Arkansas Blog: LR city board appoints

The Little Rock Board of Directors' new membership selected which of its members would serve in director seats on the various city commissions last night. A full list is on the jump.

The lead news is that Mayor Mark Stodola designated appointed Director Gene Fortson as his representative on the beleaguered Advertising and Promotion Commission and that Director Dean Kumpuris will no longer hold the director's seat on the commission. In his place will be new member Ken Richardson. This is not exactly sweeping change. Fortson is a long and respected member of the club of important business leaders who've always had huge influence on city politics. He was elected by board members, after all, to complete the term of Barbara Graves, who ran for mayor. \Richardson will add a needed black voice to A&P, an important factor on a board that oversees an agency that has been accused in years past of racially discriminatory employment practices. But Richardson starts his service in a generally ticklish position. His livelihood stems from employment by a service agency, New Futures, that receives significant funding from the Little Rock Board of Directors.

Six degrees of separation? Forget it. In LR, it's rarely more than one.

Also last night, Stacy Hurst was elected vice mayor.

CITY NEWS RELEASE

Little Rock, AR – January 16, 2007) The Little Rock City Board selected Stacy Hurst to serve as the City’s Vice Mayor for the next two years. The selection was made at the body’s biennial organizational meeting.

Hurst joined the Board in 2003 and recently started her second term representing Ward 3. The Vice Mayor presides at City Board meetings when the Mayor is not present and otherwise acts as Mayor during the absence or disability of the Mayor.

Also at the organizational meeting, the appointments of the Mayor and City Directors to various Boards and Commissions were made. These appointments will expire on December 31, 2008.

Advertising and Promotions Commission – Director Gene Fortson (Mayor’s designee), Director Ken Richardson

Airport Commission – Director Fortson, Director Erma Hendrix

Ambulance Authority – Director Michael Keck

Animal Services Advisory Board -- Director Joan Adcock

Arkansas Arts
Center Board – Mayor Mark Stodola

Arts and Culture Commission – Vice Mayor Stacy Hurst, Director Brad Cazort

Central Arkansas Library System Board – Director Cazort, Director Doris Wright

Central Arkansas Transit Authority Board – Director Wright

Central Arkansas Water Commission – Vice Mayor Hurst

Children, Youth and Families Commission – Director Adcock

City Beautiful Commission – Director B. J. Wyrick

Comments

Why is it that any news from this group makes me queasy?

Posted by: Hillcrustian | January 17, 2007 06:53 AM

As I recall, Fortson agreed not to run again when his term expires. And that was one of the reasons he was appointed to Graves' position. So at least he's term-limited.

Posted by: citizen | January 17, 2007 07:59 AM

Just read the full posting. Did Kumpuris not get appointed to anything? Are they keeping him on a short leash?

Posted by: citizen | January 17, 2007 08:00 AM

EGAD! What a poor decision on the VM choice

Posted by: ggoggle | January 17, 2007 08:36 AM

In my assessment of City Board doings, Stacy Hurst has done just fine. What's your problem? Vice does little but fill in at ribbon cuttings and run Board meetings in the Mayor's absence.

Posted by: Rackensacker | January 17, 2007 11:57 AM

rackensacker--no problem but you obviously have no idea

Posted by: ggoggle | January 17, 2007 12:07 PM

ggoggle - please enlighten us, since we have no idea.

Posted by: MSoul | January 17, 2007 12:15 PM

It would not be polite to do so in this venue

Posted by: ggoggle | January 17, 2007 12:32 PM

Hurst has done fine and is a solid choice. It's a do nothing job though with no added authority, so it doesn't matter one way or the other.

Posted by: Labradoodle | January 17, 2007 12:47 PM

This evidences a continued lack of clarity at City Hall. Most of the appointments listed in the original post by Max above are not actually appointments to the specific boards. Rather, they are the Board's unilateral "liaison members" to regional organizations. In most cases they are not even ex-officio members, if you can get them to understand what that means. City Hall is consistent in iits goal of confusing the lines of authority whenever possible.

Posted by: Sanford | January 17, 2007 02:18 PM

Arkansas Blog

LR city board appoints

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