A substantial increase in funding for the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas was moved to consideration of the full Pine Bluff City Council during the fourth day of the city’s budget meetings Friday.
Rachel Miller, director of the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, requested $55,000 for The ARTSpace on Main and $25,863 for the ART WORKS on Main, in addition to $69,000 for the center’s museum. The center received funding for the museum only in the 2021 budget.
The ARTSpace and ART WORKS we re re n ovate d through an infrastructure investment grant from the Wind-gate Foundation.
“What the Arts & Science Center has done through this outside investment grant is that we’ve brought a lot of great attention to the city of Pine Bluff,” Miller said, mentioning an award the center received from the American Institute of Architects.
“Covid was hard for everybody and especially for museums and cultural organizations,” Miller said. “The Arts & Science Center was able not only to weather covid but progress through it. And one of the big reasons we were able to do that is, we’ve been very frugal stewards of our resources. One of those resources is the funding we receive from the city of Pine Bluff.”
Mayor Shirley Washington cautioned Miller that her request was more than double what was budgeted in 2021, to which Miller responded, “I understand.” Washington continued: “The committee has the right to move on that, but I can’t see us committing to that level of increase at this time. We might consider some of that.” Miller assured Washington the center’s staff would appreciate any level of additional funding.
Lloyd Holcomb Jr., chair of Pine Bluff’s Administration Committee, supported the request and eventually made the motion to move it to the full council.
“I think we have to look at the overall picture of the benefit the Arts & Science Center brings to this entire region and that is going to draw,” Holcomb said.
The center’s presentation marked the start of the fourth day of city budget hearings, which are tentatively scheduled to run through next Friday. Nine of the 11 departments were heard in less than two hours before committee members broke for lunch.
During the Executive Department hearing, Washington said the city is seeking to add a procurement position that would operate out of the Finance Department.
“We have so many new department heads, some of them don’t know the procedures and we’re having to struggle to work with them, so we see a need for that person at that time,” Washington said. City officials say a similar position was last budgeted about four years ago.
Holcomb suggested, however, prioritizing raises for all city employees if positions are to be added.
“What we were doing was going through the operating expense, and after that we’ve had a conversation with our advisers here that would look within where we are, and we would apply raises as we can,” Washington said. “The raises will be considered for everyone across the board when that consideration is made.” Said Holcomb: “I don’t want to add any positions, which is more money added to our budget, but not give our employees a raise. If we don’t have money to give our employees a raise, how can we have money to add more money to our critical fund?
“If these positions are needed, I will support them, but I will fight tooth-and-nail to get our employees a raise.” The Administration Committee also moved the Information Technology Department’s request to decrease the information technology director salary from $55,000 to $54,000, change the network technician position to network/ PC technician and increase that salary from $48,736 to $51,736; and decrease the PC technician salary from $35,208 to $32,000.
Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Historical Museum Director Elizabeth Gaines requested $12,000, but Holcomb amended his motion to $13,500, given the amount budgeted for 2021.
The Administration Committee also heard from the Building Maintenance, Human Resources and Finance departments, as well as City Collector Sharon Johnson and City Treasurer Greg Gustek. All budget requests from those offices were approved.
Pine Bluff City Council Administration Committee chairman Lloyd Holcomb Jr. advocates Friday for raises for city employees during budget hearings. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)I.C. Murrell