[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6076445,"mediaKeyId","2969604-5a2a92bf22dd2540d9b622d0b16a1ccf","parentId",2969604,"title","City staff detail plan to buy Florence Crittenton facility for shelter use","audioSeconds",84,"startMs",6046000,"endMs",6130000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2969604-5a2a92bf22dd2540d9b622d0b16a1ccf&start=6046&end=6130","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2969604-5a2a92bf22dd2540d9b622d0b16a1ccf/thumbnail_6046000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6076445/Little-Rock-City/Pulaski-County/Arkansas/City-staff-detail-plan-to-buy-Florence-Crittenton-facility-for-shelter-use","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6076445-be09e0953a4b4b30bff7ec2152d34751/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152571&Signature=UsGIds9bH0xStAZHBci45RTOfv9gCC3afO38u7YsMPlnhVAudJTSyc9kyl7lbXygKMofLvuBrkWpKVRueNJ10mlJRnIwE72QE8f3rh3p~1Inp~-i8AnNFumjxUSwkVPeBpuFc8N-2gmLkxX0uEQz6u6R4SAQSTMSIQRqtxFwUlfb4cfvP1VpoMS5vp-q95I11G4AlfT4Vw8rq5nX37x9fNHX7wvXbulbMh2-bvzM63FAc7yW6PRZ9k0gPEoKNB0mcdI5-OX1H5tNiAL73~hwhSJwNit4cxanE~hM~KxQw25y5o~DufZZSIrPmEklRfjZzmn64Cpr6AhSVBonkzSgOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Little Rock City C","date","2025-03-25T00:00:00Z","article","City staff briefed the board on a proposed purchase of the former Florence Crittenton facility as a city-run shelter. Staff said the building is roughly 13,000 square feet, includes a kitchen and laundry, can house up to 70 people and was offered at a purchase price of $300,000.

A staff presenter (Alicia) said the property \"appraised at $4.45\" and that the city would do some additional rehabs after purchase; the transcript did not specify units for the appraisal figure. Staff described the intended use as meeting HUD requirements for sheltering and assisting unsheltered and low- to moderate-income households. The presenter said HUD funding would be used and that shelter operations would be conducted by City of Little Rock housing staff rather than by the Metropolitan Housing Authority.

Directors asked about move-in readiness and future use. Staff said the building is largely equipped but will require some rehabilitation work; they called the purchase a favorable price compared with the appraisal. Director Miller asked whether the structure would require additional investment beyond the $300,000 purchase price; staff confirmed some rehabilitation will be required but did not provide a detailed cost estimate during the meeting.

The board did not take a final vote on this item during the discussion excerpt included in the meeting record; staff indicated procurement and rehabilitation planning would follow if the purchase is authorized.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Special Called/Agenda Board Meeting - 3.25.25 ","oneSentenceSummary","City staff said the city plans to buy the former Florence Crittenton facility (roughly 13,000 sq ft) for about $300,000 to support sheltering for unsheltered and low- to moderate-income residents; staff said the property appraised higher and will need modest rehab.","taxTitle","Little Rock City, Pulaski County, Arkansas","taxId",3741,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6076449,"Board hears debate on ShotSpotter contract, police drones and public-safety tech",100,5010000,5110000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2969604-5a2a92bf22dd2540d9b622d0b16a1ccf&start=5010&end=5110","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2969604-5a2a92bf22dd2540d9b622d0b16a1ccf/thumbnail_5010000.jpg","/articles/6076449/Little-Rock-City/Pulaski-County/Arkansas/Board-hears-debate-on-ShotSpotter-contract-police-drones-and-public-safety-tech","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6076449-6b9a7cb6ba36c896db24a3ace61e458e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152571&Signature=ONzsYGEJeEIVfK8gmFxi5SXL5idCXrdE6ee3WqenMhm863y6uH-IoAFbgXRTV7Woo74MZ3zO3TUwNS2m3jJ1m65YlreV9Amm~0xBCQ8Xs8h9dytQfsN5NCdKICaJkV6Hk53Nfc0eH0wFoWCKxYCBPJTqdpxS1pQnVQEHzNJuv8f9j757k~xFgsM2Wj-g7PnCDxRQ-OWtFyt0VKG-Lmfjumu63Opf7U0uE9PhKtTujoEMnBZxh7H8jt0hVEFSlh5pFpCXVWciEEEG2-feMr5YNki6iot4dVKWhp7GzCxMyZ2wmGJFRcxshbmVpZEcYmtCvC5I3GDI2jddxf8omPGHhQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The board held an extended discussion about public-safety technology, including possible expansion of the ShotSpotter gunshot-detection system, a police drone pilot program funded by a public-safety grant, and how dispatch prioritizes ShotSpotter alerts.

