LITTLE ROCK — North Little Rock aldermen voted Monday night to condemn parking spaces in a downtown alley that belong to the Checkmate Club, but still agreed to consider an offer to buy the property and avoid a court appearance.
The council voted 8-0 to condemn a 3,000-square-foot strip of property in an alley off Fourth Street to convert nine parking spaces there for public use.
The condemnation proposal by Mayor Patrick Hays came in reaction to several vehicles being towed from the private parking spaces in recent weeks, including some that belongedto patrons of city-sponsored events or people visiting new businesses.
Hays has said he believes there aren't sufficient warnings posted notifying drivers that they risk being towed if they park in any of the nine spaces.
"It is my intent to make that [space] available for public parking," Hays said.
After many discussions with Bob J. McAdams, the club's managing partner, city Planning Director Robert Voyles told the council that McAdams made an offer earlier Monday for the city to buy the property.
McAdams asked for $43,340 and for the city to drop a $2,300unpaid charge on a Checkmate Club electric bill from the cityowned electric utility.
McAdams has disputed the unpaid charge in a lawsuit.
In its condemnation of the property, the city is offering $40,000 in damages, an amount determined in a recent appraisal of the property.
Unaware of the details of the disputed electric bill, Hays said he wanted to go ahead with the condemnation vote "so it's on record that this council is willing to go forward with this if we need to."
"Is this bullying him into something?" Alderman Charlie Hight asked Hays.
"I think this is telling him what we want to do," Hays replied.
Because the electric bill is being disputed in court and the appraised value for financial compensation to McAdams would also have to be justified in court, it might be in the city's interest to accept McAdams' offer, Voyles said.
"It might fall against the city," Voyles said outside the meeting about a court ruling.
"He signed an offer of acceptance. We talked today, and he came up with that price."
McAdams was not at the council meeting and did not return a telephone call Monday night requesting comment.
Some business owners attended the City Council meeting two weeks ago to complain thatMcAdams was having a towing company employee watch for vehicles parking in the alley spaces, which are separated from a larger parking lot next to the Checkmate.
Several downtown visitors e-mailed Hays, complaining about being towed and the cost of recovering their vehicles.
The Checkmate Club hasn't kept regular hours for several years, but is open for a short time once a month to keep the club's liquor license active, McAdams said in an interview last week.
He earlier said he would take the city to court to fight the condemnation of the parking spaces.
Arkansas, Pages 9, 16 on 10/23/2007