Defying advice from the city’s top attorney, aldermen have changed the boundaries of two neighborhood voting districts.
Without discussion, the Board of Aldermen Monday night voted unanimously to move the borders bounding Newhallville’s Ward 21 and Wooster Square’s Ward 8 to include blocks from neighboring wards.
Mike Smart (in right photo, above), Ward 8’s alderman, said the changes were necessary to rectify a simple oversight from the city-wide ward redistricting that ended last May. Ward 21 Alderwoman Brenda Foskey-Cyrus (at left) declined to comment.
The changes mean that Jocelyn Square, a small neighborhood surrounding a park near Humphrey’s restaurant on Humphrey Street, moves back to Ward 8 from East Rock’s Ward 9; and a block near Hillhouse High School moves back to Ward 21.
Before making the changes, the Board of Aldermen had consulted with city Corporation Counsel Victor Bolden. Alderman asked Bolden if they could make changes to ward borders after closing the required once-a-decade process last year.
Bolden said no. He said the city can redraw its ward lines only within six months after the state creates new districts, a deadline that passed last June.
Aldermen then consulted with New Haven attorney Martin Philpot, who said aldermen would be within their rights to change ward boundaries, but that they should use that power sparingly.
“Obviously we believe the Philpot opinion,” said board President Alderman Jorge Perez. “If we were to take Victor’s opinion, we’d never be able to amend an ordinance.”
Preposterous. What kind of massive incompetence does it take to only now realize what the boundaries of your Ward are? This map was put out months ago and the Aldermen only now decide that they want a different Ward? They had a vote, they approved a map, they should live with it. Fix your oversights next decade. Really quite amazing. Yet another reason why this Board should be cut in half or one third -- at least there would be a chance of improved competence in the people who run.