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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-28-19 Little Rock Board of Directors Reconvened Meeting May 28,2019 4:00 PM Little Rock Board of Directors Reconvened Meeting May 28, 2019 4:00 PM The Board of Directors of the City of Little Rock, Arkansas, met in a reconvened meeting with Mayor Frank Scott, Jr., presiding. Deputy City Clerk Allison Segars called the roll with the following Directors present: Hendrix; Richardson; Webb; Peck; Hines; Wright; Fortson; Kumpuris; Adcock; Vice-Mayor Wyrick; and Mayor Scott. 1. ORDINANCE: To amend Little Rock, Ark., Ordinance No. 21,683 (December 18, 2018), adjust the Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Ordinance to reflect revenue and expenditure adjustments for the General and Street Funds; to declare an emergency; and for other purposes. (15t,2"d&3rd Readings were held on May 14,2019) Staff recommends approval. Synopsis: Five (5) adjustments need to be made to the 2019 Budget to adjust for changes in anticipated revenues and expenditures. Kathryn Hazelett, 100 Colonial Court: Stated that she had a background in public budgeting and had served on the Mayor's Transition Team in the area of Finance. Ms. Hazelett stated that she understood how hard it was to make the cuts and supported the reductions. Richard Morehead, 210 South Gaines Street: Stated that he was President of Little Rock Firefighters Local 34 and that they liked to stay updated on the City's Budget; however, it had become difficult in that the City's online Financial Reports had not been updated since November 2018. Robert Walker, 3224 West Capitol Avenue: Stated that the citizens were not privy to the details regarding what programs were cut and he asked that the Board not approve the proposed Budget Amendment. John McCarty, 4115 Old Oak Drive: Stated that potential budget cuts to the Parks Department would affect the Quality of Life for the citizens of Little Rock and expressed his opposition to the reduction of those funds. Keith Gillem, 46 Broadmoor Drive: Asked that the Board not approve the proposed Budget Amendment. Mr. Gillem stated that with the recent flooding, staff would not be fully-equipped to address the clean-up. Carl Hines, 1508 East 38th Street: Stated that he did not want to see War Memorial Golf Course close. Susan Bowling, 815 North Jackson Street: Stated that she was a volunteer at War Memorial Golf Course, was a tax payer and lived within the City of Little Rock and asked that the Board not close the course. Nancy Sheehan, 108 Thayer Street: Stated that she lived in the Capitol View/Stifft Station area and was opposed to any action that would close the Neighborhood Resource Center in the area. Jodie T. Carter, 5921 Timberview Road: Stated that he spoke for the citizens that lived adjacent to Hindman Golf Course. Mr. Carter stated that there were four (4) neighborhoods that surrounded the course and that there were approximately 960 elementary-aged children that lived within walking distance of the course. Mr. Carter stated that he was concerned about the impact to the neighborhoods should the course close. 1 Little Rock Board of Directors Reconvened Meeting May 28,2019 4:00 PM Mayor Scott stated that no City Park would be closed as a result of the budget reduction; however, they would be repurposed. Vice-Mayor Wyrick stated that according to the Golf Study, Hindman Golf Course was prone to flooding; however, she felt that if the pipe size was increased, the flooding might cease. Vice-Mayor Wyrick stated that every year the City experienced attrition, and she would like to see the positions scheduled to be eliminated be taken off the list, as she felt that through normal attrition, it would even out. Finance Department Director Sara Lenehan stated that positions eliminated were ones with the least impact on programs and operations of the City. Ms. Lenehan stated that Human Resources Staff had been working to relocate those employees within the City and to-date, all but ten (10) had been reassigned. Director Hines questioned if the Street Fund was balanced, why in 2018 the Budget projected a decline in the Street Fund from $16 million to $10 million over the next ten (10) years. Ms. Lenehan stated that the Street Fund Revenues were protected and Fund balance was projected to decline; not the revenue projections. Director Adcock asked if the Prevention, Intervention and Treatment (PIT) Budget amount had changes and if any Summer Youth Programs would be affected by the reductions. City Manager Bruce Moore stated that no Summer Programs would be impacted. Director Webb asked when the Parks Master Plan would be finished and available for review. Parks & Recreation Director John Eckart stated that staff had responded back to the consultant with additional information; however, they had not received the final document and hoped to do so within the next month. Director Fortson stated that just three (3) weeks prior there was an announcement of an industry coming to Little Rock that would create 600 new jobs within the City. Director Fortson stated that the real growth of the City depended on whether new economic activity could be created, and he hated to see any progress stopped or slowed down as a result of the cut in funding to the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce. Director Fortson made the motion, seconded by Director Hines to amend the General Services portion of the proposed Budget Amendment to restore the $50,000 reduction in funding for the balance of 2019 and to determine where in the General Government portion of the Budget that the $50,000 be taken. By roll call vote, the vote was as follows: Ayes: Peck; Hines; Kumpuris; Fortson; and Adcock. Nays: Hendrix; Richardson; Webb; Wright; and Vice-Mayor Wyrick. By a vote of five (5) ayes and six (6) nays, with Mayor Scott casting the tie-breaking vote, the motion failed. Director Kumpuris stated that he was supportive of the proposed Budget Adjustment; however, he would like to make an amendment that stated that the Mayor, City Manager and Finance Director would report back to the Board in two (2) to four (4) weeks regarding which two (2) golf courses would be closed for repurposing. Mayor Scott asked City Attorney Tom Carpenter for clarification as to if that the decision regarding the golf courses was a Management decision or a Policy decision. City Attorney Carpenter stated that if Director Kumpuris was going to vote on the Budget Amendment, then it could not be contingent upon something that might later prompt him to change his 2 Little Rock Board of Directors Reconvened Meeting May 28, 2019 4:00 PM vote. Mayor Scott stated that before any decision was made, he would commit to informing the Board of those decisions. City Attorney Carpenter stated that once the vote for the Budget Amendment was taken, a motion could be made indicating that a discussion would be held in two (2) to four (4) weeks, led by the Mayor and City Manager, regarding which golf courses would be closed. Mayor Scott called for the vote on the ordinance. By roll call vote, the vote was as follows: Ayes: Hendrix; Wright; Kumpuris; and Fortson. Nays: Webb; Peck; Hines; Adcock; and Vice-Mayor Wyrick. Present: Richardson. When asked if he would like to change his Present vote, Director Richardson Hendrix indicated that he would like to for his vote to be recorded as Present. The final roll call vote was as follows: Ayes: Hendrix; Wright; Kumpuris; and Fortson. Nays: Webb; Peck; Hines; Adcock; and Vice- Mayor Wyrick. Present: Richardson. By a vote of four (4) ayes, five (5) nays and one (1) present, the ordinance failed. Director Kumpuris made the motion, seconded by Director Richardson, to adjourn the meeting. By unanimous voice vote of the Board Members present, the meeting was adjourned. ATTEST: APPROVED: —PCOW/M LiaCZ— Isla of Allison Segars, D ity Clerk Frank Scott, Jr. y 3