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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-15-9575 Board of Directors Room City Hall - 500 W. Markham Little Rock, Arkansas August 15, 1995 - 6:00 P.M. The Board of Directors of the City of Little Rock, Arkansas, met in regular session with Mayor Jim Dailey presiding. City Clerk Robbie Hancock called the roll with the following Directors in attendance: Directors Sharp, Mason, Adcock, Wilson, Hinton, Hodges, Keck, Joyce, and Wyrick - total 9; Absent - Director Kumpuris - total 1. With a quorum being present, Mayor Dailey declared the Board of Directors in session and the proceedings of the meeting are recorded as follows. The Invocation was given by Director Hinton, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. (Director Kumpuris enrolled during the Invocation.) Director Gloria Wilson asked for time to give a ten minute briefing. There was a motion by Director Hodges, seconded by Director Kumpuris, to add the briefing to the Agenda. The motion was unanimously adopted. Director Wilson read a nine page prepared statement regarding a plan of action for the future of Little Rock. (A copy is on file in the City Clerk's Office.) Consideration was then given to the Consent Agenda, which consisted of the following items: (1) Approval of the Minutes of the Board of Directors regular meetings held June 6, 1995, June 20, 1995, and July 5, 1995, and the reconvened meeting held July 11, 1995. (2) Resolution No. 9,468 entitled: A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH GENESIS ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING (G.E.C.) FOR GROUNDWATER MONITORING AND STORMWATER SAMPLING SERVICES AT THE LITTLE ROCK LANDFILL. ($53,750 for a 5 year contract period.) (3) Resolution No. 9,469 described as: A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH FWD CORPORATION (SEAGRAVE FIRE APPARATUS, INC.) FOR THE REPAIR OF A 1971 SEAGRAVE LADDER UNIT FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. (Not to exceed $64,000.) (4) Resolution No. 9,470, with the title being: A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE WILLINGNESS OF THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK TO UTILIZE FEDERAL AID MONIES FOR THE WIDENING OF FAIR PARK BOULEVARD FROM ASHER AVENUE TO 30TH STREET, AND THE RECONSTRUCTION OF WEST 32ND STREET FROM FAIR PARK BOULEVARD TO COLEMAN CREEK. (5) Resolution No. 91471, entitled: A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE WILLINGNESS OF THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK TO UTILIZE FEDERAL AID MONIES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF SIDEWALKS ALONG AND ADJACENT TO HINSON ROAD FROM NAPA VALLEY TO BEAR TREE. 1 176 Minutes August 15, 1995 (6) Resolution No. 91472, described as: A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A MEMORANDUM OF INTENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS AND ARKANSAS SYSTEMS BUILDING CO., LLC PERTAINING TO THE ISSUANCE OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT REVENUE BONDS; AND PRESCRIBING OTHER MATTERS RELATING THERETO. (7) Resolution No. 9,473, with the title being: A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT WITH BLAYLOCK, THREET, PHILLIPS AND ASSOCIATES FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF WARREN DRIVE FROM VALLEY DRIVE TO MABELVALE CUTOFF AND LOETSCHER LANE FROM SUNSET LANE TO VALLEY DRIVE, A 1988 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BOND PROJECT. Upon a motion by Director Adcock, which was seconded by Director Mason and unanimously adopted, the Consent Agenda was dispensed with as follows: (1) The Minutes of the Board of Directors regular meetings held June 6, 1995, June 20, 1995, July 5, 1995, and the reconvened meeting held July 11, 1995 were approved as written and distributed to the Board of Directors; and (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7) Resolutions No. 9,468, 9,469, 9,470, 9,471, 9,472, and 9,473 were read in full and unanimously adopted. Certificates of Appreciation were presented to Mr. Charles Mobley (JTPA /PIC) and teachers in the Little Rock School District who participated in the JTPA Summer Program. There was a short video presentation of the Shepherd's Ranch program which is funded by Prevention, Intervention and Treatment Funds. The next presentation was Zoning Application Z- 3454 -B filed by Patrick McGetrick on behalf of Stagecoach Development, Inc. to rezone 1.37 acres at 10424 Stagecoach Road from "C -2" Shopping