HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-15-93Board of Directors Room
City Hall - 500 W. Markham
Little Rock, Arkansas
December 15, 1993 - 1:35 P.M.
The Board of Directors of the City of Little Rock, Arkansas
met in Special Session with Mayor Dailey presiding. City Clerk
Robbie Hancock called the roll with the following Directors in
attendance: Directors Roy, Sharp, Lewellen, Mason, Adcock,
Hendrix, Scheibner, Keck and Joyce - total 9; Absent - Director
Priest - total 1.
With a quorum present, Mayor Dailey announced the purpose of
the Special Meeting was to discuss the results of the sales tax
election that was held December 14, 1993. There were two tax
proposals on the ballot: (1) the levy of a one -half percent
(1/20) sales and use tax for general purposes; (2) the levy of a
one percent (1 %) sales and use tax for 24 months for certain
capital improvements. The one -half percent (1/2 %) tax was
approved by the electorate; however, the one percent (1 %) tax was
defeated.
Mayor Dailey thanked the citizens of Little Rock for the
"Yes" vote on the one -half percent (1/2 %) sales tax to fund
recommendations of the FUTURE - Little Rock Goals Committee, and
asked those who voted "No" or did not vote at all to "join with
us as we begin the implementation of these recommendations."
Mayor Dailey then apologized "for any misconceptions in this
morning's Arkansas Democrat Gazette regarding use of the new 112
cent sales tax for city employee salary increases. Rather than
getting into the context of what I really said, I wish to set the
record straight by saying that I will not support the use of
these new tax dollars for other things than the FUTURE - Little
Rock recommendations until the pact we have made with FUTURE
Little Rock task forces and the public are completely fulfilled."
Vice Mayor Mason and Directors Roy, Sharp, Scheibner, Joyce,
Lewellen, Adcock, Keck and Hendrix all voiced their sentiments
regarding the use of the new tax dollars, and expressed
commitment to the FUTURE - Little Rock recommendations. (Director
Priest was absent.) City Manager Charles Nickerson stated for
clarification that administration's position through the budget
process has consistently been "that we adopt a bare bones budget
that merely extends existing programs; we have recommended no
salary increases for employees, and are recommending a reduction
in sick leave, and are reducing the amount of dependent care
coverage."
Following the discussion, there was a motion by Director
Scheibner that the Board of Directors go into Executive Session
to discuss a personnel matter. The motion was seconded by
Director Sharp, and adopted by the following voice vote: Ayes -
Directors Sharp, Lewellen, Mason, Mayor Dailey, Directors Adcock,
Scheibner, Keck, and Joyce - total 9; Noes - Director Roy - total
1; Absent - Director Priest - total 1.
Before the Board recessed to Executive Session, Director Roy
presented Honorary Citizen Certificates to two Chinese
ophthalmologists with the World Eye Foundation - Dr. Victoria
Zhang and Dr. Maggie Shi.
The Board of Directors then recessed to Executive Session at
1:50 o'clock P.M. to discuss a personnel matter. When the Board
of Directors reconvened at 2:12 o'clock P.M., Mayor Dailey
presided and the following Directors were present: Directors
Roy, Sharp, Lewellen, Mason, Adcock, Hendrix, Scheibner, Keck and
Joyce - total 9; Absent - Director Priest - total 1.
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•
Minutes
December 15, 1993
Mayor Dailey announced that no action was taken dealing with
how City employees make comments to the press.
City Manager Charles Nickerson made a statement on the
status of contract talks with the Fraternal Order of Police
(FOP). He said there is some concern among FOP members because
they have not had a contract since last March. The facts are
that even though the contract actually expired in March, 1993, no
benefits have been reduced or taken away. "We have guaranteed
those benefits will remain in place through March 31, 1994, while
we hold talks on a new contract. We have also continued step pay
increases for officers and granted a 5% pay increase in 1993
retroactive to January 1, 1993. We have promised to begin new
negotiations January 3, 1994."
Director Adcock introduced a proposed Ordinance regarding
police overtime and requested Board action, with the title being:
AN ORDINANCE TO CREATE AN EMERGENCY POLICE OVERTIME ACCOUNT;
TO PROVIDE FOR THE FUNDING OF THAT ACCOUNT; DECLARING AN
EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES;
(Appropriate $450,000 to be reimbursed from the sales tax
revenues.)
Director Mason requested language changes to the proposed
Ordinance, and Director Adcock agreed. Director Sharp objected
to the funds coming from the sales tax revenues. Director Adcock
then took exception to the way the Ordinance was written by City
Attorney Tom Carpenter. Mr. Carpenter explained his
understanding of the request and how he arrived at this
Ordinance. Mayor Dailey asked to hear from City Manager Charles
Nickerson for an explanation of where the money is coming from.
