March 2024 Meeting Minutes (To Be Approved)

3/7/24  Zoom  6pm

Attending:

Kathy Wells, Vice President Brittany Nichols, Secretary

guest-Jordan Thomas, candidate for city director, at-large #9

member-Brenda Stallings

[Online Meeting - Technical Issues - Apologies Conveyed by Officers]

1. Upcoming Events & Announcements

Keep Little Rock Beautiful Citywide Cleanup

8:30 am - Kickoff event at Interstate Park with speakers Vice Mayor Kathy Webb, State Representative Denise Ennett, City Director Virgil Miller, Brittany Nichols from Little Rock Parks & Recreation, and Suzanne Hirrel of Keep Little Rock Beautiful

Coalition of Neighborhoods

Saturday, March 9th 10 am - 12 pm - Willie Hinton Resource Center, Room 104, 12th & Pine St. Coalition of LR Neighborhoods mtg. Speakers: 

At-large Director Antwan Phillips - Strengthening Code Enforcement powers against resisting Landlords mismanaging  Rental Properties

David Couch - A co-Author on proposed Amendment to protect transparent government laws in the State Constitution. Signatures being collected up to July. 

Voter Registration

League of Women Voters Request to speak at Neighborhood Associations to promote Voter Registration

on www.VotePulaski.Net is found your registration. Assure current address is listed.  Drop-down menu gives access to your Sample Ballot. Know before you go vote.

Note Primary Results on the same website. Sadly, county had Only 21% Turnout. So most failed to claim their powers to make their views known.  

Downtown Little Rock Master Plan - deadline Fri. Mar. 15

Round 3 Feedback requested through Final Surveyhttps://sasakistrategies.typeform.com/DTLRMPSurvey3?typeform-source=downtownlittlerockmasterplan.engage.sasaki.com 

MacArthur Park Survey - deadline Tues. Mar. 19

User feedback request for MacArthur Park

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe2QCfxrRzd1r2kiOZ0VLWGpGNEdGXwAqWdU6_pUnV5NvwODg/viewform?fbclid=IwAR2rp33YjNitkQMN9GVqS7Qx7sH3RsChJJdO_KDFzamv4Z2sozHHOkVB1KA 

Total Solar Eclipse Apr. 8

List of Upcoming Events at City’s Community Centers and other Parks & Recreation offerings

https://www.littlerock.gov/city-administration/mayors-office/initiatives/total-eclipse-of-the-rock/watch-party-details/ 

1. Resident IssuesFor report to City 1 Director Virgil Miller

525 Lots deemed vacant and unsafe, many in Ward 1 and several even qualify for Historic Tax Credits. Need to promote these opportunities for redevelopment.

Increase operational capacity for Housing & Neighborhood Programs Code Enforcement Officers

• Down by 9 positions. Fill vacancies

• Competitive salaries. Latest increase may fail to control high turnover; more may be needed.

• More authority needed to deal with landlords failing to maintain properties properly.