Branson-Hollister area will elect new representative in 2012

Redistricting creates new district 156 for that urban area of Taney County

December 19, 2011|by Dustin Hodges, KY3 News | dhodges@ky3.com

HOLLISTER, Mo - The Branson area hopes to see an economic boost with the redrawing of state legislative boundaries. The old districts 143 and 62 will lose a lot of their more urban population in the Branson and Hollister area and will add a lot of geographical rural area.

That could make campaigning more difficult but could make the residents' voices more unified says Hollister City Administrator Rick Ziegenfuss.

"The legislative districts reflect the county's districts, so there is kind of a homogeneous political subdivision that is being formed there," said Ziegenfuss.

Ziegenfuss hopes that continues under the new representative.

"The legislators have an identity. Maynard Wallace was known as an educator and so he had that identity, and Lyle Rowland to some degree fits the same build. Don Phillips, a former state trooper, has a lot of public service ideas. I think the new district we have the potential for the voice of tourism."

Ziegenfuss feels that will boost economic growth in the new district 156.

"The pattern of urbanization is going to continue. Branson is the economic engine in Taney County. Hollister has a lot of the urban housing. This is just part of that evolution," said Ziegenfuss.

Rep. Don Phillips, a Stone County native, gets to add some familiar territory to his district.

"Basically all of Stone County and a portion of the northwest corner of Christian County and the southwest corner of Taney County," said Phillips. "It will be a totally different geographical area."

He thinks the change will benefit both new districts.

"Branson has wanted their own representative for some time now and now they have the opportunity to get that. It's also good for Stone County in that it's pretty defined, so people will know who their representative is -- there won't be irregular lines. So it's a win-win for everybody," said Phillips.

The new layout adds all of Stone County to Phillips' new district. The opposite is the case for Rowland in District 143. His new district, district 155, loses part of his native Taney County in the Branson and Hollister area and adds all of Douglas County.

Folks in the Branson-Hollister area will elect the new representative during the general election in November 2012. The new boundaries go into effect in January 2013.

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