign County Board has taken the initial steps towards reducing the number of its members after voters overwhelmingly supported the measure to reduce the size of the board.

The 27-member board takes a formal vote next Tuesday on a resolution to reduce that number to 22, but representing 11 districts rather than 9. The board's committee of the whole Tuesday night supported the measure on a 23 to 1 vote. Seventy four percent of voters backed the change in an advisory referendum last month, but Democrat Alan Kurtz said it is possible other proposals could come forward next week.

"People are looking for efficiency and saving of money," Kurtz said. "I think if we had put in 18, or we had put in 25, or any number, they (voters) would have voted for it. 22-11, I still have reservations about that. We can bring in othe resolutions next week. This was an advisory."

Kurtz sits on the county's redistricting commission. He said the resolution does put that panel in a bit of a quandary - since it has to wait for census numbers to determine the 11 new districts. The change would take effect with the 2012 election.

Republican Alan Nudo called a 22-member board a start and a compromise, since the county's Farm Bureau doesn't want single-member districts, but he said this change should appeal to rural residents.

"They will have the chance with smaller district size to have somebody representing them who understands agriculture and rural issues," Nudo said. "I've worked hard at it, and I'm not ashamed at what I've gotten accomplished. They just awarded a number of us the 'Friend of the Farm Bureau' award. But that being said, I would prefer to see more rural representation that's pure."

The only 'no' vote came from Democrat Lloyd Carter Jr., who said problems lie in the board's membership, not its size.