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The Arkansas Municipal League is a voluntary, non-partisan organization of the incorporated cities and towns of Arkansas. The League is an instrumentality of Arkansas' cities and towns and is governed by them. It is financed by the municipalities primarily through an annual service charge. An Executive Committee determines overall policy for the League and develops the service program of the organization. Officers and members of the Committee serve one-year terms. Click here to see the present officers and members of the Executive Committee.
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| Arkansas State
Capitol, Little Rock |
The day-to-day program of the League is administered
by an Executive Director and staff who
conduct the League service program. The major elements
of this program are described briefly below.
Charged with the responsibility to act as spokesman for Arkansas' cities and towns during the Legislative Sessions, the League, in accordance with the Legislative Policy set forth in the Policy Statement, assists in developing legislation of interest to all municipal governments and in following other legislation that affects cities and towns.
An important activity during the Legislative Session is providing information to municipal officials regarding pending legislation through special reports and publication of a Legislative Bulletin, designed to keep local officials informed on a regular basis of events taking place in the Legislature. Please visit our Legislative Action Center to access the League's Legislative Bulletin.
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| Annual Convention |
Each year the League sponsors a Convention for elected and appointed municipal officials from across the state. The Convention is designed to provide these officials with the opportunity to discuss problems of common interest and to learn of new developments and techniques in local government and public administration.
An important part of the Convention is the Annual Business Meeting at which time the new officers are elected. The Municipal Policy Statement is also developed and adopted by local officials at the Annual Business Meeting. Each city or town is entitled to vote at the Business Meeting, making the Policy Statement broadly reflective of the needs and desires of communities throughout the state.
A significant portion of the League's overall program is devoted to the development of publications in all areas of local government concern. Special reports or magazine articles are written when a substantial number of questions have been received on subjects which are of special concern to municipal officials. Generally, if the problem is a recurring one, a manual dealing with the subject in detail is prepared. Annual publications of the League include a Directory of Arkansas Municipal Officials, the Salary Survey, as well as updating of publications dealing with rapidly changing subjects. The Handbook for Arkansas Municipal Officials is widely used by municipal officials and in demand by many other sources. The Fiscal Management Records is a system which was devised by the League to assist smaller municipalities with their record keeping responsibilities. It is being used by many towns and cities to meet the requirements of the Fiscal Management Act of 1973.
The League publishes a magazine called City & Town which is designed to provide a forum for municipal officials to exchange ideas and compare notes on accomplishments and problems in Arkansas cities and towns. This magazine has a distribution of 7,000 copies. In addition to the elected officials, city administrators and managers, the magazine is sent to police chiefs, fire chiefs and other department heads. Also included on the mailing list are state officials, local newspapers, chambers of commerce and other offices and persons who are interested in municipal affairs.
This service is provided to our members by GovDeals. GovDeals is a "difference-making solution with a nationwide roster of clients." By utilitzing this service, members of the Arkansas Municipal League are charged only for items sold. There is no set up or annual fee. Through GovDeals' online sales, only government entities may sell items through the online surplus sales site. For further information, visit
www.govdeals.com or call GovDeals at (866) 377-1494.
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| Hot Springs , Arkansas |
An inquiry answering service is provided for local officials on any subject involving municipal government. These questions are handled by the League staff who provide answers to municipal officials' questions by telephone, memorandum, referral, special survey or, when appropriate, on-site consultation.
As the relationship between levels of government becomes more complex, more of the League's efforts have become devoted to intergovernmental relations. The role of the League as a representative for cities and towns in dealing with the various agencies of county, state and federal government has become increasingly significant in recent years and is expected to play a major part in the organization's future activities.
A program of providing assistance to cities and towns in the development of municipal codes of ordinances is a significant aspect of the League's service program. This service involves a thorough study of all the ordinances of an individual city or town and the drafting of a code based on the ordinances. In addition, sample ordinances are available to League members on most subjects of municipal concern.
The Loss Control/Emergency Response Program provides members with individual loss control assistance and assistance in establishing an Emergency Preparedness Plan. The Loss Control portion of the program offers safety inspections and on-site consultation for Workers' Compensation, Vehicle program, and Property program participants. In addition, the Loss Control program offers safety-training in various categories such as: Personal Protective Equipment, Trench Safety, Confined Space Safety, Bloodborne Pathogens, Safety Awareness, Back Safety, and Lockout/Tagout Programs. These programs are taught on location in your municipality. The Emergency Response portion of the program provides cities with information on how to be prepared for emergencies such as bomb threats, Cyber-Terrorism, tornadoes, and chemical and biological threats.
