With the help of their city attorney, Owensville aldermen have adjusted city ward boundaries to become population compliant as it pertains to the 2020 U.S. Census.

Ordinance No. 1405 was unanimously approved Nov. 7 on a roll-call vote after three readings of the title. The ordinance specifies the city’s two wards are divided by census blocks.

Revised figures shared with The Republican on Tuesday show Ward 1 has 1,415 residents. Ward 2 has 1,416. The latest set of numbers closed the gap even closer than numbers being approved Monday when the Ward 1 population was listed at 1,382 and Ward 2 residents numbered 1,375.

The city was tasked with creating a “more equitable distribution of population” between the two wards. The new boundary does not affect any current elected official’s residency status as it relates to their respective ward.

“You’re taking away the imaginary line. You can now determine it by street,” said City Clerk Peggy Farrell of the population divide.

The changes affect residents of nine blocks north of the Highway 28/Lincoln Avenue dividing line plus residents along Krausetown Road. City residents along Krausetown will be assigned wards based on which side of the street they are on (north side into Ward 1 and south side in Ward 2).

Farrell said Gasconade County Clerk Lesa Lietzow would be handling notification of residents who are registered voters who are affected by the changes in alignment.

The census blocks affected near the downtown business district include two square blocks bordered to the south by Washington Avenue and on the north by Peters. These two blocks sit between First and Hickory.

“I’m happy they could get it down to the street population,” said Lietzow. “I’m glad they could get it done.”

And, the realignment is completed in time for the opening of the Dec. 6-27 filing period for candidates seeking elected city office in the April 4, 2023, Municipal Election. Ward 1 Aldermen Kevin McFadden’s term is up for election. Matt Kramme, recently appointed to the Ward 2 seat vacated by Rob Borgmann’s move across town into Ward 1, will have the chance to run for his own two-year term. Kramme is completing the remainder of Borgmann’s unexpired term which ends in April.

Aldermen also approved Ordinance No. 1403 which set the Dec. 6 opening and the Dec. 27 closing of the filing period.

Mayor John Kamler credited their attorney, Ed Sluys, for his work on the realignment project.

“Ed did a ton of work on it,” said Kamler of their attorney from Curtis, Heinz, Garrett & O’Keefe.

“He said his eyes were bleeding for awhile,” joked Travis Hernandez, the city’s contracted engineer with Archer-Elgin, who make the formal presentation of the proposed map establishing the new boundaries (see page 6).

Aldermen also noted the 2022 Census figures reflect Owensville has grown in population from 2,656 to 2,757.