Lieutenant (name provided in record as the police presenter) told the board the vendor had proposed a multi-year arrangement that would expand coverage and that the company quoted a cost of about $200,000 per year if the city adds an additional service area around the John Barrow addition; the proposal would include four square miles with one square mile provided at no charge and the city paying for three square miles. The lieutenant said adding the additional area would require a separate ordinance and separate vote because the existing vote that had been expunged only permits the prior coverage.

Several directors questioned whether ShotSpotter materially improved response times. The lieutenant and other police staff said ShotSpotter incidents are reviewed by the vendor's center and the system sends confirmed gunfire alerts; the police dispatcher assigns priorities and the department currently treats ShotSpotter-confirmed events as higher priority than citizen-reported shots (the meeting record described citizen-called shots as a priority-4, while ShotSpotter alerts are triaged at a higher priority level). The lieutenant acknowledged that some false positives (nail guns, fireworks, can pops) are filtered at the vendor review stage and are not always dispatched as confirmed gunfire.

Separately, the Little Rock Police Department described a drone pilot program funded by a public-safety grant that would place six drones and six certified pilots in a single patrol division (the Twelfth Street Division) to test whether saturation deployment improves response, crime-scene management and situational awareness. The department currently operates two drones; the grant would buy six additional drones and related connectivity equipment (MiFi) so feeds could be streamed to the real-time crime center or emergency operations center. The department said the pilot will evaluate whether the program should expand to other divisions.

Directors asked operational and civil-liberties questions: whether drones and ShotSpotter would be used citywide, whether footage would stream to the crime center (staff said yes with appropriate tech), and how calls from ShotSpotter are prioritized and filtered. Vice Mayor Weyrich and Director Lewis raised concerns about response times for citizen-reported shots versus ShotSpotter alerts and urged clearer data on whether the technology improves police outcomes.

Police staff said ShotSpotter remained active while the board considered the item and that the vendor delayed deactivation pending the board's final decision; the department said ongoing dispatching to reported ShotSpotter locations continued.","Councilors discussed a pending ShotSpotter contract (possible expansion), police drone pilot funded by a public-safety grant, and dispatch prioritization for ShotSpotter alerts; a separate ordinance item to reauthorize ShotSpotter coverage was discussed for a future vote.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6076455,"Board reviews package of property-code updates on high grass, emergency abatement and parking",580,3620000,4200000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2969604-5a2a92bf22dd2540d9b622d0b16a1ccf&start=3620&end=4200","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2969604-5a2a92bf22dd2540d9b622d0b16a1ccf/thumbnail_3620000.jpg","/articles/6076455/Little-Rock-City/Pulaski-County/Arkansas/Board-reviews-package-of-property-code-updates-on-high-grass-emergency-abatement-and-parking","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6076455-84f192291b9b2964cf8c52dcb8dec619/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152571&Signature=NhJe33JFSQ5mwzBJgovASOCj7dX-Yk9UAYSoq864z21gc8SwBtQ7ihUq2IAR6~39SR6kTqO4ki1FQexxdWWvRcIsgvyR1u~dRA-VK33qGoM8TbE7MRt8JrPAFLaJTknAVPhqCBduihx71Yknv7moWe9QSHhAm-qAlXG0vYj1KoPlxvh9E~yQtn~H6G-pEx~BJFG046Rl7qezlFQx8cqWwNmMlYafykpCKUiEtbs90D-gti2wt0FS7pqxI20XCgn~lNpDeS1SMlTDUX09PxCzGz91~GhSFfw3v9jaiey2~FpsZkr0uEufXQe09si8QHiY4H~pSuZBjEaSf6RtyFwIiw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Little Rock Board of Directors heard staff presentations on a package of three related property-code ordinances intended to make neighborhood code enforcement more consistent and faster: updates to the high-grass (weed) ordinance, a new expedited emergency abatement hearing tied to structure closures, and revisions to the \"parking in the yard\" ordinance.

Cody Pritchard, senior deputy city attorney, summarized the package and the intended operational changes. On high grass, the proposed ordinance would allow immediate citations comparable to parking tickets, change the current notice window from a calendar-year rule to a 365-day period, and set scheduled fines ($50, $100, $200 tiers) for repeat violations within a calendar year. On emergency abatement and tenant vacatur, Pritchard said the ordinance creates an expedited process modeled on the city's dangerous-dog hearing: if an unsafe structure requires immediate vacancy, the city manager (or a designee) would hold an expedited hearing after the emergency closure to address due-process concerns, rather than waiting for a monthly board meeting. Pritchard stressed this is intended to balance urgent public-safety action with post-deprivation due process required by court rulings; he cited the Alexander Apartments case as the legal context.

