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Bentonville mayor assumed leadership of a League with a membership now of all the state's 501 municipalities
By John K. Woodruff, League staff
HOT SPRINGS-The 71st Arkansas Municipal League Convention ended June 17-after three days in this new summer location-but only after electing a new president and officers, hearing from two gubernatorial hopefuls, revising its policies and looking to another busy year.
Bentonville Mayor Terry Coberly, first vice president, moved up to the one-year term as president, succeeding Star City Mayor Gene Yarbrough, who led a successful League year of activities, especially with the Arkansas Legislature in session. The bulk of the League's legislative package was enacted into law.
Coberly, from the Benton County city of 19,730, heads an organization with a membership for the first time of 100 percent of the municipalities in the state: all 501 of the incorporated municipalities.
Other Municipal League officers: First Vice President- Mayor Stewart Nelson of Morrilton; District 1 Vice President-Mayor Paul Nichols of Wynne; District 2 Vice President-Mayor Stanley Morris of Menifee; District 3 Vice President-Mayor Robert Reynolds of Harrison; District 4 Vice President-Mayor Horace Shipp of Texarkana.
The officers serve one-year terms, which began immediately. The League's four districts coincide with the state's congressional districts.
The League's annual convention was moved this year to the Hot Springs Convention Center, anchored by the Summit Arena and Embassy Suites Hotel on one end and the Austin Hotel on the other. The convention is held annually in June. The League Fall Conference, typically held in Hot Springs, has been moved to a Winter Conference in January at the Peabody Hotel and Statehouse and Convention Center in Little Rock. The timing allows the League to conveniently host state legislators as they convene in Little Rock every two years.
Arkansas Attorney General Mike Beebe and Asa Hutchinson, a former undersecretary for the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, addressed the convention and each touched on their candidacies for governor. Beebe seeks the Democratic nomination and Hutchinson, the Republican nomination. Beebe so far is without an announced opponent; Lt. Gov. Winthrop Paul Rockefeller is seeking the Republican nomination. He was unable to attend the League convention.
Quoting from Charles Dickens' classic, A Tale of Two Cities, Beebe said, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," could apply to today's Arkansas. A lot of successes are here that we Arkansans are "very proud proud of," yet, he said, "a lot people are hurting, a lot of communities are doing without."
We have growth and progress, yet other cities struggle just to have jobs and utilities, he said; the same applies to areas within cities with and without growth and progress. Nothing is wrong that can't be fixed, he said.
Beebe noted "lots and lots of good things" are going on in education and health care; he cited school accomplishments around the state and "inner city schools" of Little Rock. Beebe noted great gains are being made in health care especially at the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences where people come from all over the world and at Children's Hospital; he praised in industry and manufacturing, too.
"We have the captains of industry whether it's Alltel or Wal-Mart or J.B. Hunt , Tyson or you name it," he said. "We have got some of the greatest companies in the country started right here in Arkansas." His remarked triggered applause. But, Beebe added, "a lot of people are still left out." Some communities can't get plants because the lack of infrastructure, don't have water treatment, roads, sewers, he said. "What we have to do in our state is make what's good in those places that are doing very well also available in those places that aren't doing very well."
"We are one family," Beebe said. "We are one people. We are one Arkansas." He spoke at the opening session. Beebe said Arkansas must take what is the best of times and spread it around the state with all pulling and working together.
Daughter of a former Bentonville police chief, Coberly recalled some of his wisdom as she told of her appreciation in being elected League president. "I truly am the luckiest woman in Arkansas," Coberly, in her acceptance speech, said at the closing luncheon. She introduced her family and thanked the Bentonville City Council. Coberly took office as mayor in 1995. She said municipalities of the state are what make Arkansas special. "We are the voice of our hometowns, the voice of our people."
People who are in the League hope to do something special for their hometowns, she said. Coberly was pleased that she had served on the executive committee for the last 10 years. She said other mayors have made her welcome from the start. That is what the Municipal League is about, she said. "It's about helping people, helping each other." The state's communities, each unique, also "share the same kind of visions for our cities and we care about the welfare of our citizens," she said.
Her father was one of the first elected chiefs of police in Bentonville. He cautioned her years ago as she was elected mayor that there were some problems she could not fix-parking and dogs. Coberly said she now could add cats to those unfixable problems.
City officials share concerns and problems and, therefore, "networking" with other city officials is one of the great advantages of the League meetings, she said. What is good for a town in southeast Arkansas is good for one is northwest Arkansas, she noted, citing other geographic distances but common concerns. "We are one state," she said. "We should continue to work together ... to make our hometowns the very best that they can be." " We cannot live in a local vacuum ... we must resist parochialism." She encouraged cities to work together and to help each other. "It's critical to our success that we have a strong voice and one voice," she said.
She encouraged moving past turf wars. "Together we are a powerful force to create powerful change." Her mission as president, she said, "is to build on the concept of one state and one voice. Arkansas Municipalities must have a strong voice and be heard."
The non-legislative year coming up is a time to build cohesiveness and strength and improve cooperation, she said. She said she wants all towns this time next year to be better because they are living and working together "as never done before."
Hutchinson, at the closing luncheon June 17, recalled his days as a Bentonville city attorney. He echoed Coberly's call for "one state, one voice." He commended cities for their working together. Hutchinson called for four ways that the state could help cities. The state should exercise restraint on broad-based taxes, sales and income taxes, for example, he said. When those taxes rise they impact local efforts to raise revenues. He would like to see a super-majority in the state legislature required to raise sales taxes, not the simple majority as is now the case.
Hutchinson said the state could support cities in their funding for first responders, particularly to assist regional efforts. He said he wants to be a voice to ensure strong Homeland Security funding and to streamline getting the funds to cities, not only for national security measures but also for natural disasters, as chemical spills and tornadoes.
Third, he said, cities need help in drug enforcement and reducing the methamphetamine labs and drug abuse around the state. Last year, Hutchinson said, 1,200 meth labs had to be dismantled in the state and then the properties returned to usefulness-"a very expensive proposition for our cities and our state." He called for cross-jurisdictional cooperation between law enforcement agencies to combat the flow of drugs to Arkansas. Drug treatment courts also need expanding and more education is needed, even with drug testing in the work place, he said.
Fourth, job growth is needed, he said. "City and state governments need revenue." Revenue will come with increased jobs, he said. Entrepreneurs in the state last year created 7,800 jobs, but many more are needed, he said, to keep up with the national average and thereby a need to increase by 21,000 jobs. Manufacturing must be attracted more to the state, and tourism and agriculture expanded, he said. Emerging technology from computers, cell phones, home appliances and others need to be encouraged and attracted to state, Hutchinson said. He said a "high-tech" labor force needs expansion and its opportunities widened. High speed Internet access should be expanded throughout the state, he said. More research should be encouraged, he said. Public-private partnerships would help improve access to capital, he said.
Municipal League ends 71st convention; President Coberly calls for cities to have
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