Brookhaven redistricting committee rejects 3 map proposals

With Democratic members taking part, the Brookhaven Town redistricting committee Monday rejected three proposed maps that would have redrawn town council district lines starting next year.

Voting mostly on partisan lines, the committee voted 5-3 on a map favored by Republicans and 3-5 on two maps supported by Democrats. Six votes were required to approve any map.

Democrats Rabia Aziz, Gail Lynch-Bailey and George Hoffman took part in the online meeting after threatening to boycott unless it was moved to an in-person setting with public participation.

Aziz and Republican Ali Nazir, the committee co-chairs, were to discuss whether to call a Wednesday meeting in a last-ditch effort to approve a map.

“I think we’re close, but I don’t know how to get there,” Democrat George Hoffman said before the votes, adding committee members should meet face-to-face. “Do we want to end in failure if we don’t get to that six [vote] threshold?”

Nazir resisted calls to delay votes until a future meeting.

“We’ve had 12 public hearings, we have had two work sessions,” Nazir said. “We have done everything in our power to come to a consensus. It’s time to call for a vote.”

The committee faces a Thursday deadline to submit a map to the town board for consideration.

Brookhaven's redistricting effort has faced criticism from civic leaders and residents who have said the process is flawed. Proposed maps are difficult to read and would split some communities while leaving minority communities such as Coram and Gordon Heights divided among three or more districts, critics said.

Reapportionment is required because 2020 federal census data showed the populations of two Brookhaven council districts — Council Districts 2 and 6 — are out of balance with the other four. All districts must be within 5% of about 81,000 residents, or about one-sixth of Brookhaven’s total population of 475,000.

Any map adopted by the committee would be submitted to the town board, which must approve a final map by Dec. 15. Residents also are invited to submit proposed maps via the town website by Thursday.

Six votes are required for the committee to recommend a map. The panel includes three Republicans, three Democrats and two members who belong to neither party. 

Gordon Heights Civic Association president E. James Freeman said creating a new map would be much simpler, and more fair, if the boundary shared by districts 2 and 6 in the Manorville-Ridge area was adjusted.

“If everything was, from the beginning, above board and everybody was communicating and not hiding things … we wouldn’t have a problem,” Freeman told Newsday before the meeting. "Having a discussion is the best way to do things." 

By Carl MacGowan

carl.macgowan@newsday.comCarlMacGowan

Carl MacGowan is a Long Island native who covers Brookhaven Town after having previously covered Smithtown, Suffolk County courts and numerous spot news and feature stories over his 20-plus year career at Newsday.