Center District to "C -3" General Commercial District. The reclassification was approved by the Planning Commission on July 25, 1995. No opposition was presented, and Ordinance No. 16,952 was introduced, with the title being: AN ORDINANCE RECLASSIFYING PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS; AMENDING SECTION 36 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES; (Z- 3454 -B - To rezone 1.37 acres at 10424 Stagecoach Road (long legal description) from "C -2" Shopping Center District to "C -3" General Commercial District.) and there was a first reading of the Ordinance. The rules were suspended and the Ordinance placed on second reading upon a motion by Director Adcock, which was seconded by Director Joyce, and unanimously adopted by the Board Members present, being eleven in number and two - thirds or more of the members of the Board of Directors - elect. Following the second reading of the Ordinance, there was a subsequent motion by Director Joyce, seconded by Director Keck, to again suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on third and final reading. The motion was unanimously adopted by the Board Members present, being eleven in number and two - thirds or more of the members of the Board of Directors- elect, and the third and last reading of the Ordinance ensued. A roll call vote was taken on the question, Shall the Ordinance Pass, with the results recorded as follows: Ayes - Directors Hinton, Hodges, Keck, Joyce, Wyrick, Sharp, Mason, Kumpuris, Adcock, Wilson and Mayor Dailey - total 11; Noes - None; Absent - None. Therefore, the Ordinance was declared PASSED. Minutes August 15, 1995 X77 Introduced next was Zoning Application Z- 5267 -A, filed by Linda Golden Middleton on behalf of Kenneth R. Golden, Sr. to rezone 1.6 acres at 6800 I -30 from "C -3" General Commercial District to 11I -2" Light Industrial District. The reclassification was approved by the Planning Commission on July 25, 1995. No opposition was presented, and Ordinance No. 16,953 was presented, described as: AN ORDINANCE RECLASSIFYING PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS; AMENDING SECTION 36 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES; (Z- 5267 -A - To rezone 1.6 acres at 6800 I -30 [Tract 52, Little Rock Industrial District] from "C -3" General Commercial District to 11I -2" Light Industrial District.) and there was a first reading of the Ordinance. The rules were suspended and the Ordinance placed on second reading upon a motion by Director Adcock, which was seconded by Director Joyce, and unanimously adopted by the Board Members present, being eleven in number and two - thirds or more of the members of the Board of Directors - elect. Following the second reading of the Ordinance, there was a subsequent motion by Director Joyce, seconded by Director Keck, to again suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on third and final reading. The motion was unanimously adopted by the Board Members present, being eleven in number and two - thirds or more of the members of the Board of Directors - elect, and the third and last reading of the Ordinance ensued. A roll call vote was taken on the question, Shall the Ordinance Pass, with the results recorded as follows: Ayes - Directors Hinton, Hodges, Keck, Joyce, Wyrick, Sharp, Mason, Kumpuris, Adcock, Wilson and Mayor Dailey - total 11; Noes - None; Absent - None. Therefore, the Ordinance was declared PASSED. Zoning Application Z -6006, filed by Otis Morgan to rezone 3122 Martell Street from "R -3" Single- family District to "R -7A" Manufactured Home District, was the next presentation. The reclassification was approved by the Planning Commission on July 25, 1995. No opposition was presented, and consideration was given to Ordinance No. 16,954, entitled: AN ORDINANCE RECLASSIFYING PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS; AMENDING SECTION 36 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES; (Z -6006 - To rezone 3122 Martell Street [Lot 8, Block 4, Tuxedo Park Extension] from "R -3" Single- family District to "R -7" Manufactured Home District.) and there was a first reading of the Ordinance. The rules were suspended and the Ordinance placed on second reading upon a motion by Director Adcock, which was seconded by Director Joyce, and unanimously adopted by the Board Members present, being eleven in number and two - thirds or more of the members of the Board of Directors - elect. Following the second reading of the Ordinance, there was a subsequent motion by Director Joyce, seconded by Director Keck, to again suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on third and final reading. The motion was unanimously adopted by the Board Members present, being eleven in number and two - thirds or more of the members of the Board of Directors - elect, and the third and last reading of the Ordinance ensued. A roll call vote was taken on the question, Shall the Ordinance Pass, with the results recorded as follows: Ayes - Directors Hinton, Hodges, Keck, Joyce, Wyrick, Sharp, Mason, Kumpuris, Adcock, Wilson and Mayor Dailey - total 11; Noes - None; Absent - None. Therefore, the Ordinance was declared PASSED. 