There’s a seven hour work session set for today during which the Salisbury City Council will take up the controversial charter amendment that would increase minority representation on the council.
By a 3-to-2 vote the Council told the City Attorney Mark Tilghman to draw up a measure that would expand the majority-minority district to two at-large council members while leaving a second at-large district with 3-members.
In addition, the proposal would eliminate the staggered elections for the council members and the Mayor.
Council members Laura Mitchell and Shanie Shields opposed the two-district plan saying that it does not eliminate the disparity in the minority vote.
Shields who represents the current majority-minority district has thrown her support behind a five council member plan backed by the local chapter of the NAACP and the American Civil Liberties Union.
The Salisbury Daily Times reports that Council Vice President Debbie Campbell noted the process has been an emotional one and that the longer it goes on the longer – what she called -- the unrest – will continue.
