City hires Stennis Institute to draw up redistricting plan

HORN LAKE — The city of Horn Lake has hired The Stennis Institute to come up with a redistricting plan for the city before next spring’s municipal elections.

The Commercial Appeal reports Stennis, based at the Mississippi State University, will be paid $17,000 to draft alternate plans that will be reviewed by the city in advance of public hearings.

Because of growth, the city’s six wards have gotten out of balance and must be redrawn to provide equal representation. Argyle Claxton, the city’s planning director, said the deviation in size between wards is 66.1 percent, well above the allowable 10 percent deviation.

Census numbers in 2000 showed Horn Lake with 14,099 residents. In 2010, the total was 26,066, a growth of 84.9 percent.