Mayor Scott said deputies had reached a tentative agreement with the fire department and urged the board to approve a balanced 2025 budget, which the board passed after debate and public comment.

The board’s third and final reading of the ordinance to adopt the 2025 budget came amid last-minute labor developments. Mayor Scott told the board that a monetary issue that had arisen in firefighter negotiations earlier that morning had been resolved and that "the raises will match each other," describing the police offer as "1 year contract of 5%, 2 year contract of 5% in both years, and the fire rule will resemble exactly that." He also said implementation of the 4896 schedule would require a 70% workforce vote.

Why it matters: The meeting combined two high-stakes items — final adoption of the operating budget and an ongoing labor negotiation with public-safety employees — and drew many residents to the podium to press the board on safety, staffing and education positions.

Debate and amendment: Director Hines proposed an amendment to create a $300,000 line item in the Office of Executive Administration for the mayor’s security detail and to eliminate five mayor’s-office positions (chief of staff, chief equity officer, chief education officer, senior advisor and chief strategy officer), redirecting the funds to homeless outreach and code enforcement. Hines said the amendment sought efficiencies; opponents, including multiple residents and school-district representatives, said the roles are integral to community partnerships and services.

Director Hines summarized the amendment as aiming to "create a line item for the cost of your security detail, so that we can see it in the budget in the OEA for 300,000 and also to eliminate the chief of staff, chief equity officer, chief education officer and the senior advisor to the mayor and chief strategy officer." The motion was seconded but did not pass on the floor.

Public comment: Dozens of residents and union representatives spoke. Firefighter representative Mister Stallings said the department had "reached the limit of what they're willing to accept," warned that inadequate equipment and station conditions make the job less safe and urged the board to address apparatus and living conditions immediately. A public speaker identified as the president of the Little Rock Black Firefighters Organization said that organization had voted "no" on the 4896 schedule and asked the board to seek a comprehensive membership opinion. Several speakers, including education officials from the Little Rock School District, voiced opposition to cutting the chief education officer position and credited that role with improvements in student attendance and school partnerships.

Votes and procedural notes: The clerk presented the ordinance for third reading and the board took the final vote by roll call. During the roll call the clerk recorded the following votes: Director Adcock — No; Director Miller — Yes; Director Peck — Yes; Director Hines — No; Director Lewis — Yes; Director Weyrick — Yes; Director Campuris — No; Director Phillips — Yes; Vice Mayor Webb — Aye. The mayor announced the result as "7 to 2." The roll-call entries recorded in the transcript list six explicit 'yes'/'aye' responses and three explicit 'no' responses; the transcript also contains the mayor’s announcement of "7 to 2." The transcript does not reconcile that numeric statement with the named roll-call responses on the record.

Emergency clause: Board members discussed whether the ordinance required an eight-vote threshold to be declared an emergency. The city attorney clarified that the emergency designation was a separate vote; the board then voted by voice and the mayor announced that the emergency clause had passed.

What’s next: The mayor said the administration will present a balanced budget and priorities for 2025 and work with the board on outreach around any future sales-tax proposals. Directors and members of the public asked for earlier, data-driven budget hearings and more resident engagement before future proposals are finalized.