8 aldermen, mayor get Surface tablets
City Council members received new Microsoft Surface tablets at a special meeting Tuesday.
The tablets cost $1,400 each. The city purchased nine, one for each of the eight aldermen and Mayor Joe Smith, costing $12,600, city spokesman Nathan Hamilton said.
The new computers replace ones that are 6 years old, he said.
The tablets were purchased with city Electric Department funds, Finance Director Karen Scott said. The city has a state contract for buying computer equipment at competitive prices, she said.
Raise set for chief of visitors bureau
The North Little Rock Advertising and Promotion Commission unanimously approved a 4 percent pay increase to $78,000 annually for Bob Major, its executive director, at its meeting last week.
The commission oversees the operations and finances of the city's Convention and Visitors Bureau, which Major heads.
Commissioners gave their approval for the pay increase after a short executive session to evaluate Major's performance during their quarterly meeting Tuesday.
Major also will receive the IRS-based 54-cent rate for business mileage. Commissioners last year changed from having a $250 monthly automobile allowance to paying Major a rate per mile.
City employees and all elected officials received 3 percent raises across the board in this year's general fund budget, approved by the City Council in December.
Major became executive director in 2012. The commission is mainly funded by a portion of taxes collected on hotel rooms and prepared food. The bulk of that tax money is transferred to the city's Parks and Recreation Department.
Cowboys executive to speak at banquet
Charlotte Jones Anderson, executive vice president of the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys, will be the featured speaker at the Chamber of Commerce's annual banquet March 10 at Verizon Arena.
Anderson is the daughter of team owner and North Little Rock native Jerry Jones.
Activities will begin with a cocktail reception at 5:15 p.m. The banquet, the chamber's 31st annual, is to start at 6:45 p.m.
Tickets are $75 each, or $750 for a table of 10. Tickets and more information are available by calling the chamber at (501) 372-5959 or by visiting the chamber's website at nlrchamber.org.
Metro on 01/24/2016