3 178 Minutes August 15, 1995 Appearing on the Agenda as Items 11 and 12, respectively, were the following proposed Resolutions: (11) A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE LIST OF DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS UTILIZING SURPLUS FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY ORDINANCE NO. 16,894 (MAY 16, 1995). and (12) A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE LIST OF STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS UTILIZING SURPLUS FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY ORDINANCE NO. 16,894 (MAY 16, 1995). There was a motion by Director Keck to table Items 11 and 12 until September 5, 1995. The motion was seconded by Director Adcock and adopted by the following roll call vote: Ayes - Directors Hinton, Hodges, Keck, Joyce, Wyrick, Sharp, Mason, Kumpuris, Adcock, Wilson and Mayor Dailey - total 11; Noes - None; Absent - None. Therefore, the two (2) proposed Resolutions were tabled until September 5, 1995. Consideration• was then given to Resolution No. 9,474, with the title being: A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO DIRECT THE PURCHASE OF HEPATITIS B VACCINE VIA THE FEDERAL CONTRACT WITH SMITHKLIEN BEECHAM THROUGH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; and the Resolution was read in full. Director Adcock moved for the adoption of the Resolution. The motion was seconded by Director Wilson, and adopted by the following voice vote: Ayes - Directors Hinton, Hodges, Joyce, Wyrick, Sharp, Mason, Kumpuris, Adcock, Wilson and Mayor Dailey - total 10; Noes - Director Keck - total 1; Absent - None. Whereupon, the Resolution was adopted. The last presentation was Ordinance No. 16,955, entitled: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ALLOCATION AND EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS FOR RIVERFRONT PARK, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALERT CENTERS AND RELATED IMPROVEMENTS FUNDED UNDER THE HUD SPECIAL PURPOSE GRANT; and the Ordinance was read the first time. There was a motion by Director Sharp, seconded by Director Adcock, to suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on second reading. The motion was unanimously adopted by the Board Members present, being eleven in number and two - thirds or more of the members of the Board of Directors - elect, and the second reading of the Ordinance ensued. There was a subsequent motion and second by Directors Keck and Adcock, respectively, to again suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on third and final reading. The motion was unanimously adopted by the Board Members present, being eleven in number and two - thirds or more of the members of the Board of Directors - elect, and the Ordinance was read the third and last time. A roll call vote was taken on passage of the Ordinance with the vote recorded as follows: Ayes - Directors Hinton, Hodges, Keck, Joyce, Wyrick, Sharp, Mason, Kumpuris, Adcock, and Mayor Dailey - total 10; Noes - Director Wilson - total 1; Absent - None. Whereupon, Mayor Dailey declared the Ordinance PASSED. At 6:45 o'clock P.M. Mayor Dailey announced that citizens would have three minutes to express a viewpoint to the Board of Directors, with a maximum of thirty minutes allotted for Citizen Communications. The first speaker was Ms. Genevieve Stewart, 4421 Ludwig Street, who spoke on three concerns in the John Barrow Area. (1) Ms. Stewart, a member of the John Barrow Action Committee, expressed concern about the gravel streets, ditches, and stopped up drainage in the John Barrow area, particularly on Ludwig Street. She said City crews were in the area recently paving Wynne Street, which was already paved and there was nothing wrong with it. That was a waste of money. 