After he cast a no vote, a Pulaski County Quorum Court member left the Tuesday night meeting to protest spending $100,000 toward replacing Verizon Arena's scoreboard.
When presented with the appropriation ordinance, Justice of the Peace Robert Green said spending the money that way upsets him. He mentioned people in his district who need help getting floodwater out of their yards.
Green headed toward the exit, then shouted his vote when his name was called. Barry Hyde, the county judge of Pulaski County, said Green must be seated to cast his vote, so Green walked back to his chair before delivering a forceful, "No."
Verizon Arena is overseen by the Multi-Purpose Civic Center Facilities Board, which was set up by Pulaski County, though the arena does not regularly take any county money.
Replacing the current scoreboard is needed, and the board is getting a good deal, Rett Tucker, the board's chairman, told the Quorum Court before Tuesday's vote.
In addition to asking Pulaski County to pitch in $100,000, the board also approached Little Rock and North Little Rock for assistance.
At a previous meeting, Quorum Court member Tyler Denton said the appropriation is a "great economic development opportunity."
Currently, certain sporting events that would boost the local economy won't even consider Verizon Arena because of the scoreboard, he said.
The appropriation ordinance passed 10-3, with one abstention and one person absent.
Ethelene Johnson, who lives in an unincorporated part of Pulaski County, addressed the Quorum Court after the vote was cast.
If there's money for Verizon Arena, Johnson said, "Why can't we have something in our community to keep us from having to move every time we have a flood?"
Metro on 04/25/2018