Group to study LR's form of government

11 people selected to serve on panel

Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. has announced the members of a group that will study the city's form of government.

The team of 11 includes 7 ward representatives appointed by city directors from those districts and four at-large members appointed by the three at-large city directors and the mayor.

They are:

• Loretta Hendrix, Ward 1, education strategist.

• Donna Massey, Ward 2, Pulaski County Quorum Court member.

• Preston Eldridge, Ward 3, attorney.

• Rick Campbell, Ward 4 attorney.

• Daryl Coker, Ward 5, sales consultant.

• Ann Marshall Grigsby, Ward 6, a former federal court desegregation monitor.

• Don Shellabarger, Ward 7, retiree.

• Karen Buchanan, at-large, educator.

• Robert Coon, at-large managing partner of the Impact Management Group.

• Ronnie Jackson, at-large East Little Rock Neighborhood Association president.

• Gary Smith, at-large businessman.

The city Board of Directors approved a resolution to create the study group in December. The mayor has said the targeted timeline for the study is between 120 and 180 days.

In addition to that group, one of eight transition subcommittees Scott has convened is studying "transformation and government reform" with the goal of providing recommendations to the mayor before his State of the City speech in mid-March.

Little Rock has studied its form of government twice before, in 1993 and 2000. Before taking office, Scott said he wanted to strengthen the mayor's role and look at repurposing the three at-large seats on the city board.

Last month, he realigned City Hall so that six departments -- finance; fire; human resources; planning and development; police; and public works -- would report directly to him rather than to the city manager.

Metro on 02/22/2019

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