Bid on governing-change vote fails

Proposal for LR would have put at-large question on ballot

The majority of the Little Rock Board of Directors decided Tuesday not to send a proposal to voters this November to do away with at-large membership on the board.

The 10-member board voted down Ward 1 City Director Erma Hendrix’s proposal in an 8-1 vote, with Hendrix not voting.

Ken Richardson cast the sole vote in favor.

Hendrix did not speak during the voice vote. Her ordinance would have had residents vote on a proposal to change the board’s makeup to seven ward representatives by removing the three at-large positions.

The rest of the board — Doris Wright, Joan Adcock, Lance Hines, B.J. Wyrick, Kathy Webb, Gene Fortson, Capi Peck and Dean Kumpuris — voted against the measure.

Kumpuris, an at-large member, told his colleagues Monday that he would ask that the new board and new mayor decide at the first meeting in January a process by which residents could fully vet and research the issue.

Kumpuris said Tuesday that he has asked the city attorney to draft a resolution to that effect that can be voted on at a later date.

There’s guaranteed to be a new mayor next year, as Mark Stodola isn’t running for re-election. In addition to that seat, six of the ward seats are up for election in November.

Those who agree with Hendrix’s proposal said having board seats elected by the city at large disenfranchises black voters and that the current three at-large members, who are all white, dilute the positions and votes of the

board’s three black city directors.

Richardson said after Tuesday’s vote that city residents should be able to vote on the issue.

“For the life of me I can’t see how anyone would have a problem giving citizens the chance to decide how they want to be governed,” he said.

At least two black residents from Hendrix’s ward spoke Tuesday against her ordinance and in favor of keeping at-large representatives.

Ronny Jackson, representing the East Little Rock Neighborhood Association, said Adcock, an at-large member and the longest-serving Little Rock board member, helped his community when Timex announced that it had contaminated property in the area.

Rhonda Ross, president of the Love Neighborhood Association, said Adcock spearheaded an effort to revitalize homes in her neighborhood.

In contrast, Ward 1 resident

Robert Webb, who is black, gave examples of how at-large representatives voted against proposals made by black board members.

He specifically mentioned how at-large representatives voted against Hendrix’s proposals to create a city residency requirement for police officers and Richardson’s proposal to give contract priority to companies that employ the city’s unemployed and underemployed young people.

In all, six residents spoke in favor of Hendrix’s ordinance and nine spoke against it. Some who spoke against it agreed with doing away with at-large representation on the board but said Hendrix’s approach wasn’t the right way.

Attorney Chris Burks, who is white, said he and others with whom he has spoken are interested in not only changing the board makeup but also Little Rock’s form of government.

Little Rock has twice embarked on a mission to study its form of government. In 1993, a group called Future Little Rock recommended moving from an all at-large board to the current format of seven ward

representatives, three at-large representatives and the mayor, who presides over meetings and votes in the event of a tie.

In 2000, the Vision Little Rock group was formed and ultimately recommended no change to the board setup.

Eventually members of that group recommended a proposal, which voters approved in 2007, giving the mayor veto and appointment power and making the position full time.

Little Rock has a city-manager form of government, meaning a city manager appointed by the board runs the day-to-day operations. Usually that is paired with a part-time mayor.

Hendrix has said repeatedly that she would file a federal lawsuit against the city if the board did not pass her ordinance Tuesday. She has made the threat numerous times, but has not given details on what the lawsuit would be based, when it would be filed or who would represent her.

She has not responded to questions from a reporter about a lawsuit and did not mention the matter at Tuesday’s meeting.