01-11-00636
Board of Directors Room
City Hall — 500 W. Markham
Little Rock, Arkansas
January 11, 2000 — 4:05 P.M.
The Board of Directors of the City of Little Rock, Arkansas, reconvened from the
January 4, 2000, regular meeting with Mayor Jim Dailey presiding. City Clerk Robbie
Hancock called the roll with the following Directors present: Directors Pugh, Hinton,
Lichty, Cazort, Keck, Stewart, Wyrick, Kumpuris, and Kelly - total 9; Absent — Director
Adcock — total 1. (Note: Due to surgery on January 10, 2000, Director Adcock was
unable to attend the meeting but was listening from her home via telephone.)
With a quorum present, Mayor Dailey declared the Board of Directors in session
and the proceedings of the meeting are recorded as follows.
The first presentation was Ordinance No. 18,191, entitled:
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND LITTLE ROCK, ARK. REV. CODE
SECTION 2 -50 TO DEFINE "PRESENT AT A MEETING" TO PERMIT A
MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO PARTICIPATE AND VOTE
IN MEETINGS OF THE BOARD BY ELECTRONIC OR TELEPHONIC
MEANS; TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
City Attorney Tom Carpenter explained the definition of "present at a meeting" as set
forth in the proposed Ordinance. If the member is unable to attend the meeting due to a
nonelective medical condition and recovery time is anticipated to be two weeks or more,
a staff person shall be physically present with the member, and if the member is
physically unable to speak, the staff member can relay the member's vote only if the
member has previously marked the vote in writing. The Ordinance was then read the first
time. The rules were suspended to provide for the second and third readings of the
Ordinance by unanimous vote of the Board Members present, being ten in number and
two - thirds or more of the members of the Board of Directors. Mayor Dailey said he felt
it takes extreme circumstances under which the Board would allow something like this to
occur and the Board needs to be very, very careful. It probably would be better if there
were sunset provisions. A roll call vote was then taken on the question, Shall the
Ordinance Pass, with the vote recorded as follows: Ayes — Directors Pugh, Hinton,
Lichty, Keck, Stewart, Wyrick, Kumpuris, Kelly and Mayor Dailey — total 9; Noes —
None; Voting Present — Director Cazort — total 1; Absent — Director Adcock — total 1.
The Emergency Clause contained in Section 4 of the foregoing Ordinance was
read and adopted by the following roll call vote: Ayes — Directors Pugh, Hinton, Lichty,
Keck, Stewart, Wyrick, Kumpuris, Kelly and Mayor Dailey — total 9; Noes — None;
Voting Present — Director Cazort — total 1; Absent — Director Adcock — total 1.
Whereupon, the Ordinance together with the Emergency Clause was declared PASSED.
Consideration was then given to Resolution No. 10,752, described as:
A RESOLUTON TO PERMIT DIRECTOR JOAN ADCOCK TO ATTEND
MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTRONICALLY OR
TELEPHONICALLY AS SET FORTH IN LITTLE ROCK, ARK. REV. CODE
SECTION 2 -50 (1988), AS AMENDED, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
Following the reading of the Resolution, Director Keck moved for its adoption. The
motion was seconded by Director Lichty, and the Resolution was adopted by the
following voice vote: Ayes — Directors Pugh, Hinton, Lichty, Keck, Stewart, Wyrick,
Kumpuris, Kelly and Mayor Dailey — total 9; Noes — None; Voting Present — Director
Cazort — total 1; Absent — Director Adcock — total 1.
City Attorney Tom Carpenter noted for the record that Director Adcock has the
Agenda for the reconvened meeting with a form to mark her vote. Staff person Melissa
Bridges is present with Director Adcock in her home and will verbalize Director
Adcock's vote on the issues regarding the horse drawn carriage Ordinance.
The last item to be considered was Ordinance No. 18,192 entitled:
AN ORDINANCE TO PERMIT HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGES WITHIN
THE CITY; TO AMEND THE TRANSPORTATION CODE ACCORDINGLY;
TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
Minutes
January 11, 2000
637
City Attorney Tom Carpenter explained the numerous changes to the Ordinance.
