The Evangeline Parish Police Jury , Monday, in a special meeting, adopted a redistricting plan to submit to the U.S. Justice Department ahead of its scheduled elections this October. The approved plan calls for moving the Easton area including Pine Prairie Energy over to District 6 over the objection of District Four Lamar Johnson.

      The vote came after a public hearing to get public comment on three plans under consideration. The approved plan, Plan One, calls for the Easton move and has only two precinct splits. A second plan, Plan 1-A, calls for keeping Easton in District Four but moves the Clearwater community to District 7. The plan calls for three precinct splits. That was the plan supported by Johnson.

       A third plan, endorsed by the NAACP, called for the creation of a third minority district by combining minority areas from Mamou to Ville Platte. However the plan calls for the creation of eight new precincts. It creates a third minority district with 53 percent minority population.

        Demographer Mike Heffner felt the approved plan should pass Justice Department review. He said Justice has up to 60 days to review the plan once it is submitted. The pre cleared plan from Justice has to be at the Secretary of State’s Office by August 29 to have the police jury elections as scheduled in October.

       In other news, Police Jury President Eric Soileau welcomed the newest police juror, J.D. Soileau of District One who was officially seated after being sworn into office last week.