HomeMy WebLinkAbout22057 1 ORDINANCE NO. 22,057
2
3 AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH THE PROCEDURE TO BE
4 FOLLOWED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY OF
5 LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, TO DETERMINE THE BOUNDARIES OF
6 WARDS AFTER THE COMPLETION AND PUBLICATION OF THE
7 RESULTS OF A DECENNIAL CENSUS; TO DECLARE AN
8 EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
9
10 WHEREAS, Arkansas State Law provides that after the Federal Government has conducted and
11 published the results of a Decennial Census, then the Board of Directors in a Management Form of
12 Government, which includes some Directors elected at-large, as well as other Directors who are elected
13 from Wards, shall determine Ward Boundaries for the upcoming election;and,
14 WHEREAS,the guidelines set out in Ark. Code Ann. § 14-61-109 requires that the seven(7) Wards
15 in the City of Little Rock, Arkansas ("the City"), should have substantially equal population based upon
16 information contained in the most recently published Federal Decennial Census, and that appropriate
17 changes in Ward Boundaries should be made if there has been a substantial change in the population of the
18 Districts;and,
19 WHEREAS, a definite process needs to be in place to provide suggested boundaries to the electors,
20 and to the Mayor and Members of the Board of Directors, that do not have any single person overseeing
21 the process who works under the control of any single member of the Board of Directors.
22 NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY
23 OF LITTLE ROCK,ARKANSAS:
24 Section 1. The City Manager, in conjunction with the assistance of any persons of his choosing,and
25 on legal issues the City Attorney, shall take the census data from the Federal 2020 Decennial Census, and
26 using the prior vote of the electors to create seven (7) Wards, shall outline proposed boundaries for the
27 seven(7)Ward positions on the Little Rock Board of Directors.
28 Section 2. While any elector of the City may provide information to the City Manager,the proposed
29 boundaries for the Wards will be shared publicly with the Mayor and all Members of the Board of Directors,
30 and with the electors,at the same time.
31 Section 3. Once the City Manager has provided to each member of the Board of Directors the Ward
32 Boundaries that he proposes,and these proposed boundaries have been otherwise publicized by the City to
33 its citizens,the Board of Directors shall conduct at least one(1)public meeting to permit comments before
34 the boundaries are voted upon; further, the ideas and comments provided at this public meeting shall be
35 summarized and provided to the Mayor and Members of the Board of Directors prior to any vote taken to
36 adopt,modify,or otherwise address,such boundaries.
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1 Section 4. This work shall be completed no later than November 30, 2021, and shall be voted upon
2 by the Board of Directors at its regularly called meeting on December 7,2021.
3 Section 5. Severability. In the event any section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, subparagraph,
4 item, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this ordinance is declared or adjudged to be invalid or
5 unconstitutional, such declaration or adjudication shall not affect the remaining provisions of this
6 ordinance,as if such invalid or unconstitutional provision was not originally a part of this ordinance.
7 Section 6. Repealer. All ordinances, resolutions, bylaws, and other matters inconsistent with this
8 ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency.
9 Section 7. Emergency Clause. The ability to clarify and set the boundaries for Ward positions on the
10 Little Rock Board of Directors in sufficient time for candidates to consider,plan, and conduct a campaign
11 for the six (6)positions to be elected at the November 2022 General Election, is essential to the public
12 health,safety, and welfare;an emergency is, therefore, declared to exist and this ordinance shall be in full
13 force and effect from and after the date of its passage.
14 PASSED: October 19,2021
15
16 '� '►� APPROVED:
1
AV
17 N
18 san ( , 'Clerk Frank Scott,Jr., May
19 APPRO` . I • S TO LEGAL FORM:
20
21 �lA'I�w+il •
22 Thomas M.Carpenter, ity Attof ey
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