Deschutes County district map sparks debate; commissioners delay decision, will hold public hearing
Spencer Sacks
(Update: Adding video and quotes from Commissioner Phil Chang)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners met on Wednesday to discuss an advisory committee’s recommended map to put before voters that would split the county into five districts.
During the meeting, commissioners heard from members of the District Mapping Advisory Committee (DMAC) including Bend Mayor Melanie Keebler and the facilitator of the committee, Neil Bryant.
The process for the map has been ongoing and at times contentious. After the DMAC voted 4-3 to pass map C and called off a final meeting, commissioners now must decide whether the map is acceptable and if so, send it to voters next year.
Commissioner Phil Chang was very outspoken about the map and plan during the meeting. KTVZ News caught up with Commissioner Chang after the meeting, and asked him about his views.
Commissioner Chang told KTVZ News, “Even though Democrats outnumber, Registered Democrats outnumber Registered Republicans, in the county, this map would give Republicans control of three of the five seats, on the Board of Commissioners. So it’s gerrymandered. The representation is not good.”
The five districts include: two in Bend, one in Redmond proper, one outside of Redmond including Sisters, and one down south including LaPine and Sunriver.
As has happened across the country, map making includes a lawsuit. During the meeting, committee member and former commissioner Phil Henderson was asked about this from Commissioner Chang.
“A lawsuit can be filed whether its merit has merit or not. we’ll see.,” Henderson said during the meeting. “I feel like other members have said, we followed the guidelines of the commission, but also those laws, I don’t know. Some of this is uncharted territory a little bit. so I guess we’ll see.”
At the end of the meeting, commissioners tony debone and patti adair asked for a public hearing which will take place in the near future
Chang at that point proposed sending several other proposals to the ballot with the map, such as making the commissioners a part-time position, imposing term limits and a cap on commissioner salary increases.
Back in 2024, Commissioners voted to approve the districting plan. At the time, Commissioner Chang was enthusiastic about districting however he says the plan has gone down hill
Commissioner DeBone says he wants more discussion with Deschutes County residents before making a decision.
When that hearing happens, KTVZ will be there and bring you the details as it happens.