FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES ONLY

INITIAL DRAFT OF ORDINANCE

March 7, 2018: 7:56 p.m.

1 ORDINANCE
2
3 AN ORDINANCE TO REFER TO THE VOTERS AN OP-
4 TION TO REORGANIZE THE CITY MANAGER FORM
5 GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE THAT THE MAYOR SHALL
6 BE DIRECTLY ELECTED; TO PROVIDE THAT ALL
7 OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
8 SHALL BE ELECTED FROM WARDS; TO DIRECT THE
9 MAYOR TO ISSUE AN ELECTION PROCLAMATION; TO
10 DECLARE AN EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PUR-
11 POSES.
12
13 WHEREAS, pursuant to authority granted in the City Manager Enabling Act of 1989, codified
14 as Ark. Code Ann. § 14-61-101 to -120 (West & West Supp. 2018), the Board of Directors of the
15 City of Little Rock, Arkansas, called for an election in Little Rock, Ark., Ordinance No. 16,435
16 (June 1, 1993) which would have a directly elected Mayor who, if elected with at least 40% of the
17 votes for Mayor, would not face a run-off election, seven members elected from wards by plurality
18 vote, and three members elected at-large by plurality vote; and,
19 WHEREAS, at an election held on November 16, 1993) and Erma Hendrix was elected as the
20 Director from Ward 1, Carl Scheibner was elected as the Director from Ward 2, Michael Keck was
21 elected as the Director from Ward 5, and Linda Joyce was elected as the Director from Ward 6,
22 and on November 18, 1993, these individuals filed their oaths of office with the City Clerk and
23 became members of the Board of Directors; and,
24 WHEREAS, it has been determined that for the Board of Directors to more closely represent
25 the racial make-up of the population of the City of Little Rock it would be appropriate that all
26 positions, except the position of Mayor, be elected from 10 wards that are geographically in tact,
27 and of essentially the same population as all other wards; and,
28 WHEREAS, to achieve this change in the membership of the Board of Directors an election
29 must be held to approve such a change;
30 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE
31 CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS:

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 FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES ONLY
INITIAL DRAFT OF ORDINANCE
March 7, 2018: 7:56 p.m.

1 Section 1. The following question shall be referred to the electors of the City of Little Rock, Arkansas,
2 at a special election to be held on Tuesday, _______________________:
3
4 FOR adoption of the management form of government as set forth be-

5 low…………………………………………………………………...… □
6 AGAINST adoption of the management form of government as set forth

7 below……………………………………………………………...…… □
8 Description
9
10 A city manager government with ten (10) members of the Board
11 of Directors elected by plurality from wards, and the Mayor to be di-
12 rectly elected at-large by a plurality.
13 Section 2. As set forth more fully in the ballot title and government description contained in Section
14 1 of this ordinance, the Board of Directors refers to the electorate the question of the direct election of the
15 Mayor at-large, and of ten (10) members of the Board of Directors to be elected from 10 different wards or
16 districts with the geographic boundaries determined by the dividing of the territory of the City of Little
17 Rock, Arkansas, into ten (10) wards having substantially equal population, according to the most recently
18 published federal census of population in the city.
19 Section 3. The Mayor and City Clerk are directed to complete any and all proclamations required by
20 law to be filed for an election on ______________________, and to prepare and publish any notices or
21 advertisements required, and further to perform all necessary acts to have the Pulaski County Election
22 Commission and other officers assure that this matter is placed upon a ballot for a special election to be
23 held on ___________________________.
24 Section 4. Severability. In the event any title, section, paragraph, item, sentence, clause, phrase, or
25 word of this ordinance is declared or adjudged to be invalid or unconstitutional, such declaration or adju-
26 dication shall not affect the remaining portions of the ordinance which shall remain in full force and effect
27 as if the portion so declared or adjudged invalid or unconstitutional was not originally a part of the ordi-
28 nance.
29 Section 5. Repealer. All laws, ordinances, resolutions, or parts of the same, that are inconsistent with
30 the provisions of this resolution, are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency.
31 Section 5. Emergency Clause. The ability to elect ten members of the Board of Directors from individ-
32 ual wards is necessary to provide representation which more accurately reflects the diversity and make-up

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INITIAL DRAFT OF ORDINANCE
March 7, 2018: 7:56 p.m.

1 of the voting population of the City of Little Rock, Arkansas, which is essential to the public health, safety,
2 and welfare; an emergency is, therefore, declared to exist and this ordinance shall be in full force and effect
3 from and after the date of its passage.
4 PASSED.
5 ATTEST: APPROVED:
6
7 ________________________________ ________________________________
8 Susan Langley, City Clerk Mark Stodola, Mayor
9 APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM:
10
11 _________________________________
12 Thomas M. Carpenter, City Attorney
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