Two forums are set for this week for the candidates seeking positions on the Little Rock Board of Directors.
The Downtown Neighborhood Association is hosting a forum at 7 p.m. Thursday at First Presbyterian Church, 800 Scott St.
There will be a spaghetti dinner beforehand at 6 p.m. Meal tickets are $9 for adults and $6 for children. There also will be a cash bar on site, with wine and beers for $3 each. Profits will benefit the association.
On Saturday, the Coalition of Greater Little Rock Neighborhoods is putting on a larger forum from 9 a.m. to noon at City Hall, 500 W. Markham St.
The forum will focus on the five points on which the coalition was founded: reducing neighborhood crime and increasing police on the streets; developing a growth-management plan for the city; establishing a rental-property inspection program; making changes in code-enforcement procedures that would encourage rehabilitation of abandoned buildings instead of demolition; and assuming responsibility for sidewalk maintenance.
City TV crews will record Saturday's forum and broadcast it on city cable Channel 11.
The city's three at-large board seats and the Ward 4 position are up for grabs in this year's general election on Nov. 8.
Running in Ward 4 are: Roy Brooks, president of education consulting firm Brooks and Associates Inc.; Capi Peck, owner of Trio's restaurant; and Jeff Yates, managing partner at ARK Commercial and Investment Real Estate. Incumbent Brad Cazort decided not to run after 20 years on the board.
At-large board member Dean Kumpuris is running for re-election and is not challenged.
Running against incumbent Gene Fortson for his at-large seat are Clayton Johnson, a teacher at Premier High School of Little Rock, a charter school, and Jason Ferguson, the senior pastor at First Christian Church of Sherwood.
Running against incumbent Joan Adcock for her at-large seat is Molly Miller, a cessation coordinator for the Arkansas Department of Health's Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Branch.
Metro on 10/02/2016