The Loss Control Video Library allows members of the Arkansas Municipal League to select training videos by submitting requests online utilizing the video e-cart. A maximum of three (3) videos per order, please. Also, please note that this is a service for members of the League only and unless specified, all videos are VHS tapes. The Arkansas Municipal League will not honor non-member requests.
Don't forget the value of training your workforce. If you or someone affiliated with your municipality would like to attend free training sessions on subjects such as Traffic Signal Maintenance; Trenching and Shoring; Heavy Equipment Operating; and Work Zone Traffic Safety, contact Laura Carter of the Technology Transfer Program at 501-569-2380 or 800-344-1285 or via e-mail at
(laura.carter@arkansashighways.com) This program is sponsored by the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department.
This service is provided to our members by DB Squared and the Johanson Group. The Job Evaluation and Salary Administration Program, or JESAP, is a proven compensation management system that can provide our members with greater efficiency in reducing the following problems:
- Missing pay structure for creating pay rates and annual budgeting
- Problems attracting and retaining productive employees
- Inadequate, nonexistent or non-compliant job descriptions
- Inefficient, manual processes that waste time and create excessive busywork
- Lack of buy-in and creation of animosity relating to pay rate decisions
- Employee favoritism related to pay that creates an employee morale problem.
The JESAP system typically provides a four-to-one or five-to-one savings of time and effort required to accurately define job functions, create accurate and current job descriptions, define pay rates, and monitor pay levels. For further information, visit www.johansongroup.net or call (479) 521-2697.
The Grant Book Company-
A grant locator service is provided for municipalities in an effort to simplify the process of locating and obtaining grants. The League has partnered with The Grant Book Company to provide this service for its members through Grant Search Central, the on-line web site for The Grant Book Company. Grant Search Central provides up-to-date information about the availability and requirements for literally hundreds of types of government and non-profit grants. Also available are grant-writing tools, access to message boards, e-mail alerts, and other types of valuable information for registered users.
To register your municipality for Grant Search Central e-mail contact information to ksmith@thegrantbook.com. For additional information on Grant Search Central, go to www.thegrantbook.com.
Legacy Consulting-
This grant service provides members with assessment and evaluation services, the development of a community blueprint and assistance in grant procurement methods. Specific training in garnering needed funds for individual projects, as well as various tools monitoring and evaluating the grant process are available as well. The services offered by Legacy Consulting will seamlessly integrate with other programs and resources currently provided to members of the Arkansas Municipal League.
To contact Legacy Consulting, e-mail Chad Gallagher at chad.gallagher@legacyincorporated.com
or access their Web site, www.legacyincorporated.com.
Grant Sources-
Recovery.Arkansas.gov
1. Arkansas Department of Rural Services (DRS) www.arkansas.gov/drs
General Improvement Fund Community Enhancement, Fire Protection Grants-
Various DRS Grants
Proposed Amendments to GIF Grant Rules
For further information, contact Morgan Timmerman at morgan.timmerman@arkansas.gov.
2. Arkansas Department of Health www.healthyarkansas.com
Rural Health Facilities and Services Revolving Fund, Rural Physician Revolving Fund-
Grants Announcement Section
For further information, contact Bill Stricklin at william.stricklin@arkansas.gov.
3. Arkansas Economic Development Commission www.arkansasedc.com
Road and Highway/Water and Sewer Sytems Improvement Grants-
For further information, e-mail mjenkins@arkansasedc.com.
4. Arkansas Natural Resources Commission www.anrc.arkansas.gov
Water and wastewater Grants-
For further information, contact Mike Chandler at mike.chandler@arkansas.gov.
5. United States Department of Transportation www.dot.gov/recovery
Regional Road Program/Tiger Grants and Improvement to Rural Collector Road Systems
6. USDA Rural Development Program www.usda.gov/rus/water/index.htm
High Priority Water Infrastructure Projects-
For further information, contact Dave Fenter at dave.fenter@arkansas.gov.
