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Council proclaims Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund Day; city finance office wins national reporting award
Summary
The council proclaimed March 21, 2025 as Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund Day of Giving and the city's finance department reported receiving its fifth consecutive Certificate of Achievement in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association.
Mayor Terry C. Hartwick read a proclamation declaring March 21, 2025, National Single Parent Day, as the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund Day of Giving in North Little Rock and invited representatives to speak.
Jen Lawrence, chief communications officer for the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund, told the council the nonprofit provides scholarships and support services to single parents across the state, including North Little Rock residents. A representative from Pulaski Technical College and two students who benefited from the program joined Lawrence at the podium.
In a separate presentation, the city’s finance office reported it had received its fifth consecutive Certificate of Achievement in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association, an award the finance speaker described as the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting. The presenter thanked the mayor and council for their support and recognized staff members Anita Worley (assistant CFO), Amanda Bonner (comptroller) and Keith Ivy (senior accountant) for their work compiling the annual comprehensive financial report, which must be audited within 180 days of year end to qualify for the award.
Why it matters: The proclamation acknowledges a statewide nonprofit partnership that provides scholarships and supports student parents in North Little Rock. The GFOA award signals the city’s commitment to financial transparency and reporting standards that the finance office said give elected officials and residents greater confidence in city financial statements.
What was said (excerpted): - Mayor Terry C. Hartwick: read the proclamation and presented it to the visiting representatives. - Jen Lawrence, chief communications officer, Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund: described the nonprofit’s statewide scholarship and support services and thanked the council for the proclamation. - Finance presenter (name not specified on the record): described the GFOA award, noted the city is one of eight Arkansas cities to receive it, and thanked finance staff for the effort required to prepare the audited comprehensive financial report.
Next steps: The proclamation is ceremonial. The finance award does not require action but the finance office will continue the annual report and audit process to maintain the designation.
