Public can review 2015 budget plan
The city will host two community sessions to present its proposed 2015 budget to the public before taking the proposal back to the Little Rock Board of Directors.
The first public presentation is planned for 5:30 p.m. Monday at the Centre at University Park, 6401 W. 12th St.
A second presentation will be at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 15 at the Southwest Community Center, 6401 Baseline Road.
The budget will then go back to the Board of Directors for discussion and a vote Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. at City Hall.
The board also is expected to discuss the budget Tuesday because several board members requested that City Manager Bruce Moore find room for 1 percent to 2 percent raises for employees. Moore first gave an overview of his staff's proposed budget to the city directors last week. Many complained that Dec. 2 was too far along in the year to just now be hearing about next year's budget.
Moore said last week that he couldn't find room for raises, the first time since 2010. Board members told him to bring back options for 1 percent, 1.5 percent and 2 percent raises. Moore said an across-the-board 1 percent raise would cost the city $1,250,000 and a 1.5 percent raise would cost $1,875,000.
Dollar store fails to get beer permit
The Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control board denied a beer-sales permit application from the Dollar General store on South Broadway after objections from police and neighbors, but the store plans to appeal.
The ABC board will hear the appeal case Dec. 17. A time hasn't been announced.
The Capitol Zoning District Commission sent a letter to the ABC board after learning of Dollar General's request for a beer-sales permit because the store falls under the commission's jurisdiction. The store had to get a conditional-use permit from the zoning district last year and agreed that alcohol would not be sold.
"So, we were surprised to learn a little more than a year later that the tenant is now seeking a permit for retail beer sales," the district's director, Boyd Maher, wrote in a letter to the ABC board.
The Coalition of Greater Little Rock Neighborhoods and the Downtown Neighborhood Association both oppose the beer sales. Both groups said there are already an adequate number of alcohol outlets nearby and that the additional store would add to the temptation for recovering alcoholics in the area.
The owners of the property, Damon and Lauren Whitmore of DeWitt, declined to comment on the Dollar General store's application. They rent the property to Piggly Wiggly, which in turn subleases it to Dollar General. The applicant listed on the beer-sales request is Justin Pelletier, who has a Conway address. He hasn't returned several phone messages seeking comment.
Arkansas Sounds at Second Friday
Second Friday Art Night will take place Friday at the Ron Robinson Theater downtown.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the Arkansas Sounds holiday concert will begin at 7:30 p.m.
The Butler Center Galleries will sell handcrafted art from numerous Arkansas artists. One-man-band Paul Morphis will play music in the galleries.
The concert will feature the Meshugga Klezmer Band and the Dave Rosen Big Band.
Second Friday Art Night, a monthly event, is hosted by the Butler Center of the Central Arkansas Library System.
Metro on 12/07/2014