Rural Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program-
For further information, contact Ricky Carter at 501-301-3265.
7. U.S. Department of Energy
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (cities over 35,000)
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (cities less than 35,000)
For further information, contact James Ferguson at 412-386-6043.
**Cities with populations less than 35,000 may also contact Reda Bowen of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission at 800-558-2633 or e-mail energyinfo@arkansasedc.com.
8. HUD
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program-
For further information, contact Andrew Pumphrey at apumphrey@arkansasedc.com or 501-682-2558.
9. Department of Commerce
Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) www.broadbandusa.gov.
For further information, contact Anthony Wilhelm at btop@ntia.doc.gov or 202-482-2048.
For further information contact Steve Napper at snapper@aristotle.net.
The Arkansas Municipal League offers a cable television franchise management service through Local Government Services or LGS. The goals of the program are to ensure that local governments have access to the expertise required to negotiate for the benefits and services needed in our communities on reasonable terms and conditions. In return for a nominal fee, which is usually based on a city's population, cities can obtain the following services: assistance in negotiating new terms and conditions for cable television franchise renewals, including the preparation of the franchise document; determining cable companies compliance with existing franchise terms and conditions including franchise fee payment review; developing and implementing a community needs assessment to determine the future cable-related needs and interest of cities; assistance for electric cities in negotiating pole attachment agreements and conducting pole count inventories; assistance in the development of public, educational and governmental channels (PEG); assistance with processing requests from companies to transfer an existing cable franchise; and assistance with negotiating tower leases. LGS provides these services in conjunction with the law firm of Moses and Barnett and with the assistance of William Pohts, an engineer specializing in the emerging technologies in telecommunications and electronic systems.
For further information or participation in this program, contact Greg Fender with LGS at 800-978-0071 or via e-mail at ghfender@alltel.net .
The Arkansas Municipal League offers an Identity Theft Protection service through CreditGuard ,however, each member city is at liberty to choose their own product. CreditGuard is the most proactive, innovative identity theft program available today. Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America today. Over 90% of all identity thefts begin with unlawful use of someone's Social Security number. In response to this growing problem, the Arkansas Municipal League has contracted with CreditGuard to offer an identity theft protection program. Rates are discounted 30% based on League membership, making the fee $6.95 per member, per month.
CreditGuard's service package includes: 10-year audit of your SSN, setting of fraud alerts with the major credit bureaus, receipt of credit reports from the credit bureaus, WalletGuard service, removal of your name from pre-approved junk mail/credit card offers, adding you to the "Do Not Call" list, receipt of quarterly e-Newsletter, and assistance in steps to control loss and begin process of recovery if your identity is stolen. To contact CreditGuard, call Jim Lewis at 501-690-0384, or to enroll in the program, click here.
The Arkansas Municipal League offers a background screening service through Risk Assessment Group, however, each member city is at liberty to choose their own product. Risk Assessment Group (RAG) has been providing national background sreening since 1997. The company was created by a team of loss prevention, risk management, customer service and private investigative experts who saw a need for a combination of compliance, accuracy, reliable turn-around time and exemplary customer service.
Risk Assessment Group uses proprietary software created and built based on their customers' input. Services offered include: Social Security Trace Services, Criminal Records Searches, Employment Verifications/References, Education Verification, Credit Reports and other services such as motor vehicle reports, professional license verification and industrial commission reports. Clients include Fortune 500 companies employing thousands to small companie employing less than 100 individuals. Let Risk Assessment Group help you build a better team. To contact Risk Assessment Group, call Bill Holmes at 866-777-1114, ext. 301. Mention your AML membership and receive a discount.
The Arkansas Municipal League offers as a service to its member cities a registered city planner for teaching at seminars and for technical consultation with member cities and towns. The first visit each year by the planner to a city for advice, information and consultation is a League complimentary service. The League staff city planner reaches every member city monthly through his City & Town column. To contact Jim VonTungeln, Staff Planner, please call (501) 372-3232 or e-mail uplan@swbell.net.
These areas of assistance to municipalities have developed in response to specific needs of Arkansas' cities and towns. It is expected that as needs change, the type of service program the League provides will change to meet those needs. In this way, the League service program can be of maximum benefit to the cities and towns of Arkansas.
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