05-03-94Minutes
May 3, 1994
617
the Historic District without a Certificate of Appropriateness."
Director Roy then referred to a memo from City Attorney Tom
Carpenter dated March 9, 1994, which stated: "The City is free
to order the demolition of a structure in the Historic District
despite the fact that a Certificate of Appropriateness has not
been obtained." Director Roy then moved to add 815 Rock Street
to the demolition list. The motion was seconded by Director
Mason. Director Adcock asked that this not be considered until
after the Board of Directors had dealt with the minimum
maintenance Ordinance, because she felt that ordinance would
address this issue. City Attorney Tom Carpenter said there is a
more basic problem. The notice that something is a public safety
hazard and is condemned requires certain procedural steps that we
have not taken, and we simply can't do that for 815 Rock Street.
We would have to go through the process of making the inspection
and declaring it a public safety hazard, providing the proper
notice and we can't do that in the form of a motion before the
Board. Director Roy then asked Mr. Carpenter to give him the
process and time frame for getting 815 Rock Street on the
condemnation list. Mr. Carpenter said the Board can make a
policy directive to the City Manager either by Resolution or by
motion that it wants structures in the Historic District to be
inspected and if found to be public safety hazards, to be so
declared, and the (14 day) notice sent. That is the process
before any structure can be included in the condemnation
ordinance. That is the process that was used with 715 Sherman
Street (Kramer School). Even though the owner wants a structure
demolished, the process must be followed. Director Roy stated
his opposition to having the minimum maintenance ordinance on the
Agenda until the Board has looked at it legally. He then
withdrew his previous motion to include 815 Rock Street in the
condemnation ordinance, and moved that 815 Rock Street and other
structures in the Historic District be inspected, and if they are
found to be public safety hazards, that the process for
condemnation take place. Director Lewellen seconded the motion
which was adopted by the following roll call vote: Ayes -
Directors Joyce, Roy, Sharp, Lewellen, Mason, Mayor Dailey,
Directors Hendrix and Scheibner - total 8; Noes - Directors
Adcock and Keck - total 2; Absent - Director Priest - total 1.
Introduced next was Ordinance No. 16,657, entitled:
AN ORDINANCE CONDEMNING CERTAIN STRUCTURES IN THE CITY OF
LITTLE ROCK AS STRUCTURAL, FIRE AND HEALTH HAZARDS; PROVIDING FOR
SUMMARY ABATEMENT PROCEDURES; DIRECTING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO TAKE
SUCH ACTION AS IS NECESSARY TO RAZE AND REMOVE SAID STRUCTURES;
DECLARING AN EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES;
and the Ordinance was read the first time. (See discussion and
motion above.) Mr. Herb Hawn, president of the Capital
View /Stifft Station Neighborhood Association, stated that the
structure on 7th Street north of I -630 has been condemned and
received two extensions, and he asked that it not be deferred
again. The rules were then suspended and the Ordinance placed on
second reading upon a motion made by Director Adcock, seconded by
Director Scheibner, and unanimously adopted by the Board Members
present, being ten in number and two thirds or more of the
members of the Board of Directors - elect. Following the second
reading of the Ordinance, there was a subsequent motion by
Directors Scheibner and Adcock, respectively to again suspend the
rules and place the Ordinance on third and final reading. The
motion was unanimously adopted by the Board Members present,
being ten in number and two thirds or more of the members of the
Board of Directors - elect, and the third and last reading of the
Ordinance ensued. A roll call vote was taken on the question,
Shall the Ordinance Pass, and the votes are recorded as follows:
Ayes - Directors Joyce, Roy, Sharp, Lewellen, Mason, Mayor
Dailey, Directors Adcock, Hendrix, Scheibner and Keck - total 10;
Noes - None; Absent - Director Priest - total 1.
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Minutes
May 3, 1994
The Emergency Clause contained in Section 5 of the foregoing
Ordinance was then read and adopted by the following roll call
vote: Ayes - Directors Joyce, Roy, Sharp, Lewellen, Mason, Mayor
Dailey, Directors Adcock, Hendrix, Scheibner and Keck - total 10;
Noes - None; Absent - Director Priest - total 1. Therefore, the
Ordinance, together with the Emergency Section, was declared
PASSED.
The Board of Directors then continued the discussion (see
previous discussion on page 14) on the proposed Ordinance
entitled:
AN ORDINANCE TRANSFERRING FUNDS AND APPROPRIATING MONIES FOR
DEPARTMENTAL CAPITAL AND OTHER NEEDS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
($89,874 - street resurfacing; $10,000 - cost share drainage
project; $150,000 - bridge repairs; $195,000 - vision preference
survey, traffic signals, and traffic study; $340,000 - random
drug testing and personnel study and adjustments; $250,000
demolish old jail; $60,000 - housing demolition fund; $299,000
warning sirens, roof repair and replacement; $42,000 - computer
aided dispatch system; $36,000 - Pankey Park improvements.)
During a lengthy discussion period, City Manager Charles
Nickerson explained the proposed capital requests and department
heads responded to questions by the Board of Directors. Chief
Caudell explained the $250,000 represents the cost to demolish
the jail and return it to open space to be converted to offices
later when funds are available. The issue of keeping the jail
open is just not cost effective. Following the lengthy
presentation, the Ordinance was deferred until Wednesday, May 11,
1994. Director Adcock asked to see a list of the bridge repairs
and street resurfacing before the reconvened meeting. Director
Lewellen asked for an assessment of the cost to correct the
drainage problem at 6th and Pepper Streets.
The last presentation was an item added to the Agenda,
Ordinance No. 16,658, described as:
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A
CONTRACT WITH THE LITTLE ROCK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR CERTAIN
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IN CONNECTION WITH THE LITTLE ROCK
NOW PROGRAM; WAIVING COMPETITIVE BIDDING; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES;
City Manager Charles Nickerson explained the contract with the
Chamber of Commerce. Director Sharp spoke in support of the
Ordinance. Mr. Paul Harvell, Executive Director of the Greater
Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, gave a brief history of the
economic development fund and explained the Little Rock Now
Program. Mr. Paul Latture, Vice President of the Greater Little
Rock Chamber of Commerce, listed some cities in other states and
the amount of their economic development budgets. City Attorney
Tom Carpenter noted that the language in Section 3 of the
Ordinance needs to be changed to "appropriated from the Special
Projects Fund" instead of "transferred." The Ordinance was then
read the first time. There was a motion by Director Mason,
seconded by Director Joyce, to suspend the rules and place the
Ordinance on second reading. The motion was unanimously adopted
by the Board Members present, being ten in number and two thirds
or more of the members of the Board of Directors - elect, and the
second reading of the Ordinance ensued. A subsequent motion was
made and seconded by Directors Keck and Adcock, respectively, to
again suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on third and
final reading, and the motion was unanimously adopted by the
Board Members present, being ten in number and two thirds or more
of the members of the Board of Directors - elect. After the third
and last reading, a roll call vote was taken on passage of the
Ordinance, with the results recorded as follows: Ayes -
Directors Joyce, Roy, Sharp, Lewellen, Mason, Mayor Dailey,
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