The second meeting of the Central Bucks School Board’s voting region committee, scheduled for July 24, was canceled shortly after its first meeting on July 19. No new date has yet been announced.
The newly formed committee is considering maps to submit to the Bucks County Court that will determine the election of school board members going forward. Currently, two maps are before the court; one submitted by the school district and one submitted by CBSD Fair Votes, a grassroots citizens group.
Population shifts reflected in the 2020 census initiated the need for a new map to reflect the changes and ensure equitable representation. A hearing to consider the maps is scheduled for Sept. 28.
At the first meeting, the committee’s chair, Sharon Collopy, announced how the committee would proceed and how the public can submit maps for the school board’s consideration.
Those submitting maps will have 20 minutes each to present the plan, followed by a total of 30 minutes of public comment, with each person allowed two minutes.
Maps should include population data as well the “rationale” supporting the submission, Collopy said.
All maps must be submitted by Aug. 4, she said.
Initially, the committee offered Fair Votes July 24 as the date to present its map. It’s unclear now when Fair Votes will present its map and whether it will also have until Aug. 4.
A link to submit maps can be found on the school district’s homepage at cbsd.org/votingregioncommittee.
After all 18 Bucks County judges recused themselves, a Montgomery County Judge, Cheryl Austin, was appointed to hear the case.
The school board’s redrawn map maintains nine significantly realigned voting districts, with one director elected from each. As presented at the start of 2023, the proposed map would move more than 6,000 residents in New Britain Borough and Doylestown Township from a region voting this year to one that would not vote until 2025.
CBSD Fair Votes’ map creates three voting districts, with three school directors elected from each. More than 3,600 residents signed a petition opposing the district’s map.
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