LITTLE ROCK — North Little Rock’s first new mayor in 24 years will take office today, a highlight of the swearing-ins of municipal and county officials within Pulaski County who begin their terms with the new year.
Little Rock, Sherwood and Wrightsville will also hold swearing-in ceremonies today for their elected officials. Elected officials in Pulaski County, Jacksonville, Maumelle and Cammack Village will take their oaths of office at later dates.
All events are open to the public.
Joe Smith, mayor-elect in North Little Rock, and seven other elected officials from that city will take their oaths of office in a ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. at North Little Rock City Hall, 300 Main St.
Sherwood elected officials will take office beginning at 9 a.m. at Sherwood City Hall, 2199 E. Kiehl Ave. Little Rock will hold its ceremony at 11 a.m. at Little Rock City Hall, 500 W. Markham St.
Wrightsville’s ceremony will begin at noon at its City Hall, 13024 Arkansas 365.
Smith, elected in a runoff Nov. 27 over state Rep. Tracy Steele, will replace Patrick Hays, who has been North Little Rock’s mayor for the past 24 years, the longest stint in city history. Hays didn’t seek a seventh term.
Today’s public ceremony in North Little Rock will be the first of three such events in the next few days. A City Hall open house, also open to the public, will be 2-4 p.m. Sunday at City Hall with light refreshments served.
An invitation-only fundraiser to help pay Smith’s leftover campaign expenses will be Saturday at the Argenta Community Theater in downtown North Little Rock. Contributions are $500 per couple for a VIP reception and $100 per couple for the closed event.
“The fundraiser is to retire the campaign debt,” Smith said. “The open house is a meet and greet at City Hall that is open to the public and free. It’s just to give everybody a chance to meet [his wife] Missie and me.”
Also taking the oath of office in North Little Rock today will be: City Clerk and Collector Diane Whitbey; Aldermen Beth White of Ward 1, Maurice Taylor of Ward 2, Bruce Foutch of Ward 3 and Charlie Hight of Ward 4; and District Court Judges Jim Hamilton and Randy Morley.
Members of the Little Rock Board of Directors to take their oaths of office include at-large City Director Joan Adcock, who is the longest-serving city director in Little Rock’s history after her re-election Nov. 6.
Adcock has been a city director since 1993. Also to be sworn in are at-large Ward 4 City Director Brad Cazort and at-large City Directors Dean Kumpuris and Gene Fortson.
Sherwood council members to be sworn in today are Aldermen Charles Harmon of Ward 1, Kevin Lilly of Ward 2, Marina Brooks of Ward 3 and newly elected Alderman Mike Sanders of Ward 4.
All Wrightsville elected officials will be sworn in today, including newly elected Alderman Tena Brooks of Ward 2.
Pulaski County officials will be sworn in at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Quorum Court Room in the Pulaski County Administration Building, 201 S. Broadway, in Little Rock.
Jacksonville will have its ceremony at 7 p.m. Thursday before its City Council meeting at Jacksonville City Hall, 1 Municipal Dr.
Maumelle will swear in its new officials before its first City Council meeting of the year at 6 p.m. Thursday at Maumelle City Hall, 550 Edgewood Drive.
Cammack Village will have its swearing-ins at the start of its next City Council meeting at 6 p.m. Jan. 8.
Arkansas, Pages 7 on 01/01/2013