Merced extends deadline for commission applications

The city announced Friday that it has extended by another week the deadline for applications to be on a Merced commission to draw districts for local elections. The new deadline is Feb. 6.

As of midday Tuesday, 17 people have turned in applications to volunteer on the commission that will divide Merced into six districts, according to the City Clerk’s Office, but none of those has come from the southeastern part of town. The move to districts is meant to spread representation evenly to all of Merced.

The city extended the deadline in an attempt to drum up applicants at town hall-style meetings in south Merced on Thursday and in north Merced on Tuesday.

Voters passed a measure to eliminate the city’s at-large voting system by a mere 368 votes in November, making an effort to comply with demands from the Los Angeles-based Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, a civil rights group. The group threatened to sue the city about a year ago if voters did not make the change.

The Merced County League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan group, will recommend members for the commission from the pool of applicants. The organization has said a diverse commission that represents Merced’s demographics would be best.

To be eligible for the commission, volunteers must live in Merced and be eligible to vote. The panel cannot include elected officials, paid political employees or anyone else with a conflict of interest. The volunteers will be expected to have the necessary free time to participate on a commission that will meet two or three times a month from March through the end of the year.

Officials have said applicants do not need special knowledge of drawing districts, because the city has hired Southern California-based National Demographics Inc. to assist the commission in the process.

Merced’s City Council approved a contract with the company in November that is not to exceed $50,000.

There are two ways to apply to be on the commission.

The first town hall meeting is at 7 p.m. Thursday at Tenaya Middle School, 760 W. Eighth St., and the second is at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Rivera Middle School, 945 Buena Vista Drive. Staff from the City Clerk’s Office will be at both meetings and hope to get applicants before the meetings start.

Also, applications can be submitted to the city clerk before Feb. 6. Applications are available at the clerk’s office, 678 W. 18th Street, or on the city’s website, www.cityofmerced.org.

For questions, call the city clerk at (209) 385-6834.

This story was originally published January 23, 2015 at 2:52 PM with the headline "Merced extends deadline for commission applications."