LITTLE ROCK — The board of apportionment on Wednesday formally hired a director, cleared up some budget issues and attended to other items to allow the state redistricting process to continue.
The panel also set July as a target timeframe for finishing the process.
The board, comprised of Gov. Mike Beebe, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel and Secretary of State Mark Martin, convened for the second time weeks after an inaugural meeting in which Democrats Beebe and McDaniel questioned board of apportionment expenditures already made by Martin, a Republican.
On Wednesday, Martin told the board the money had been reclassified to come from his office and that he would "make all necessary accounting adjustments." Beebe at the last meeting questioned about $70,000 in board money used to pay for a consulting vehicle and to hire a redistricting director before the board met for the first time.
The panel later voted to reimburse Martin's office for about $60,000 worth of redistricting purchases made by his predecessor, Democrat Charlie Daniels. The money will be paid in the new fiscal year.
The panel also voted 2-1 to name Joe Woodson the redistricting director. Woodson, a former employee in the Secretary of State's office, was recommended for the position at the first meeting. Martin, who had already hired former Republican state Rep. Timothy Hutchinson as a redistricting director, voted against Woodson's hiring.
Hutchison's salary was among the items Martin told the board would be paid from his office and not board of apportionment money.