An alderman who put the brakes on approval of a citywide redistricting plan says he’s ready to resume talks, but also has repeated his opposition to the current proposal.

     At the city board meeting to be held on Tuesday, Ward One Alderman Dorsey Cameron plans to request a work session be scheduled to discuss redistricting.

     The alderman cautioned, though, that while he’s ready to restart discussion, he’s not necessarily ready to reach a decision.

     “Some of us still are trying to turn things over in our head on the direction we need to go,” Cameron said. “If anyone wants to pursue a vote, I’m not going to make a big deal, I’m just going to vote no.”

     In May, aldermen seemed prepared to approve a map of new ward lines they’d drawn up in collaboration at a work session in Jackson with redistricting consultants several weeks prior.

     However, Cameron, joined by Ward Three Alderman Mary Wilson, backed off of the tentative support they’d previously offered the plan. Aldermen still favoring the plan chose not to push for a vote, and the subject has not been publicly discussed since.

     When contacted Friday, Wilson declined to comment.

     Cameron said Friday he’s concerned about black voting strength.

     “My biggest thing is, I want to see three black aldermen to stay on that board. I’m comfortable when I see I have a 75 or 80 percent black voting strength in One, Two or Three,” Cameron said. “Looking at One, looking at Two, looking at Three, the black voter percentage has dropped to a level I don’t like.”

     According to 2010 census data, 82.99 percent of the voting age population in Ward One is currently black. Ward Two is 86 percent black, and Ward Three is 68.43 percent black.

     Under the plan aldermen were poised to approve, the black voting age percentages of all three wards dipped but only slightly. Ward One fell to 80.74 percent, Ward Two to 84.18 percent, and Ward Three to 67.86 percent.

     Despite the small decreases, all but Ward Three remain within the range Cameron said he’d be comfortable with.

     Aldermen do face time constraints.

     New lines are supposed to be in place before the municipal elections of next year. The qualifying period for those elections begins in January.

     Aldermen have less time than that, though. Under the 1965 Voting Rights Act, any changes to Mississippi elections or voting districts must be precleared by the U.S. Department of Justice, which may take up to 60 days to provide preclearance or reject a map.

     Mayor Les Bumgarner has suggested the board send a map to the Department of Justice by September.

     Ward Two Alderman Terry Bates has repeatedly suggested elections be held under old lines, though redistricting consultants have warned that’s not an option.

     Cameron expressed regret about the deadline imposed by the elections, while acknowledging that deadline probably can’t be avoided.

     “That’s another thing that’s bothering me. My strongest feeling is, it’s too close to re-election,” Cameron said. “But I wouldn’t want to see us not redistrict and then have to come back and run again. That’s an expense on the citizens of Brookhaven. That’s why I hope we can come to some kind of agreement.”

     Elections held under old lines after a failure to redistrict have typically been targeted by lawsuits seeking to force new elections.

     Cameron said he’d like to see a work session held sometime in July prior to the second board meeting of that month.

     His proposal of a work session seems likely to meet with approval. Other board members have recently suggested they’re willing to begin the process again as soon as dissenting aldermen are ready.

     Aldermen have now reviewed three possible maps of new ward lines.

     Redistricting consultants drew up a map with no input from city officials. Bumgarner revised a version of that plan. Aldermen created a third plan that differed significantly from any previous plan.

     All three maps have now met with opposition by at least some aldermen.