AMICK PONDERS FUTURE WITH NEW DISTRICT PLAN

With his present district split three ways by the Missouri House Redistricting Commission, state Rep. Ollie Amick has several options for his political future.

Amick, serving his second term in the House from the 160th District that includes most of Mississippi County and north Scott County, became the odd man out of the redistricting panel. The new map, based on 1990 census figures, reflects heavy population losses in the Bootheel, resulting in the loss of one state representative district in Southeast Missouri.

A tentative plan approved by the commission in August carved up Amick's district between Reps. Gene Copeland, D-New Madrid, and Dennis Ziegenhorn, D-Sikeston. The plan even split Amick's hometown of Scott City and left him residing in Copeland's new district.

Amick had an option of running against Copeland and maintaining a little over half of his present district or moving into another part of Scott City and taking on Ziegenhorn.

But last week Copeland complained that he had lost too much of his New Madrid County base and he and Ziegenhorn drafted a new plan to accommodate Copeland. Last Thursday Commission Chairman John Cozad, a Republican from Platte City, agreed to the plan, and it was one of three changes approved Friday when the commission met for the final time.

The change, however, sent a part of Amick's present district into the new district represented by Rep. Marilyn Williams, D-Dudley, and left Amick's political base in shambles.

Williams said she was under the impression that Stoddard County would be within one district and was surprised to learn that Copeland and Ziegenhorn had developed a plan shifting about 3,500 people from her county into the district of Rep. Larry Thomason, D-Kennett. The area includes the town of Bernie.

The shift was necessary after Copeland was given Portageville, which had been earmarked for Rep. Opal Parks, D-Caruthersville. That pushed Parks into some of Thomason's district and Thomason into Williams' district.

"I'm disappointed that Stoddard County was not left whole," said Williams, who added she did not learn of the new plan until Friday morning when a reporter called. "I was left with the impression after the meeting in Kansas City that no changes would be made without all representatives affected being involved in those changes. I was certainly surprised when I found out."

Sen. Jerry Howard, D-Dexter, who preceded Williams in the House, said everyone in Stoddard County was surprised by the commission's new plan.

"We were counting on the commission staying with their original plan," said Howard. "There were comments circulated that the commission had indicated they were going to stay with their original plan unless all the representatives signed off; it seems like they did not stay with their comments.

"Obviously, they had to have had a very good reason for coming back at this late date and making major changes in Southeast Missouri. It would be interesting to know what the in-depth analysis was for the changes in thinking to make those major changes."

Amick has several options to consider for 1992.

Based on his present district boundaries, Amick would have about half of his current district if he chose to challenge Copeland next year. But if Amick felt he could make inroads in Ziegenhorn's Sikeston base, he might consider challenging him.

Copeland is serving his 16th term in the House and is the senior member of the state legislature; Ziegenhorn is serving his sixth term.

A third option would be for Amick to move into Chaffee, Oran, or Morley, which is now in Williams' district. However, Williams, who won her seat in a special election last February, would have the upper hand because the majority of the district is in her home county of Stoddard.

Still another option for Amick is to run for the Senate seat being vacated by John Dennis. Or, should Ziegenhorn decide to seek the Senate seat, Amick could run as the lone incumbent in Ziegenhorn's new district.

The 71-year old Amick said he is not sure what to do but he feels left out in the cold by the whole re-districting process. He said he plans to take some time to consider his options, including another option: to retire from the House.

While Williams said she was disappointed with the final map, she pointed out that her new district will be more compact than the present one and is much better than what some of the earlier plans had called for.

One of the plans that came up during the redistricting process would have left Williams with only a small part of Stoddard County and moved her into the district of Rep. Mark Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff. Another map would have moved Williams all the way into Cape Girardeau County, including the Delta, Whitewater and Burfordville areas.

"I'm pretty adaptable," said Williams. "I made up my mind, however, it comes out that I would make the best of it. I hope the people in Scott County are pleased; I know it may be upsetting to them to be shuffled back and forth."

At the end of next year, Williams will be losing the large portion of Bollinger County in her present district, and she admits to feeling some sadness about losing that county.

But Williams said she believes district lines are just "technical lines and voting precincts," and people will call whomever they are comfortable calling.

"All of the representatives I have come into contact with never hesitate to help anyone regardless of whose constituent they are," said Williams. "We still all work together to lend a helping hand wherever we can."