4 Minutes August 15, 1995 79 (2) She said the Barrow Action Committee had been meeting at the Neighborhood Alert Center, and during the meeting 3 weeks ago, the Alert Center Facilitator disrupted the meeting by speaking against ACORN in terms of paying dues. (3) She said 4400 Ludwig belongs to the City but for 39 years Mr. & Mrs. Blair at 4209 Ludwig have taken care of the City's property. Now they want the City to pay them or reclaim their street. Mrs. Stewart said the Barrow Action Committee plans to file suit against the City for 39 years of care of City property. She said she had brought this issue to the City before but nothing has been done. Mayor Dailey asked City Manager Charles Nickerson to follow up on these issues. The second speaker under Citizen Communications was Mr. Appollos Harris, 901 South Maple Street. Mr. Harris asked the City to raise the minimum wage from $4.25 per hour to $6.50 or $7.00 per hour. He said the reason there is so much crime is because no one wants to work for $4.25 per hour. The next speaker was Mrs. Mollie Wiseman, 11136 West Baseline Road, a member of the Little Rock New Party, who said she supported the statement made by City Director Gloria Wilson at the beginning of the Board Meeting. We can no longer afford to have a Planning Commission dominated by real estate developers. The City can no longer afford to let older neighborhoods continue to deteriorate while new neighborhoods keep springing up in the west. Our planning policies do not make sense and they are killing our neighborhoods and costing the tax payers millions of dollars. Our City will grow and prosper only when all neighborhoods grow and prosper. Mrs. Johnnie Pugh, 2500 Booker Street, then addressed the Board of Directors on the subject of ACORN's "Save Our City" campaign. Mrs. Pugh said she represented ACORN as a whole and ACORN members were in attendance to present to the Board ACORN's "Save Our City" campaign. Little Rock is a great City but it can be a greater City if all the people in the City are working with the City. ACORN celebrated its 25th anniversary June 16, 17, and 18, the oldest grass roots organization in the nation. She expressed concern that ACORN is not receiving communications about things going on in the City. ACORN has been told that it is not a neighborhood organization, but ACORN was working with neighborhoods before most neighborhood organizations were ever started. In the "Save Our City" campaign, ACORN will work with jobs, housing, and crime reduction. Ms. Eva Harris, 205 South Pine Street, was the next speaker under Citizen Communications. Ms. Harris said it had come to her attention that at the end of the previous fiscal year, the City had a $6 million surplus. It had also come to her attention that only one organization which is involved in getting low to moderate income individuals out of rental property and into their own homes, was given any of the surplus money. Why were not other programs funded? Programs like the one that ACORN has. Even $200,000 would have been of great use in getting low to moderate income people into their own homes. Getting people out of rental property and into their own homes will give them a sense of pride, which will improve the neighborhood. Why were those programs not funded? What was done with that money? Mayor Dailey asked City Manager Charles Nickerson to prepare a response for the Board and to send a letter to Mrs. Harris. The next speaker was Mr. Jackie Morehead, 65 Plantation Drive. Mr. Morehead asked how the Board could be "Big on Little Rock" and let the inner city deteriorate. You grow from the inside out. Who is going to reap the benefits of the River Project and by extending the City limits west? How can you be "Big on Little Rock" and let the inner city die? 5 1 i Minutes August 15, 1995 Mr. Jim Lynch, 16 Lenon Drive, addressed the Board of Directors on the subject of City planning. Mr. Lynch, Vice President of the Coalition of Little Rock Neighborhoods, supported the statement made by Director Gloria Wilson at the beginning of the Board meeting, and echoed her call for some intensive work on the City Planning Commission. The Coalition would like to see public hearings conducted, and would like to see issues considered about restructuring of the Planning Commission. There is a new kind of developer emerging in the City and that is the community development corporations and they should be represented on the Planning Commission. There clearly needs to be another approach to how we consider these issues. Some cities authorize sub -city