Director Keck moved to amend the Ordinance as stated by Mr. Carpenter. The
motion was seconded by Director Cazort and unanimously adopted. The Ordinance, as
amended, was then read the third and last time, having been read the first and second
times on January 4, 2000. Ms. Pam Nixon, 821 N. Cleveland, spoke in opposition to the
Ordinance, citing sanitary issues, enforcement issues, etc. Ms. Sancy Thomas, president
of Little Rock Carriage Company, spoke in support of the Ordinance, stating her line
would consist of one horse and one carriage, and the regulations are very strict. Mr. Al
Thomas also spoke in support of the Ordinance, stating the regulations more than
adequately protect the horses. Ms. Gail Erwin, Red Oak Carriage Company of Austin,
Arkansas, spoke in support of the Ordinance, stating her company provides horse drawn
carriage rides for weddings and special events. Ms. Leslie Tucker, 901 West 47th Street,
North Little Rock, AR, was the last speaker in support of the Ordinance. She is getting
married in April and has hired Red Oak Carriage for her wedding. She concluded by
urging the Board to pass the Ordinance. City Manager Cy Carney said staff continues to
recommend disapproval of the Ordinance. The regulations are very strict but will be very
difficult for staff to regulate and enforce. It is a bad idea to have this type of vehicle
interspersed among routine vehicular traffic. Director Stewart said she could support
having horse drawn carriages for weddings but not for amusement. Director Keck said
having three (3) horse drawn carriages, not a fleet, gives us an excellent opportunity to
see if we can handle this and to see how it works. Melissa Bridges read Director
Adcock's statement as follows: "My no vote is not against Ms. Thomas but an
Ordinance that covers not only today but others in the future. If this was down by the
riverbanks or an area away from traffic, I would be for it, but not in heavy traffic areas
and not so close to the restaurants. I have no problem with the special occasion rides."
Director Cazort spoke in support of the Ordinance, stating he felt we have an extremely
capable staff that is competent of handling this Ordinance. In response to Director
Pugh's question, Mr. Carney said there is nothing in the Ordinance that designates the
geographic area where the horse drawn carriages will be allowed to operate; however, the
intent here is clearly the River Market District, and the light rail system (trolleys) would
be in the same area, and the coordination would have to be worked out. Mayor Dailey
said the real issue is whether or not we want horse drawn carriages in the City. All these
points can be dealt with. A roll call vote was then taken on passage of the Ordinance as
follows: Ayes — Directors Pugh, Hinton, Cazort, Keck, Wyrick, Kumpuris, and Mayor
Dailey — total 7; Noes — Directors Lichty, Stewart, Kelly, and Adcock (via telephone
pursuant to Ordinance No. 18,191 and Resolution No. 10,752) — total 4; Absent — None.
The Emergency Clause contained in Section 18 of the foregoing Ordinance was
read and adopted by the following roll call vote: Ayes — Directors Pugh, Hinton, Lichty,
Cazort, Keck, Wyrick, Kumpuris, Kelly, Adcock (via telephone), and Mayor Dailey —
total 10; Noes — Director Stewart — total 1; Absent — None. Whereupon, the Ordinance
together with the Emergency Clause was declared PASSED.
Item M -1 on the Agenda Modifications was a proposed Resolution making an
appointment to the Racial and Cultural Diversity Commission, which was deferred
until January 18, 2000.
Director Pugh requested that the deadline for waiving the requirement for
building permits for structures in the January 20, 1999, tornado disaster area, which
will soon expire, be extended until January 2001. Assistant City Manager Bruce Moore
said a Resolution would be prepared for the next Agenda.
There being no further business to be presented, the reconvened meeting was
adjourned at 5:12 o'clock P.M, with the Board of Directors to meet again in regular
session on Tuesday, January 18, 2000, at 6:00 o'clock P.M.
ATTEST: PROVED:
T Ou & A
City Clerk Robbie Hancock (*or Jim Dailey
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