Aldermen have approved a redistricting plan for the city but are in no hurry to settle the question of whether to hold a public hearing on that plan.

     Advisers to city leaders say a public hearing isn’t required, though those advisers and some elected officials seem to believe holding a hearing would be prudent.

     “Personally, I think it’s best to have one and let people express their concerns,” said Mayor Les Bumgarner.

     City Attorney Joe Fernald emphasized that the public has had the opportunity to attend public work sessions on redistricting and offer comment in scheduled meetings, but said holding a hearing would probably be a good move.

     “I think public input (and) public meetings are important,” said Fernald.

     Fernald added a hearing could curry favor when the U.S. Justice Department examines the city’s redistricting proposal.

     “I think any step the city takes to have the plan subject to scrutiny will serve us well when the Justice Department reviews it,” Fernald said.

     Fernald said he’s been with the city through two redistricting cycles, and he believed there were public hearings on both occasions. He added that at least the most recent of those was “a nonevent.”

     However, while no one appears to be lining up to oppose a public hearing, no one is in a hurry to end uncertainty over whether a hearing will occur.

     Bumgarner said Friday he believed the question would be dealt with at the board’s Sept. 18 meeting. At that time, aldermen can decide whether to hold a meeting and schedule it if they want one, Bumgarner said.

     Wirt Peterson is the executive director of the Southwest Mississippi Planning and Development District, an agency hired to walk the city through the redistricting process, and he favors a public hearing.

     “We strongly suggest it, but it’s up to the board on what they want to do,” Peterson said. “I think it’s a good idea to inform the public as to their intentions.”

     Peterson said he didn’t have any insight as to how the Justice Department would look upon a failure to hold a public meeting.

     Aldermen approved a new ward lines last Tuesday on a 6-1 vote. Ward Two Alderman Terry Bates opposed the move, throwing his support behind a more controversial map that increased the black voting strength of Ward Six.

     The plan aldermen approved expanded the geographic reach of Ward Two and Three and very nearly equalized the city’s population among the six wards.

     Local NAACP President Bernetta Character was present when aldermen approved the plan. She vocally objected to the map during the meeting before Bumgarner said no public comments would be taken.

     Character did pledge to request the Justice Department look very closely at the map. When contacted late last week, she also supported a public hearing.

     “I feel the public has a right to have some input since it affects the public,” Character said.

     Ward One Alderman Dorsey Cameron, whose support proved key to the approval of a plan, also said the public should have the opportunity to speak. He noted the presence of opponents to the plan at Tuesday’s vote.

     “I know we had some citizens that wanted to voice their opinions, so it would be an opportunity for them to have their say,” Cameron said.

     However, there may be little opportunity for public input to potentially alter new ward lines. Fernald does not believe a second vote would be needed after the public hearing.

     “They don’t have to vote again,” Fernald said. “I didn’t hear anything that made it provisional.”

     Further, depending on when the hearing is scheduled, the map may have already been submitted for review.

     Fernald has said he’d like to submit the proposed redistricting plan to the Justice Department by early October with the hopes of having preclearance by Thanksgiving.

     Qualifying for next spring’s municipal elections begins in January, so new ward lines must be in place by then.