ST. JOSEPH — The Berrien County Apportionment Commission has had seven meetings but still has no new map.

The commission, which is formed after every decennial U.S. census to remap the county, has until June 6 to send a new map to the state. So the commission will have to vote on the issue at its last scheduled meeting on May 31.

“We’re really getting down to the wire,” said Berrien County Clerk Louise Stine, a member of the commission. “We have got to take a vote soon.”

Stine said the five-member commission seems to be leaning toward a 12-district format, down from the 13 districts in the current map, given that the county’s population decreased by more than 5,000 in the past decade. The population fell from 162,453 in 2000 to 156,813 in 2010.

Stine and County Prosecutor Art Cotter have been proponents of an 11-district map, which would eliminate many of the splits — or municipalities with more than one commissioner — in the 13-district map.

They also argued the move to eliminate commissioners would bring a significant cost savings over the course of a decade. The average Berrien County commissioner makes $31,000 a year in base pay, insurance and per diems.

But the other representatives on the board, Treasurer Bret Witkowski, Democratic Party Chair Shirley Stansberry and Republican Chair Stephen Smith, were in favor of a 13-member format. The 12-district map is seen as a compromise.

Currently there are two 12-district proposals on the table. The main difference between the two is that one would expand District 12, which encompasses the city of Niles, westward into parts of District 11, made up mostly of Niles Township. The other extends it east into parts of the township.

District 11 Commissioner John LaMore believes the adjustment is fair, considering the township gained in population over the past decade while the city saw a decrease.

But LaMore, along with several other commissioners, is voicing concerns with cutting a commissioner.

“I don’t see a problem with keeping 13,” he said. “They’re talking about saving money. The base salary is about $9,500. If you did cut a commissioner, the meetings are still required. A commissioner has to be there, so the per diems and mileage would just be shifted to another commissioner.”

LaMore also is concerned with commissioners being stretched too thin.

“Some commissioners have full-time jobs,” he said. “We might have a hard time having people fill committee responsibilities.”

The May 31 meeting of the apportionment commission will take place at 6 p.m. at the county administration building in St. Joseph.