The Liberty County Board of Education narrowly voted to approve the new district maps at their Dec. 14, meeting.

Board members James Johns, Marcus Scott IV and Verdell Jones voted against the maps. Carol Guyett, Donita Strickland, Dr. Chante Martin and Board Chair Lily Baker voted for the maps as drawn.

Attorney Jimmy Mc-Donald, hired by the Liberty County Board of Commissioners patiently listened to everyone’s concerns but explained the district, as drawn, actually corrected previous flaws of the past.

Still, Johns said the map was not what he expected after emails and discussions with McDonald.

“When we met for my district, I informed you I was not a candidate running for re-election,” Johns said. “I also informed you, after you told me about the minority / majority districting that I would like to see the entire County have an equal share of minority / majority districts. However, you cut my complete district apart and now district four is not a majority district from the numbers that I was just sent. I sent an email and said I would not be satisfied with less than 30 percent minority in what is now going to be the new district four. My entire neighborhood has been moved. So, if I can change my mind, which is possible after tonight, that I might be running, this would be part of the reason why I would run for re-election.”

“I facilitated the process to express the priorities of this Board as well as the Commissioners,” McDonald replied. Mc-Donald further explained Fort Stewart was a factor in district four as well as being legally obligated to keep district one a minority / majority district.

McDonald also said that he was directed to redraw district four after learning Johns was certain he was not seeking re-election, to maintain the continuity of the districts and keep district one a minority/ majority district. Scott asked what input did he have on the maps, who hired McDonald and questioned the process that he said was different than, “What we were told it was going to be.”

Scott said the Board should have been given an overview of how the process was going to be and who makes the final determination.

“Because initially we were told we would have a say in what we would be losing,” he said. “I was under the impression that I had to gain 1500 voters so the impression was I wouldn’t be losing anything. I would be gaining.”

Scott mentioned district three needed to lose 3,000 voters so he didn’t understand why district four ended up the way it did.

“Apparently we wanted district four to look a little different,” he said.

Johns said he didn’t recall learning procedures but Board Chair, Lily Baker said McDonald discussed procedures with everyone.

McDonald spoke directly to Scott saying they had met twice on the matter for hours. Scott denied they did.

Then Scott asked Mc-Donald if he knew what gerrymandering is.

“Considering that I’ve been doing this for ten years, sir, yes,” McDonald replied.

“How is having one district at 21 percent minority and having the others at 51 percent not gerrymandering,” Scott asked.

“First of all by definition gerrymandering means that one group is drawing a district in order to maintain power from another group,” McDonald said. “And it is usually done in a partisan situation which is not the case here.”

Scott said if they approve the new map, Johns would have to vacate his seat because he will no longer reside in district four.

Jones asked if minority included Hispanics. Mc-Donald said that in the state of Georgia, except for Gwinnett County, it only considers African Americans.

Jones said district one is so spread it took her four hours to cover the entire district during a recent activity.

“My issue becomes when we are so spread, geographically and then we are spread again. And we are spread through at least four municipalities,” Jones said. “And I know you are going to say it is where the people are. And I understand the minority / majority, all of that and the legal...but listen the folks fought for a seat at the table to make sure that we get, in district one, the resources, the services and the support that we deserve like everyone else in Liberty County. And when you spread what we already have and the we start talking about equal, it doesn’t work. Equal is different from equity.”

Jones said she was disappointed her district was being spread out thinner.

Johns wanted to be clear that he was not attacking McDonald noting he complimented McDonald and the Commissioners for the work they did.

“I said, of all Counties, the name Liberty, we should be setting the example,” Johns said.

McDonald acknowledged the entire process was challenging and more difficult at the local level because people were emotionally and personally attached to their neighborhoods and district constituents.

The Board then voted 4-3 on the matter.