Immigration-law resolution pulled
A resolution stating Little Rock's intent to comply with the requests of the federal government when enforcing immigration laws was withdrawn from the city board's agenda on Tuesday.
City directors were set to vote on the resolution put forth by Ward 5 City Director Lance Hines at their regular 6 p.m. meeting.
The resolution would not have changed existing immigration policy in the city but sparked concerns among the local Hispanic community over the past few weeks.
Hines said in an interview that he pulled the resolution because it wouldn't have gotten enough votes from other city directors to pass, and because of the introduction of Senate Bill 411 in the state Legislature. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Gary Stubblefield, R-Branch, would prohibit "sanctuary city" policies.
"There may not be a need for it," Hines said of the resolution.
Little Rock has not refused to cooperate with federal agencies, such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, that request the immigration status of people in custody, as some other municipalities dubbed "sanctuary cities" have.
A Facebook post from the immigrant advocacy group Arkansas United cheered the resolution's withdrawal. In an interview last week, the organization's founding director, Mireya Reith, said she was concerned the resolution would affect the city's ability to build bridges with the immigrant community.
12th Street's brand puts leaders at odds
Local leaders were at odds Tuesday night over whether a design firm should take over a rebranding of the 12th Street corridor.
Rohn Muse, community chairman of the corridor's branding subcommittee, spoke against the resolution. He said people in the neighborhoods had already responded to surveys and decided on six possible names.
Frederick Gentry, a member of the 12th Street Jump Start steering committee, said he believed the design firm Crafton Tull was qualified to lead the rebranding because of its past planning work in the area. Little Rock Planning Director Jamie Collins said the firm would work with neighborhood groups to lead the branding process, which would include developing a logo.
City directors ultimately authorized a $52,000 contract with Crafton Tull to develop a branding program for the area 7-2, with Joan Adcock and B.J. Wyrick voting against the ordinance and Gene Fortson absent.
The $52,000 is grant funding through Metroplan, the regional planning authority for central Arkansas.
Cammack Village 911 routing OK'd
Little Rock city directors on Tuesday approved an agreement to route all 911 calls from Cammack Village through Little Rock's dispatch center.
Cammack Village, a small municipality of just under 800 people located entirely within Little Rock's city limits, has been routing its 911 calls through the Maumelle Police Department's communications center for several years.
Capt. Ty Tyrell of the Little Rock Police Department said the additional call load will be about one call per day and not much of a burden on the Little Rock center.
The agreement is still subject to approval by the Cammack Village City Council. Tyrell said the change will likely take effect 30-90 days after the agreement is approved by both cities.
Metro on 03/06/2019