On parking in the yard, staff said the revised ordinance will limit the area of a yard that can be used for parking and require clearly delineated parking areas. The draft borrows language from ordinances used in Tulsa and Des Moines and would shift appeals for variances to the Board of Adjustment instead of the planning director. Staff clarified that the proposal applies to front yards and corner-side yards (not backyards) and that the existing abandoned-vehicles ordinance addresses inoperable vehicles in backyards.

Directors asked for implementation details and outreach. Director Adcock and others requested copies of the ordinances in Spanish and asked that staff distribute printed Spanish-language materials (the board requested 100 copies each) before enforcement begins. Director Webb and others recommended neighborhood outreach by code and city attorney staff to explain enforcement and correct public misconceptions. Director Phillips suggested standardizing the emergency abatement hearing with a short checklist or prompts to ensure uniform decisions; staff agreed to draft procedures and forms for review.

Staff said the parking-in-yard provision will not affect backyards under the current draft and that the abandoned-vehicle ordinance will continue to address inoperable vehicles there. City staff said the high-grass and parking changes would take effect upon passage; the board asked staff to provide Spanish translations and neighborhood outreach before enforcement begins.","City staff described three coordinated ordinances to speed enforcement of high grass, create an expedited emergency abatement hearing and tighten parking-in-yard rules; the board asked for Spanish translations and consistent enforcement checklists.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6076460,"Board narrows virtual attendance policy, passes amendment 6-3",1399,1661000,3060000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2969604-5a2a92bf22dd2540d9b622d0b16a1ccf&start=1661&end=3060","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2969604-5a2a92bf22dd2540d9b622d0b16a1ccf/thumbnail_1661000.jpg","/articles/6076460/Little-Rock-City/Pulaski-County/Arkansas/Board-narrows-virtual-attendance-policy-passes-amendment-6-3","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6076460-9a373cc829ae300039bed5dab8b2a8b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152571&Signature=ATglNuZcV-JorYxWjb98Th4WkJwHSmbIO5hRwKWXdDQySizPIWWnNhHiz~AfZ0OXVk~p8LXAuk0Oe64WmXXM7UCyHwZqM5DrkvriUN6IUy1bb5AIgL48h-JRF0sSItrzMvtMoN1RAVWZautHtyRpTJcKIts5iJJcgYyHXHgPGR1yRwzIJS3O9SD4026qdSO9DPBZrTgoDEBuKtPGu-iFyyiOaBSpeDHDZ8ucujQRoWsUZh3T6-PEonXUjjcwYXR0qYcvKwpLPTqYYOEOnTjl-vbmcEPPBHlIiaq3fYQQfLS781aPOmB1dirAz8ouh1uDwbMTF3kwJZJ3pxH9bqUWcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Little Rock City Board of Directors voted to amend and adopt an ordinance that removes the city's previous permissive virtual-attendance code and returns the board to a pre-COVID model that generally requires in-person attendance, with one explicit exception for declared local emergencies.

Director Nan Peck moved to amend the ordinance with language provided by the city attorney; after debate the amendment passed on a roll-call vote of 6 ayes and 3 nays. Board members then voted on the ordinance as amended; a subsequent roll call again recorded a 6-3 outcome.

Debate centered on whether the city should retain flexibility for occasional virtual attendance and how the change would affect the ability to reach quorums. Director Phillips described the amended version as \"cleaner\" and said it \"adds clarity\" about which manual or code applies and about cases already in progress; he also said the rewrite is \"good news for our development community,\" noting that the ordinance clarifies which version of the manual applies when.

Other directors said the change removes an operational tool. Director Lewis said virtual attendance provides flexibility for working board members and noted that requiring in-person attendance \"will slow down government\" because the board frequently suspends rules and needs a supermajority. Director Hines and others emphasized that municipal boards had functioned historically in-person and that temporary virtual rules were tied to the pandemic.

City Attorney Tom Carpenter explained the parliamentary procedure: because the ordinance draft had been read three times in previous meetings, members needed to move to amend the ordinance to its present draft before voting on the amended text; Carpenter said the three-readings practice traces to historical legislative procedure and does not require re-reading where amendments are made prior to a vote. Carpenter also advised that, absent bylaw language, proxy voting or indirect attendance is not permissible under Arkansas Supreme Court precedent and that commissions must have bylaws to allow telephonic or virtual attendance in the future.

Carpenter and staff noted one retained clause: the amended ordinance does not alter authority in the event of a declared state of emergency, meaning an emergency declaration could temporarily permit virtual participation as during the COVID emergency period.