Mr. Nickerson stated that emergency reserve funds could be used
as long as there is a commitment to replace that money. There
was a lengthy discussion among Board Members in which Directors
Adcock and Sharp urged the Board to take immediate action.
Director Roy expressed opposition to using the emergency reserve
fund. Police Chief Lou Caudell responded to questions by the
Board and explained that the additional officers would be
distributed relatively equally over the city, primarily on the
3:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M. shift. Thirty (30) officers will be
hired in mid January, attend the police academy for four months,
and begin field training in mid -April for a period of three
months. The second class of 30 officers would be hired in April.
Mayor Dailey suggested the Board take a break to allow the City
Manager, City Attorney, and Finance Director to structure an
Ordinance for police overtime to deal with the specifics for
funding. Following the lengthy discussion, City Attorney Tom
Carpenter made a point of order, advising that this ordinance was
not on the agenda for the special called meeting and the Board of
Directors would have to vote to place the ordinance on the
Agenda. There was some confusion as to what was included in the
notice to the news media of the Agenda for the special meeting.
Mr. Carpenter urged the Board to give the required two hour
notice that the police overtime Ordinance would be considered.
There was a motion by Director Hendrix, seconded by Director
Sharp, to recess the special meeting for two hours and reconvene
at 5:00 o'clock P.M. to discuss the Ordinance dealing with an
appropriation for police overtime. The motion was unanimously
adopted. Therefore, Mayor Dailey announced that the Special
Meeting was recessed at 3:00 o'clock P.M. to reconvene at 5:00
o'clock P.M. after the regular Agenda Meeting to consider the
police overtime ordinance.
When the Board of Directors reconvened the Special Meeting
at 5:00 o'clock P.M., Mayor Dailey presided and the following
Directors were present: Directors Roy, Sharp, Lewellen, Mason,
Adcock, Hendrix, Scheibner, and Keck - total 8; Absent -
Directors Priest and Joyce - total 2.
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Minutes
December 15, 1993
At the request of Mayor Dailey, City Manager Charles
Nickerson explained that the term "working capital reserve fund"
is the same as the "rainy day fund" or "emergency fund." Mayor
Dailey asked how the fund would be repaid. (Note: The Ordinance
prepared during the recess provides for appropriating the
$450,000 needed for funding police overtime from the working
capital reserve fund.) Mr. Nickerson suggested several options:
(1) Take the $309,000 in the sales tax package shown as
unappropriated and put it into a law enforcement function. (2)
Attempt to deal with it in the 1995 Budget and reduce the size of
the carryover by the approximately one -half million dollars and
put that back into the emergency fund. (3) Simply extend the
freeze until enough funds have built up to repay the $450,000.
Mayor Dailey said option (1) is definitely not to be considered.
There was a lengthy discussion during which Board Members
expressed support or opposition to the Ordinance. Mr. Barry
Haas, 3900 Doral Drive, suggested the Board ask Chief Caudell how
he would get the best use of the $450, 000. The question should
be: Is this community better served by spending the $450,000 over
a 4 -1/2 month period by putting 20 extra officers on the street
or is it better served by taking the same $450,000 and spending
it over a longer period of time by putting more officers on the
street more police hours because you would not be paying time and
a half; instead of 3,000 working hours you would get 4,500
working hours. Director Adcock asked for the first reading of
the proposed Ordinance, entitled:
AN ORDINANCE TO CREATE AN EMERGENCY POLICE OVERTIME ACCOUNT;
TO PROVIDE FOR THE FUNDING OF THAT ACCOUNT; DECLARING AN
EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES;
(Appropriating $450,000 for police overtime to be reimbursed from
the working capital reserve fund.)
and the Ordinance was read the first time. There was a motion by
Director Adcock, seconded by Director Sharp, that the rules be
suspended and the Ordinance be placed on second reading. A roll
call vote was taken on the motion to suspend the rules, with the
results recorded as follows: Ayes - Director Sharp, Mayor
Dailey, Directors Adcock, Hendrix, Scheibner and Keck - total 6;
Noes - Directors Roy, Lewellen and Mason - total 3; Absent -
Directors Priest and Joyce - total 2. Therefore, the motion
failed for lack of the required two - thirds vote (8) to suspend
the rules, and the Ordinance remained on the calendar for second
reading on Tuesday, December 21, 1993.
There being no further business to be presented, the Special
Meeting was adjourned at 5:40 o'clock P.M.
ATTEST:
City Clerk Robbie Hancock
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APPROVED: 4
M yor Jim Daile