citizen panels combined with people that are expert in the industry to work on issues so that by the time they get to the Planning Commission or the Board, these issues have been resolved. We've got to do something different. We cannot continue to relocate Little Rock from east to west. The last speaker under Citizen Communications was Mr. Robert "Say" McIntosh, 9512 Southwest Drive. Mr. McIntosh stated that Mr. Bennie Johnson (Stop the Violence Program) had gotten his neck broke and needs some help. He then commended Director Wilson for her speech. Since school starts on Monday, August 21, 1995, he urged parents to meet on Saturday to clean up the school grounds. He challenged Mr. John Walker, Mr. Perlesta Hollingsworth and other prominent attorneys to get involved in doing something about black on black crime. Mayor Dailey noted that Board Members had a copy of the preliminary data on crime statistics for Little Rock and that for the month of July, 1995, overall crime was down 22 %, violent crime was down 48% and aggravated assault was down 61 %. Overall for the seven month period violent crime was down 23.07% and all crime was down 18.18 %. Mayor Dailey also called attention to the Memorandum from City Attorney Tom Carpenter to which was attached a proposed Code of Ethics for the Board and its various commissions. Mayor Dailey announced that any citizen interested in getting a copy of the proposed Code of Ethics could contact City Hall. The Board will go through a public process before the Code of Ethics is adopted. Director Hodges then made the following statement: "It is public record that Les Hollingsworth and I in our capacities as attorneys represent opposing litigants in a pending case. In that role I had brought various issues about Mr. Hollingsworth's conduct to the attention of the Court. Therefore, at my request, Mr. Carpenter has stated it is his opinion that I should not vote nor participate as a member of the Little Rock City Board of Directors in any matter involving the conduct of Mr. Hollingsworth. I concur with this advise. I will not be participating tonight in the Little Rock City Board's executive session. However, I will fully participate in the debate and hopefully the passage of a new comprehensive Code of Ethics for this Board as well as all City Commissions and committees. Thank you.° Following Director Hodges statement, Vice Mayor Adcock moved to go into Executive Session to discuss a personnel matter, because of a question that has been raised about the fairness of a report by the City Attorney concerning a member of the Airport Commission. The motion was seconded by Director Kumpuris and adopted by voice vote of the Board of Directors. Therefore, the Board of Directors recessed to executive session at 7:15 o'clock P.M. with the exception of Director Hodges. 2 Minutes August 15, 1995 L When the Board of Directors reconvened at 9:40 o'clock P.M., Mayor Dailey presided and the following Directors were present: Directors Sharp, Mason, Kumpuris, Adcock, Wilson, Hinton, Hodges, Keck, Joyce, and Wyrick - total 10; Absent - None. There was a motion by Director Keck, seconded by Director Wilson, that the Board of Directors accepts and finds fair and accurate the City Attorney's memorandum dated August 1, 1995 dealing with the selection of bond counsel for Airport Bonds and conflict of interest re: Periesta Hollingsworth, and awaits further investigation to make a final decision (in essence directs City Attorney Tom Carpenter to proceed with further investigation). The motion was adopted by the following voice vote: Ayes - Directors Sharp, Mason, Kumpuris, Adcock, Wilson, Hinton, Keck, Joyce, Wyrick and Mayor Dailey - total 10; Noes - None; Abstentions - Director Hodges - total 1; Absent - None. There being no further business to be presented, Mayor Dailey adjourned the Board of Directors meeting; however, after a brief discussion, there was a motion by Director Keck, seconded by Director Mason, to reconsider the adjournment. The motion was unanimously adopted, and there was a subsequent motion by Director Keck, seconded by Director Mason, to recess the meeting until Tuesday, August 29, 1995, to consider an Ordinance dealing with the BFI contract, and the motion was unanimously adopted. Whereupon, the Board of Directors recessed at 9:45 o'clock P.M. to reconvene on Tuesday, August 29, 1995, at 4:00 P.M. to consider an ordinance dealing with the BFI contract. ('ATTEST: APP VED: CIL City Clerk Robbie Hancock yor Jim Daile 7