The amendment and subsequent ordinance vote were recorded by roll call: 6 ayes and 3 nays. Directors opposing the amendment cited loss of flexibility for board members and volunteers who serve on city commissions; supporters cited clearer rules and concerns about participation quality during extended virtual meetings.

The board did not adopt a blanket change for commissions; Carpenter said separate bylaws or commission-specific provisions would be required for commissions to permit virtual attendance.","The board voted to remove the city's permissive virtual-attendance code and replace it with language that returns the board to pre-COVID in-person rules except in declared emergencies; amendment passed 6-3 after debate over flexibility and governance.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6076465,"Little Rock board adopts updated stormwater and drainage manual",889,611000,1500000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2969604-5a2a92bf22dd2540d9b622d0b16a1ccf&start=611&end=1500","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2969604-5a2a92bf22dd2540d9b622d0b16a1ccf/thumbnail_611000.jpg","/articles/6076465/Little-Rock-City/Pulaski-County/Arkansas/Little-Rock-board-adopts-updated-stormwater-and-drainage-manual","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6076465-b826ebc68326dfaf7826f1149ed71c07/orig.mp4?Expires=1771152571&Signature=H8BsmQemQq7tviepwLzRv-QHXd9bUMlBMv6Bom9Scv7DBca0JKaYLL6ePprNhwdvSRT~C~PxKhpbI1yRS9N7pHehm6V-UVB7uUD65iQgGdZd6-R4WhNWIweeG4MjKpTz~WNc~m6bGYnkion74Ui4vlH7TXzlDh3vWrhfFqExfvtRl6AxYCxS92F8Gefeje1PghzUcyoqCGFxG-ertSTP3ymTrxZ2uI~7c7yawWDdDsItxc4MynRnRiTrrC4fjlO8bJqDvDL1lxiq-YlSFxO6eWrDnJJcMSacA7FE1ygBUlYb1eRJSJgXEjlGAarCVRWHbZR0w8pzBJfj03xeQX35Wg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Little Rock City Board of Directors on a special called meeting voted unanimously to adopt a revised city stormwater and drainage manual intended to comply with the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit requirements.

The manual update affects how the city manages stormwater discharge and drainage practices; the board and staff said the manual will be submitted to the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) for review and that further refinements will require additional work and board oversight.

Director Mark Hines asked whether staff could later change the manual at an administrative level, citing past administrative changes made without broad notice. City Attorney Tom Carpenter said the manual must be submitted to ADEQ and that the board \"would want to be able to make those decisions\" if changes are needed after permit review. Carpenter noted the city had an application under the permit and that ADEQ \"will look at this manual\" and may require changes as part of the permit process.

Several board members, private stakeholders and consultants who had participated in the drafting acknowledged compromises were required to reach the present draft. Tim Daeters and Joe White, two stakeholders present and involved in the process, confirmed publicly that they were satisfied with the current draft. Director Kompierich said the agreement represented hard compromise: \"When nobody really likes what they're doing, but they all agree to do it ... it's a sign that [people] compromised and moved.\" Director Weierich asked that staff and stakeholders form a water-quality working group to address unresolved water-quality issues; Carpenter and staff indicated such a group would be appropriate to coordinate ongoing technical work and alignment with EPA standards.

Mayor Scott called the vote after a motion and second; the meeting minutes and statements on the record reflect a unanimous vote to adopt the manual.

Board members emphasized the manual does not end water-quality work: several said additional technical work and stakeholder engagement are necessary to resolve outstanding issues before the next permit cycle. Carpenter cautioned that while the board can set policy, ADEQ will review the city's application and permit and could require programmatic changes as part of permitting.

Board members directed staff to continue stakeholder coordination and to stand up the proposed water-quality working group to track implementation, technical questions and any future amendments.

The adoption replaces a version of the manual that had been used for decades; staff said the update addresses modern practice and permit alignment. The city will transmit the adopted manual to ADEQ as part of the MS4 permit submittal.

Implementation details, including any subsequent administrative or board-level amendments, will depend on ADEQ review, the working-group recommendations and future board action.","The Little Rock Board of Directors voted unanimously to adopt a revised stormwater and drainage manual tied to the city's MS4 permit; board members asked for a standing water-quality working group and clarified the role of ADEQ and the board in future changes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City staff detail plan to buy Florence Crittenton facility for shelter use

Board hears debate on ShotSpotter contract, police drones and public-safety tech

Board reviews package of property-code updates on high grass, emergency abatement and parking

Board narrows virtual attendance policy, passes amendment 6-3

Little Rock board adopts updated stormwater and drainage manual