LITTLE ROCK — Opinion released on tech park
The Arkansas attorney general’s office has released a nonbinding opinion saying that the Little Rock Technology Park does not fall under Arkansas procurement laws.
The opinion, released Wednesday, was requested by state Sen. Joyce Elliott and written by Deputy Attorney General Elisabeth A. Walker. Elliott asked whether the park authority board should be obeying the procurement policies other state agencies must follow because they receive state funding.
The summary opinion states that a procurement law applies to “the purchase of commodities and services by the state, acting through a state agency.” Walker wrote that a research park authority does not fall within the definition of a state agency because it does not receive state funding directly.
She also cites the Arkansas law forming research park authorities, which states that they must “be liberally construed to accomplish its intent and purposes,” and that “it shall not be necessary to comply with the general provisions of other laws dealing with public facilities and their acquisition.” Attendance up at Discovery museum
The Museum of Discovery in Little Rock has had record attendance over the past six months since reopening its Donald W. Reynolds Science Center in January, museum officials said last week.
The museum had more than 100,000 visitors from 49 states and several foreign countries over the past six months. Also, more than 1,600 membership packets have been purchased since January, staff said.
The museum was closedin April 2011 for renovations and reopened on Jan. 14. At the six-month mark in the 2010 open season, attendance was about 60,000, the staff said. The attendance numbers have close to doubled, and the memberships more than tripled, from 500 to 1,600.
The Donald W. Reynolds Science Center’s mission is to spark interest in science, technology and math in a dynamic, interactive environment.
The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation awarded the museum $9.2 million in grants dedicated to the renovation, which included updates to 44,000 square feet of space, adding 6,000 square feet of new exhibits, and installing 90 new exhibits throughout the museum.
Panel aim: Paving
path to service
Making it easier to apply to serve on Little Rock boards and commissions is the aim of some changes favored by the Little Rock Racial and Cultural Diversity Commission.
The Little Rock Board of Directors in 2009 asked the Racial and Cultural Diversity Commission to find ways to increase the racial diversity and the number of women applying for open spots on city boards and commissions.
The plans include allowing applications to be completed and submitted online, allowing applications to be accepted anytime, keeping resumes active for two years, and allowing applicants to apply for three board or commissions on a single application.
The diversity commission gathered suggestions from residents and researched the process other cities use.
Paper applications will still be available at City Hall. People interested in applying for a board and commission seat may visit: www.littlerock.org/CityCommissions/.
Arkansas, Pages 16 on 07/29/2012