CBC 11-01-2001LITTLE ROCK
C1TY BEAUTIFUL
C 0 M M iss10N
The City Beautiful Commission held its regular meeting Thursday November 1, 2001 at 11:30
a.m. in the Sister Cities Conference Room, City Hall. Chair Dottie Funk called the meeting to
order.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Dottie Funk Ann Ivey
Nash Abrams Tim Heiple
Karol Zoeller Sharon Tallach Vogelpohl
Troy Laha Billie Calloway
ALSO PRESENT: Bryan Day, Director, Parks & Recreation Department
Bob Brown, Plans Development Administrator, Department of
Planning and Development
Bill Hall, Landscape Specialist, Department
of Planning and Development
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Motion: Nash Abrams moved that the minutes from October 4, 2001 be approved as submitted.
Second: Karol Zoeller seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously.
TREASURER'S REPORT: No report.
GUEST PRESENTATION:
Brian Day gave an update on the new City Forestry Program. Peter Rausch, from Oklahoma,
has been hired as the City Forester and has been in the position for almost two months. The
Parks Department is in the process of hiring two maintenance workers and will have them on
staff by the end of the year. These positions will not be affected by the hiring freeze and the
forester position is secure for the following year. The following equipment has been
purchased for the program: a bucket truck; a 6,000 gallon water truck; a tree spade capable
of moving up to a 3" caliper tree; a stump grinder; and various hand tools. Mr. Rausch has
been involved in tree repair work in the Quapaw Quarter area and will soon begin work along
William Jefferson Clinton Avenue.
The Parks Department and City Forester are working on a tree ordinance that should be in
place soon. The City will be eligible to participate in the Tree City USA program once that
ordinance is in effect. They are also working on the In -lieu account guidelines.
City Beautiful Commission ♦ 723 West Markham ♦ Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 ♦ (501) 371-4864
A one acre tree nursery adjacent to the sanitary sewer station in the industrial district has
been designed and will be installed by the spring. The nursery, once established, will provide
750 trees per year for planting on property under city control.
Troy Laha and Sharon Vogelpohl Tallach joined the meeting.
Nash Abrams suggested to Bryan that the CBC would be interested in possibly working with
the Parks Department on an entry type planting project. Several sites were discussed,
including a parcel at the Interstate 440 exit to the airport and the Capitol Avenue Ferry Street
Postal Service property. Bryan said he would check on who controls the airport property.
He also mentioned that Ferry Street is slated for closing and the adjacent property is to be
developed by Axciom for parking. He said he would check on the disposition of that
property too.
Bryan reported that $8,000.00 had been raised through the tree program and that the
department is exploring other fund raising avenues such as an annual utility surcharge.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
1. Budget, Grants, Fundraising — Dottie Funk reported that the Tea-21 grant application
was not prepared because an elected official is required for sponsorship and each city or
county is allowed only two applications. Both the City of Little Rock and Pulaski County
already had their two applications in place.
Tim Heiple said he spoke with the Tea-21 grant administrators at the Arkansas State
Highway and Transportation Department and they suggested the Arkansas Arts Council
for possible funding if the project is for public art. Tim said his committee had prepared
a list of public art in the city and he will type that up and distribute it at the next meeting.
Dottie reported on the response she received on the funding request for City Beautiful.
She received a letter from Cy Carney stating that in light of across the board city budget
cut backs the funding request would not be granted. Dottie said that in light of the
funding situation the fund raising a budget committee needs to be a full time committee
with at least one person working on that effort all year.
2. Landscape Awards Program — Bill Hall reported that a total of 48 nominations had
been received. It was decided the commission would tour the sites together on November
9 if a city van is available on that date. Bob Brown will check on the availability of the
van.
Tim Heiple asked about the Landers Auto site on South University Avenue. The
Commission had approved a waiver for that site in the past, but all of the required plant
material is dead or missing at this time. Bob Brown will have enforcement follow up on
this and will also write a letter to the owners.
3. Publicity — Sharon Vogelpohl Tallach reported that all publicity for the landscape awards
program is in place.
4. Public Art — No report.
5. Manmade and Natural Arts Celebration/Festival —No report.
6. Polish the Rock Award — Billie Calloway distributed draft guidelines for the Polish the
Rock Award and asked the commissioners to review it for the next meeting.
OLD BUSINESS:
1. Commissioner Vacancies — Dottie Funk reported two applications had been received
for the commissioner vacancy. They are: Lynn Warren, a landscape architect, and Matt
Lyon.
2. Nominating Committee — Dottie Funk reported the nominating committee had selected
the following list of nominees for office: Nash Abrams, Chairman; Tim Heiple, Vice
Chairman; and Ann Ivey, Treasurer.
This slate of officers was accepted unanimously by the commission and a hand vote was
held with all nominees elected.
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Retreat — Dottie Funk said the commission should be planning a retreat for the first of
the year to plan next years calendar. Karol Zoeller offered her lake house in Hot
Springs.
2. Arkansas Forestry Commission Urban and Community Forestry Program — Dottie
Funk reported that Cy Carney is a new board member of this organization and he wants
the City beautiful Commissioners to become members, at the Cities expense, of this
organization.
ADJOURNMENT: 12:55 p.m.
CO M TSSiaN
MEETING NOTICE
The City Beautiful Commission will hold its regular meeting at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 1, 2001, in
the Sister Cities Conference Room on the second floor of City Hall.
