EPC School Board hears from redistricting expert

During its monthly meeting Monday night, the East Poinsett County Board of Education heard from a Little Rock mapping expert who has worked with the district in drawing boundaries for school board seats. In the presentation, given by Jack Nagel, board members and the public heard about two plans currently under consideration. One preliminary plan would keep the original five-member board intact, while another plan would call for seven members to be elected to serve on the board. The five-member plan, which is what the district currently uses, would consist of three members elected from the Lepanto area and two elected from the Tyronza area. In the plan, Districts 1 and 2 would cover areas inside the city limits of Lepanto, District 3 would cover areas outside Lepanto on Ark. 140 and 14, as well as areas coming into Lepanto on Ark. 135. District 4 would cover mostly rural areas in both communities, with the boundaries reaching both the outskirts of Tyronza and Lepanto. District 5 would cover most, if not all, of the Tyronza city area. With the seven-member board plan, Districts 2, 3 and 7 would encompass the Lepanto area; Districts 1, 4 and 6 would encompass rural areas outside of both towns and District 5 would encompass the city of Tyronza. Both plans are in the preliminary stages and changes could be made to the maps, pending final action by the Arkansas Department of Education and the Poinsett County Election Commission.