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HOT SPRINGS-The 71st Arkansas Municipal League Convention-a shortened version that lopped off the usual closing night banquet-still squeezed in the usual array of 18 concurrent workshops, general sessions, featured speakers, awards and a revising of its annual policies and goals statement.
Among six new resolutions, the delegates amended one that supported the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) goal to provide four-lane highways to every Arkansas city with a population of 5,000 or more. The League resolution asked that the criteria used to decide placement of the four lane routes also consider traffic counts.
Northwest Arkansas Pea Ridge Mayor Jackie Crabtree said his town's population was only about 2,400, yet 600 to 800 cars a day came through town headed for Interstate 540. Berryville Mayor Tim McKinney concurred that counts, not simply populations, should be considered. Others spoke, too, for the amended resolution.
Other resolutions adopted. Another resolution encourages the AHTD to restore streets, roads and highways to "the best of condition" before tendering them to the cities and towns. Ben Lomond Mayor George Hallman said small towns don't have the money to fix up those state routes that are given to municipalities. His Sevier County town has a population of 126.
Other new resolutions: · Endeavor that the League work with the Arkansas Finance and Administration Department to ensure that cities and towns obtain detailed, timely local sales tax information. · Empower the League president to appoint a task force to study the local court system in the state; · Authorize the League to study the creation of private entities that offer to residents and businesses in League-member cities similar League risk management programs in which municipalities participate; · Support legislation allowing mayors to designate a voting representative at the meeting in which municipalities select representatives to the county equalization board.
'Defining moment' during legislative session. Among speakers during the three-day convention were state Rep. Bill Stovall of Quitman, speaker of the House, and state Sen. Jack Critcher of Batesville. Stovall appreciated the League's help to defeat SB 230, "one of the defining moments of the General Assembly." He added, "We could not have done it without you." The bill would have switched Central Arkansas Water's authority of eminent domain to the state, opening the possibility of development of the Maumelle watershed and threatening drinking water quality for all of central Arkansas, and eventually, the bill, Stovall emphasized, "would have taken away eminent domain for all cities." He encouraged cities to continue their "courage and critical thinking" about such issues.
Critcher, a former mayor of Grubbs, commended the League participation in the legislative process, saying the League was "the best" lobbyist. Its officials "focus like a laser beam on issues affecting cities and towns in Arkansas."
TIF defended. The revisions in the tax increment financing (TIF) law also would not have been possible without the Municipal League, state Rep. Dustin McDaniel of Jonesboro, said at a workshop, Improving Your Local Economy. McDaniel sought to dispel myths about TIF.
Citing the planned use of TIF in North Little Rock, he said the city "stands to gain jobs and growth and prosperity where now is a great big swamp." Taxes on that property, located in the flood-prone Dark Hollow area at the interchange of Interstates 40 and 30, are $7,500 a year, he said. Sales taxes alone on an $80 million retail project, called The Shoppes at North Hills, are anticipated to general $16 million a year, he said.
The project would not happen without the TIF tool, he said. TIF allows development of a site by the sale of bonds, which are paid off by the site's increased tax revenues, less those for schools. When the bonds are retired, the property is returned to the tax rolls. Is this taking away money from the schools? "That simply is not true," McDaniel said. He said that if the school district gets $100 a year from taxes on a piece of undeveloped property before the TIF on the site, the district will continue to receive the $100. If the taxes on the property are estimated to rise to $1,000 on the developed property, the $900 increment then will finance the TIF, he said. The TIF lasts no longer than 25 years and the bonds themselves are tax exempt, McDaniel noted. The new TIF law should help put Arkansas on par with surrounding states, which already benefit from TIF legislation, he said.
Varied city issues covered in workshops. Other workshops touched on issues of public safety, drug testing, embracing the Hispanics, land issues, solid waste, negative news media, pensions and, among others, avoiding lawsuits. Lots of legal expertise can keep a city out of the courts, but so can your knowing details, such as: · Personnel records often contain information that they should not, such as medical records and psychological exams. Those go in a separate, "medical records" file, Mike Mosely, staff attorney of the Municipal League cautioned. · Personnel policies and practices should be in writing and placed in a handbook for city employees, Nga Starzewski, League staff attorney said. · In speaking of the Family Medical Leave Act, Cliff Sward, League staff attorney, urged city officials, "be consistent on how you grant leave." · About the First Amendment freedoms, there are limits, Jeannette Denham, League staff attorney, noted. "Do people have a First Amendment right to speak at a meeting?" Denham asked. "No," she said. City councils can set the times on how long people can speak and can require that they sign up ahead of the meeting and list the topic they will discuss, she said.
In a workshop, New Arkansans: Embracing the Hispanic Population, Robert Trevino, policy advisor for economic development in the Governor's Office, spoke of the increasingly "progressive impact" of Hispanics on the workforce in Arkansas. Trevino noted that cities in northwest Arkansas were helping bring Hispanics into the leadership roles of the cities and into city halls-as volunteers, in planning, into the police departments and on boards and commissions.
Ida Fineburg, the Rogers Community Support Board chair, told of her city's police helping with Hispanic soccer activities and the city's support of multicultural events and festivals and an information booklet in English and Spanish with helpful telephone numbers and city government information.
Hope City Manager Catherine Cook told of the importance of obtaining an accurate census count of residents, including Hispanics, because of tax revenue turnback to the city is based on population. City information, reprinted in Spanish is circulated among Hispanic businesses, churches and meeting places. It answers simple questions as how to insure a car, Cook said.
Cook said that cities need to learn how to assist Hispanics moving into their communities and also help the growing Hispanic population already there. She said 20 percent of the primary school age children in Hope are Hispanic. "Our experience is that the Hispanic population is growing." It is important that city officials continue to learn the culture and language, she said.
At a workshop in dealing with negative news media, speakers encouraged city officials to prepare for interviews by knowing the issues and the facts and, it helps, noted Tracy Winchell, the Fort Smith economic development coordinator, to know individual reporters and what motivates them. "Most reporters just want a good story, factual and on time," she said. Among the "don'ts" are "don't say, 'no comment,'" and "don't say, 'don't print this,'" she said.
Municipal League ends 71st convention; President Coberly calls for cities to have
"a strong voice, one voice."
'Great' legislative session, Executive Director Zimmerman reports
'05 legislative session, lawsuits, Hispanics, negative media among hot topics at convention
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