The city population remained virtually the same from 10 years ago with 55,298 people counted in 2010.
Chicopee City Hall.CHICOPEE – The City Council approved a redistricting plan that eliminates eight precincts and shifts about 1,500 people to a new ward.
After census figures were released, all communities had to reconfigure wards if the population distribution was unequal.
Census figures showed Chicopee remained virtually the same size with 55,298 people counted in 2010, but it was necessary to redraw lines because populations shifted within wards, said City Council President William A. Zaskey, who formed and oversaw the redistricting committee.
“The are not major changes (in ward lines), but the big change is we are going from 26 precincts to 18,” Zaskey said.
Some wards had three precincts. The committee decided it would be easier and more cost-effective to reduce that to two in each ward, he said.
Each ward had to have about 6,144 residents, and each precinct has about 3,000 people, Zaskey said.
Fewer precincts will reduce the number of polling places needed, reducing election costs. The city’s voting machines are older, and this will cut down on the number needed so there will be spares if one breaks, Zaskey said.
Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette said he supported reducing the number of precincts, but objected to the ward lines because it continues to split Ward 6 into two sections.
He said residents in some of the Ridgewood Village neighborhood said they should be in Ward 9, instead of Ward 6.
Councilor James K. Tillotson denied the accusation that the change was not made because of politics.
“The problem is the (Westover Air Reserve) Base sits in the middle. We tried to figure how to do it, and we couldn’t make it work.”
The plan now has to be approved by state legislators.
Zaskey thanked the 17-member committee, saying the members worked hard and were able to come up with a good plan in a short amount of time.
The following changes have been made, said Janina Surdyka, registrar of voters.
—The area around Leona Avenue, Gardner Road and Szetela Drive will be moved from Ward 3 to Precinct 2B.
—The neighborhood off Grattan Street, Hearthstone Terrace, Leary Avenue and Thaddeus Street will be added to Precinct 8B
—A section of Meadow Street that is in Precinct 8A will be added to Precinct 7B
—The section between Memorial Drive, Granby Road and Massachusetts Turnpike that is in Precinct 6A will be divided between Precincts 1A and 8B.
—Ward 4A will add one block between Walton Street and Asinof Avenue.