Little Rock City Manager Bruce Moore has been asked to investigate staffing decisions at the Metropolitan Housing Alliance that resulted in reviving a nearly decade-old $92,000 executive job while several lower-level positions that deal directly with tenants weren't filled after layoffs.
Ward 3 City Director Stacy Hurst on Tuesday asked Moore to look into the matter. Hurst said she read about the new position in an Arkansas Democrat-Gazette article Monday.
"I wonder if you could investigate the staffing issues there and just give us a report or ask Mr. [Rodney] Forte to come give us a report of his work there," Hurst said to Moore, who agreed to look into it.
Forte has been the executive director of the housing alliance since December 2012. Earlier this year, he revived the deputy executive director position and hired another executive at a larger salary than his predecessor -- even as agency employees remain on furlough. Forte told housing alliance board members that the cutbacks, which also included layoffs of mechanics and assistant housing managers, were caused by a 2013 decrease in federal funding.
Forte, who has turned down numerous opportunities to comment on the hirings, didn't return phone calls or text messages made to his personal and work cellphones late Tuesday for comment on Hurst's request. Both mailboxes were full and didn't allow a voice message to be left.
The Metropolitan Housing Alliance hasn't had a deputy executive director since 2005. In June of this year, Forte hired Dana Arnette for the job with a $91,998 salary -- which is a 30 percent, or $20,970, increase over the previous salary for that role. Arnette's current furloughed salary is $82,800.
Also this year, Director of Administrative Services Kim Travis, who resigned the position earning $62,296 per year, was replaced by Marshall Nash at a salary of $79,997. Nash's furloughed salary is $72,000.
Metro on 09/10/2014