Springdale mayor to lead cities organization

Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse has been elected president of the Arkansas Municipal League for 2017-18.

He said he believed that, working together, cities and towns can face any challenge that comes their way.

“Let’s work together as we always have, let’s work with our legislators, work with the League, and have a great year — not for us, but for the State of Arkansas and the residents of Arkansas,” said Sprouse, 60, according to a statement issued by the League.

Other officers elected for 2017-18 are:

North Little Rock Mayor Joe Smith, 65, first vice president.

Mountain Home Mayor Joe Dillard, 74, District 1 vice president.

North Little Rock Alderman Debi Ross, 62, District 2 vice president.

Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan, 63, District 3 vice president.

Lamar Mayor Jerry Boen, 48, District 4 vice president.

More than 1,300 city and town leaders from across the state attended the 83rd Convention, which ended Friday in Little Rock.

Resolutions adopted by the League included continued support for the federal Marketplace Fairness and Remote Transactions Parity Act and to press for similar legislation at the state level to ensure proper assessment and collection of sales taxes.

“Anything we can do to bring more money into Arkansas, we need to concentrate on,” League Executive Director Don Zimmerman said in a statement. “Arkansas is not one of the wealthiest states, but there’s no reason we can’t be.”