HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-11-92r
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Board of Directors Chamber
Little Rock, Arkansas
March 11, 1992 - 1:30 P.M.
The Board of Directors of the City of Little Rock, Arkansas,
reconvened from the March 3, 1992, regular Board Meeting with
Mayor Priest presiding. Robbie Hancock, City Clerk, called the
roll with the following Directors present: Directors Roy,
Hollingsworth, Lewellen, Shackelford, Dailey and Catlett - total
6; Absent - None.
With a quorum present, Mayor Priest declared the Board of
Directors in session and stated the purpose of the reconvened
meeting was to consider an offer from the Little Rock School
District to purchase park land at 9th and Pulaski Streets to
build an elementary school.
Dr. Ruth Steele, Little Rock School Superintendent, made a
presentation to the Board of Directors on the proposal to
construct a new Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Interdistrict
Elementary School on park land located at 9th and Pulaski
Streets. The Little Rock School District has made an offer to
purchase the property for $77,000, which is the appraised value
of the land. Mr. James Jennings, Associate Superintendent for
Desegration, Mr. Jim Ivey, Manager of Support Services for the
School District, and Mr. Chris Heller of the Friday Law Firm,
Attorney for the School District, were present with Dr. Steele to
answer questions by the Board of Directors.
Dr. Steele explained that the Court ordered desegration
plan requires the building of two interdistrict schools to be
populated by black students from the Little Rock school district
and white students from the Pulaski County school district. The
first school will be named the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Elementary School, and will serve 696 students. The Court has
given tentative approval to the 9th & Pulaski location. The
school district has committed to work with the Parks & Recreation
Department in retaining as much of the park area as possible and
to provide very specific playground equipment and other
facilities in the park area that would remain following
construction. If the school district is able to purchase
additional property, the new school building will be positioned
as close to King Drive as possible, facing King Drive and
accessible to I -630. One of the requirements is that the school
be located along the I -630 corridor in places where the County
students will have easy access and Little Rock students will have
a neighborhood school.
Mr. Heller stated that students would be moved from
incentive schools to the interdistrict school so that the
incentive schools would have room to be desegrated.
When asked if the old West Side School (14th and Marshall
Streets) had been considered for the interdistrict school, Dr.
Steele explained that the West Side School is not one that can be
used in its present form to meet the needs of the school
district. In response to a question from Director Roy, Dr.
Steele stated that the School District had considered tearing
down West Side school and constructing a new school building but
would have to purchase additional property and the Central High
Neighborhood and the Quapaw Quarter Association want the present
school building preserved.
During the lengthy discussion, Board Members expressed
concerns for such issues as: closing incentive schools and the
fate of the vacant buildings; the impact of vacant school
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Minutes
March 11, 1992
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buildings on neighborhoods and the City as a whole; traffic
patterns, parking in the I -630 right -of -way; joint use of
facilities, etc.
Dr. Steele stated that there will be a meeting Thursday
night with the residents of the 9th and Pulaski neighborhood to
address their concerns. She assured the Board of Directors that
the School District does not plan to close any incentive schools.
Upon question by Mayor Priest as to the time frame, Dr. Steele
said the new school is supposed to open in the fall of 1993, but
District Officials have been talking with Judge Wright, who has
indicated she would allow additional time if needed in order to
find the best location.
The general consensus was that the proposed Resolution would
not be considered until the Board of Directors has received a
report from the School District on the results of the
neighborhood meeting on Thursday night and response to issues
raised by the Board of Directors. Therefore, the proposed
Resolution entitled "A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING AN OFFER FROM THE
LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PURCHASE PARR LAND AT 9TH AND
PULASKI STREETS" was not presented.
Consideration was then given to Resolution No. 8,671,
entitled:
A RESOLUTION FIXING A DATE AND TIME FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
(April 1, 1992 - relative to the issuance of refinancing bonds
for the City of Little Rock Health Care Facilities Board (Baptist
Medical Center) - Parkway Village Project.)
Mr. James Buttry of the Friday, Eldredge & Clark Law Firm, Bond
Attorney for the Project, explained that the refunding bonds will
be financed at a lower interest rate. The Resolution was read in
full. There was a motion and second by Directors Dailey and
Shackelford, respectively, that the Resolution be adopted. The
Resolution was adopted unanimously by voice vote of the Board
Members present.
There being no further business to be presented, Mayor
Priest declared the meeting adjourned at 2:35 o'clock P.M., with
the Board of Directors to convene again in regular session on
Tuesday, March 17, 1992, at 6:00 o'clock P.M.
ATTEST: Aza,� D:
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City Clerk Robbie Hancock Mayor Sharon Priest
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