AGENDA
Call to Order: Dottie Funk, Chair
`troll Call
Approval of the Minutes: October 4, 2001
Treasurer's Report:
Introduction of Visitors: Bryan Day, Park's and Recreation Director
Peter Rausch, Parks and Recreation Urban Forester
Committee Reports:
ti Budget, Grants, Fundraising
Landscape Awards — Dottie Funk, Nash Abrams
j Publicity — Sharon Tallach Vogelpohl
`f ■ Gateway — Nash Abrams, Ann Ivey
5 • Public Art — Karol Zoeller
r0 • Manmade and Natural Arts Celebration/Festival — Tim Heiple
■ Polish the Rock Award — Billie Calloway
Old Business:
■ Nominating Committee
New Business
Miscellaneous Business
Adjournment
City Beautiful Commission ♦ 723 West Markham ♦ Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 ♦ (501) 371-4864
The City Beautiful Commission held its regular meeting Thursday, October 4., 2001 at 11:30 a.m.
in the Sister Cities Conference Room, City Hall. Chair Dottie Funk called the meeting to order.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Dottie Funk Randy Stocks
Ann Ivey Nash Abrams
Karol Zoeller Sharon Tallach Vogelpohl
Troy Laha Billie Calloway
Tim Heiple
ALSO PRESENT: Dana Carney, Zoning & Subdivision Manager, Department of
Planning and Development
Bill Hall, Landscape Specialist, Department
of Planning and Development
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Motion: Sharon Tallach Vogelpohl moved that the minutes from September 6, 2001 be
approved as submitted.
Second: Karol Zoeller seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously.
TREASURER'S REPORT: Randy Stocks, see attachment.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
1. Budget, Grants, Fundraising — Dottie Funk reported that Bryan Day and the new City
Forester have been asked to attend the November meeting of the City Beautiful
Commission to discuss the In -Lieu account. This account must be set up before the end
of the year or the ability to collect these funds will be lost.
Tim Heiple mentioned that the T-21 grant program administered by the Arkansas State
Highway and Transportation Department has a deadline for grant proposals on October
26, 2001. The grants require a 20% cash match. Dottie appointed Tim Heiple, Nash
Abrams, Dottie Funk, and Karol Zoeller to a committee to prepare an application. They
will meet at Tim Heiple's office, 319 William Jefferson Clinton Blvd., on October 9, at
2:00 p.m.
2. Landscape Awards Program — Bill Hall passed out a list of past Landscape Award
winners and reported that eleven nominations had been received for the Landscape
Awards. Six of those nominations were ineligible due to not being installed for at least a
year. Dottie asked Bill to prepare and send a letter thanking those who submitted
ineligible nominations and explaining the nominations will be kept on file for next year's
awards. Dottie also asked Bill to send nomination forms to the City Board of Directors
City Beautiful Commission ♦ 723 West Markham ♦ Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 ♦ (501) 371-4864
and Mayor. Nash Bridges reminded the City Beautiful Commissioners to get their
nominations in by October 15 as well.
3. Publicity — Sharon Tallach Vogelpohl reported notices have gone out to the Public
Relations Society, the Civitan Club, to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, and Arkansas
Business. Bill Hall reported that the Arkansas Chapter of the American Society of
Landscape Architects published a full -page article on the awards. Nash Abrams
suggested establishing a public place to permanently record the Landscape Award
Winners.
4. Public Art — No report.
5. Manmade and Natural Arts Celebration/Festival — No report.
6. Palish the Rock Award ---- Sharon Tallach Vogelpohl said that she very much -
appreciated Billie Calloway's work on the Polish the Rock Award guidelines and
procedures. Dottie Funk said she felt the committee should look further into refining the
guidelines and procedures. Billie Calloway said she is concerned that if the nomination
process is limited to the City Beautiful Commissioners that there are deserving recipients
who may not be recognized. Tim Heiple suggested including neighborhood association
presidents in the nomination process. Billie Calloway stated that it is important to have
definite guidelines and procedures in place so that in -coming members know the purpose
of the award and how it is awarded. Randy Stocks stated that guidelines in the form of a
simple statement of award criteria are needed. Sharon Tallach Vogelpohl said the
Commission should not necessarily be constrained by the past in establishing the
guidelines.
Motion: Sharon Tallach Vogelpohl moved that definition of the Polish the Rock Award
continue by the committee headed by Billie Calloway.
Second: Troy Laha seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS:
1. By-laws — There was no discussion on the proposed changes to the by-laws presented at
last months meeting.
Motion: Tim Heiple moved that amended By -Laws as presented at the September 6,
2001 meeting of the City Beautiful Commission be adopted.
Second: Troy Laha seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously.
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Officer Nominating Committee — Dottie Funk appointed Nash Abrams, Tim Heiple,
and Troy Laha to the Nominating Committee and charged them with preparing a slate of
officers for 2002. The committee will meet October 9 at 3:00 p.m. at Tim Heiple's
Office, 319 William Jefferson Clinton Blvd.
2. Expired Terms — The terms of Randy Stocks, Ann Ivey, and Sharon Tallach Vogelpohl
have expired. Dana Carney made arrangements for the positions to be advertised in the
newspaper. Randy Stocks will not seek another term, but Ann Ivey and Sharon Tallach
Vogelpohl are interested in serving again. Dana Carney instructed them to correspond
with the Mayor, copied to the City Clerk and the Planning Department, regarding their
intentions.
3. City Hall Landscape — Nash Abrams reported that the rear entry to City Hall has an
area that is bare and unkempt, he suggested that the Commission get involved in an
upgrade to this entry area. There was no further discussion of this item.
ADJOURNMENT: 1:30 p.m.