Pembroke Park authorizes town manager to contract FAU for redistricting study not to exceed $30,000

The Town of Pembroke Park authorized the town manager on May 14 to pursue an agreement with Florida Atlantic University (FAU) to conduct a redistricting analysis and produce alternative commission-district maps, with a not-to-exceed contract amount of $30,000.

Town staff told the commission Pembroke Park has not undergone a comprehensive redistricting exercise in many years and noted state and federal legal criteria that typically guide reapportionment work. The manager said FAU typically provides several map options and holds public meetings to solicit community input.

The manager explained FAU’s cost estimate for a town the size of Pembroke Park should fall in the $23,000–$25,000 range but recommended a conservative not-to-exceed cap of $30,000. He said the work usually takes three to five months and that districts would need to be set well in advance of the April 2027 municipal election.

The commission voted to authorize the manager to enter the agreement at the stated limit. Town Attorney Michael Horwitz described the standard redistricting process, including FAU’s likely consideration of geographic compactness, existing district boundaries, future development and pending certificates of occupancy. “They will not tell you what your commission district should be,” Horwitz said; FAU would present multiple compliant alternatives for the commission to consider.

Staff indicated FAU would hold community meetings, consult with commission members and submit options for the commission to review in the fall; if redistricting is required, the commission will select a final map in a public process. The manager said staff would schedule much of the analysis during the commission’s summer recess to keep the timing on track.

The motion carried on a roll-call vote; commissioners voted in favor and the manager was authorized to proceed under the not-to-exceed amount.