Aldermen withhold $150,000 for group
North Little Rock aldermen are withholding a $150,000 annual appropriation to the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub Inc. until the City Council obtains more information on how many North Little Rock students are served by the nonprofit.
Legislation before the North Little Rock City Council last week to continue the city's contribution to the Innovation Hub, 201 E. Broadway, was among several pieces of legislation involving nonprofits.
Two years ago, the Innovation Hub combined with the Art Connection and requested $150,000 for the 2015 and 2016 city budget years, which was granted each time. The Innovation Hub had been receiving $45,000 and the Art Connection $85,000. But the council asked each year to receive reports on the Art Connection's work directly with North Little Rock students.
Joel Gordon, director for the Innovation Hub's Makerspace, said Art Connection had been "absorbed" by the Innovation Hub, which "absolutely serves North Little Rock and students from as far away as Louisiana." He couldn't give a specific number of North Little Rock students in the programs.
"I want to be sure our tax dollars that our taxpayers pay go to our students," Alderman Debi Ross said in requesting that the Innovation Hub's allocation be held until the Feb. 27 council meeting.
City Council OKs funding restoration
A proposed $20,000 cutback in the Thea Foundation's annual allocation was negated by the North Little Rock City Council last week and the money restored to the nonprofit.
The initial $28,000 allocation to the Thea Foundation, 401 Main St., had been the only recommended reduction from the 2016 amount from among six nonprofits in the city's 2017 budget. The Thea Foundation had received $48,000 in 2016, after being the only nonprofit to voluntarily reduce its request for 2015 after Mayor Joe Smith had asked all groups to do so. All others received their previous usual amount.
Contributions to the nonprofits come out of the city's $6.6 million special appropriations portion of its general fund.
A seventh nonprofit, the Argenta Arts Foundation, was added this year with a $20,000 contribution budgeted. The foundation requested $50,000. The Arts Foundation's four-member board of directors/officers are also the board officers for the 23-member Argenta Downtown Council, which receives a $95,000 allocation.
Except for the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub's request that was postponed, the council approved all allocations, 8-0.
Professor named to library's board
Sonny Rhodes, a journalist and professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, is joining the Laman Public Library System board of trustees, in the North Little Rock City Council's latest move to replace city staff members on the board.
Rhodes will replace city Fit 2 Live coordinator Bernadette Rhodes, his daughter-in-law. The council approved Mayor Joe Smith's recommendation last week.
Valerie McLean and Kimberly Danielle Drake were approved in December to replace Aldermen Murry Witcher and Steve Baxter as trustees. Charley Baxter, director of the Patrick Hays Senior Citizens Center, is the only city staff member remaining on the panel.
Smith appointed two of the city staff members temporarily in 2015 to fill vacancies during a search for a new library executive director, then two more when new vacancies occurred. Charley Baxter also will move off the board soon, Smith has said.
Metro on 02/19/2017