In last Tuesday’s City Talk, I looked at some of the issues that might influence the Savannah city elections in 2015.
Later in the week, City Council approved the new aldermanic map that I referenced.
At a candidate forum a couple of election cycles ago, a resident argued that downtown needed a single alderman to represent the interests of the Historic District. A sitting member of council pointed out that the area was represented by both at-large council members and by aldermen from Districts 1 and 2.
Under the new map, however, most of downtown, however one defines it, is in District 2, which is represented by Mary Osborne.
Also joining the 2nd District are many residents of the Thomas Square and Metropolitan neighborhoods between Forsyth Park and Victory Drive. As we’ve examined in detail before, those neighborhoods are in the midst of major demographic shifts.
Between 2000 and 2010, neighborhoods south of Forsyth lost substantial percentages of black residents and gained many white residents. Those demographic trends have continued, and the population estimates underlying the new aldermanic map will be more than 5 years old by the November election.
It’s hard to say how the politics might play out, but residents south of Forsyth have many of the same concerns as those north of Forsyth, including crime, mixed-use neighborhood zoning, traffic calming and historic preservation.
Similar concerns apply to eastside neighborhoods that remain in the 2nd District.
Simply put, whatever the impacts in this year’s elections, the new lines seem smartly drawn.
What’s next for St. Patrick’s Day?
Every year or two, city officials make major changes to the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Savannah.
There were two big changes in 2014.
State law was changed to allow bars to open on the Sunday before the Monday holiday, and revelers were required to buy wristbands to drink outdoors in an expanded festival zone during the long St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Bands were booked on multiple stages, although wet weather disrupted the schedule.
Almost 80,000 wristbands were sold during the 4-day festival, but more than 45,000 of those were sold on Saturday, with much smaller numbers on Friday, Sunday and Monday.
So what will we do this year, when the parade is on a Tuesday? The big drinking party will probably be on the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day, and Monday will be a typical day of work for many downtown businesses.
We need a coherent vision of what we want St. Patrick’s Day to be — one that doesn’t necessitate major policy changes from year to year.
City Talk appears every Sunday and Tuesday. Bill Dawers can be reached via billdawers@comcast.net. Send mail to 10 E. 32nd St., Savannah, GA 31401.