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The Dallas County School Board will vote on whether to accept the new voting district map at a special called meeting Thursday.

Board member William Minor said the map is very similar to the previous districts. However, the district lines do not follow the county commissioner district lines.

However, the new lines represent how the populations have shifted in each of the districts.

Minor, however, said he has heard talk about merging the Dallas County and Selma City School districts. He said the districts might need to be changed if there was a merger of the school systems.

“While we’re on the subject, I’d like to approach the board members. It has been brought to my attention that it’s long overdue that we need to merge the two school districts, Selma City and Dallas County,” Minor said at the Sept. 5 meeting. “Of course, that’s going to take some planning and some consideration, but we’re going to lay it on the table now. And if that should happen, then that means that, like I said, this will stay the same until the next census, which would be 2030, and the additional lines will be redrawn then.”

None of the other board members commented on Minor’s discussion, and no action has been either formally discussed or considered at this time.

On the current issue of redrawing the district, board attorney Malika Fortier asked if any of the board members had any questions about the new map. If so, Minor said he could ask the person who drew the maps to come to the board meeting this week.

None of the board members said they had questions with the map at this time.

Fortier also said she would like to have a public hearing before newly redrawn district maps are adopted. Minor originally made a motion to adopt the maps, which was approved by the board.

However, after Fortier’s concerns were noted, the board rescinded the resolution to adopt the new map and instead scheduled a public hearing on the new maps at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

The map will be available for public display, questions and comments.

If there are no issues, the board will likely adopt the new map at a special called meeting following the public hearing.

The second public hearing on the school budget will occur Thursday following the special called meeting.