04-08-977 01.
Board of Directors Room
City Hall - 500 W. Markham
Little Rock, Arkansas
April 8, 1997 - 6:05 P.M.
The Board of Directors of the City of Little Rock, Arkansas, reconvened from the
April 1, 1997 regular meeting with Mayor Jim Dailey presiding. City Clerk Robbie
Hancock called the roll with the following Directors present: Directors Wilson, Hinton,
Hodges, Cazort, Keck, Joyce, Wyrick, Kumpuris, Kelly and Adcock - total 10; Absent -
None.
With a quorum present, Mayor Dailey declared the Board of Directors in session
and stated the purpose of the reconvened meeting was to consider the Ordinance
appropriating additional funds for fitness equipment for the Arkansas State Police. (Note:
It had been determined that the Rockefeller Choir had received funds from the Little Rock
Education Commission. Therefore, that discussion was not on the Agenda. Seepage I1
of Minutes of April 1, 1997.)
Consideration was then given to Ordinance No. 17,456, entitled:
AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $22,000 FROM THE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT FUND TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO THE ARKANSAS STATE
POLICE FOR FITNESS EQUIPMENT;
and the Ordinance was read the third time; having been read the first and second times on
April 4, 1997. City Manager Charles Nickerson stated the Economic Development Fund
does not have sufficient funds to address this; there is a balance of only $12,000. He
suggested taking the money out of the Parks and Recreation Department Fitness
Equipment Account for the Southwest Community Center. Director Hodges was strongly
opposed to appropriating additional funds for fitness equipment for the Arkansas State
Police facility located in the Southwest City Mall at Geyer Springs and I -30, saying there
was no connection between fitness equipment and economic development. (Note:
Ordinance No. 17,407, passed February 18, 1997, appropriated $25,000 from the
Economic Development Fund to fulfill the City's commitment to purchase fitness
equipment for the Arkansas State Police as an incentive to the Arkansas State Police to
move to the Southwest City Mall.) There was a difference of opinion as to the amount of
the commitment. Mr. Nickerson understood the commitment was for $25,000; Director
Adcock understood it was for the cost of the equipment, and felt that $47,000 would be
money well spent in order to keep this employer in the City of Little Rock, particularly
since the cities of Cabot, Lonoke and Jacksonville were being considered. It would also
form a partnership between the Little Rock Police, the Sheriffs Office, and the State
Police. (Director Adcock was excused at 6:12 o'clock P.M. to attend a 6:30 meeting,
but she voted "yes" on passage of the Ordinance before leaving.) Director Joyce
spoke in support of the Ordinance, stating the decision of the State Police to move to the
Southwest City Mall was a good one, and this would be money well invested. (Director
Wilson was excused at 6:15 o'clock P.M.) Upon question, Police Chief Lou Caudell
said he would not want to give up any money from the Police Department Budget.
Director Joyce suggested waiting another week, in order to find the money since there is
not enough in the Economic Development Fund. There was a motion by Director
Hodges, seconded by Director Cazort, to consider the Ordinance immediately. The
motion was adopted a voice vote of 8 ayes, 1 no (Joyce), and 2 absent (Wilson and
Adcock). A roll call vote was then taken on the question, Shall the Ordinance Pass, with
the vote recorded as follows: Ayes - Directors Hinton, Joyce, Wyrick, Kelly, Adcock,
and Mayor Dailey - total 6; Noes - Directors Hodges, Cazort, Keck, and Kumpuris - total
4; Absent - Director Wilson - total 1. (Note: Director Adcock stated her vote before she
was excused.)
1
702
Minutes
April 8, 1997
There being no further business to be presented, the reconvened meeting was
adjourned at 6:20 o'clock P.M. with the Board of Directors to meet again in regular
session on Tuesday, April 15, 1997, at 6:00 o'clock P.M.
ATTEST: APPROVED:
2L
City Clerk Robbie Hancock yor Jim Dailey
4
� t
4'
2