Sales tax extension explained
'Snowcrete" and the forecast is calling it 'Car Wash Saturday' ' Public meetings on bond issue set plus sports and headlines.
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MEETINGS: A special call meeting of the North Little Rock School Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. tonight at the district’s administration building. It will also include a board workshop. The North Little Rock City Council will meet next Monday night at City Hall. Both meetings will be livestreamed on YouTube and the public is welcome at both. There’s several upcoming meetings for the sales tax extension in Maumelle and for more, keep scrolling.
EVENTS: Valentine’s Day is next week. Next Saturday to be precise but you should probably order those flowers now. There’s no time like the present. As always Frances Flower Shop is our preferred florist at ArkansasNewsrooom.com HQ, mostly because they deliver most anywhere in Pulaski County. That’s also a non-sponsored recommendation. We just like ‘em. Click the graphic below for more.
Sales tax extension explained
On Tuesday night, roughly 50 people gathered to hear the first of several town halls and information sessions on the proposed ½ cent sales extension in the city of Maumelle.
The meeting was held in the cafeteria at Maumelle Charter Middle School and there’s a Coffee with the Mayor scheduled for 8:15 a.m. today. at Cheers in Maumelle.
Tuesday’s meeting was to discuss Question 1, 6 and 7 and take questions from the public.
The meeting was livestreamed on the city’s YouTube channel and can be viewed by clicking the link below.
If you want to sit through the roughly one hour and 10 minute meeting, keep on reading.
Mayor Caleb Norris led the Tuesday meeting with an explanation of the sales tax extension and how the city approached coming up with the plans for the six proposals.
It is important to note, that a “No” vote on Question 1, means none of the proposals will go forward.
Norris explained, essentially, that the city was limited in how it could finance projects, either through millage or sales tax increases, but since the city already has existing bonds, those would have to be paid off before new ones could be issued.
Since voters approved a ½ cent sales tax in 2018, those bonds would have to paid off first and there’s roughly $3 million remaining.
“We can’t take out a loan,” Norris said and noted that connected entities like the various youth sports associations can’t take out loans for improvements to city-owned properties either.
Norris also said, when asked if the city has a backup plan, “no” and added. “There’s no contingency backup for any of these projects.”
It is also important to note that a “No”vote doesn’t mean the immediate end of the ½ cent sales tax as those remaining, voter approved, bonds would still need to be retired and that would be several years in the making.
Also covered were Questions 6 and 7.
They are: Question 6 is for maintenance and “essential improvements” at Lake Valencia. The costs are budgeted to cost $3.22 million and would replace the boardwalk that extends around a portion of the lake.
Dave Roberts, of Maumelle, and with Crafton and Tull, the firm that helped design the plans for Lake Valencia, said the boardwalk had already been fully replaced twice, along with significant patch work having been done over the decades.
“This is not just cosmetic,” Norris said. “Something needs to be done” and noted he had received reports of at least two being injured by either falling through, or tripping and falling over uneven boards.
The new boardwalk would be pre-fabbed and because of its durability, the city would see some cost savings by not having to constantly check and replace rotted boards.
Question 7 would be for $5.1 million and would install field turf at some of the baseball, softball and soccer fields operated by the city’s Parks & Recreation Department.
It wouldn’t put turf on every field, both Norris and Parks & Rec director Phillip Raborn said, and Norris added that the city was somewhat stingy in its approach to the new bonds as none of the six projects were what he called “Taj Mahals.”
Leaders from the city’s youth baseball, softball and soccer associations all spoke in favor and all noted that field turf would help get more games in, cut down on possible injuries and could, potentially, lead to sports tourism dollars as the city would have the ability to host more tournaments in the three sports meaning teams would need places to stay, places to eat and all the other things go into travel ball.
Early voting begins on Tuesday, Feb. 17 and Election Day will be held Tuesday, March 3. The deadline to register to vote in the March 3 election has already passed.
Proposed bond issue
Total: $34.26 million
Question 1: Refunding 2018 bonds - $3.05M
Question 2: Street improvements - $3.86M
Question 3: Center on the Lake/Indoor pool - $5.39M
Question 4: Public Safety Training facility - $5.19M
Question 5: Fire station improvements - $8.45M
Question 6: Lake Valencia improvements - $3.22M
Question 7: Field turf for Parks & Rec - $5.1M
How much money?
The city’s ½ cent sales tax brings in approximately $1.8 million annually and if the all seven questions were to pass, it would take about 20 years to pay off.
Upcoming meetings
Today, 8:15 a.m. at Cheers in Maumelle, Coffee with the Mayor
Tuesday, Feb. 10: 6 p.m. at Maumelle Charter Middle School | Public Meeting to discuss Bond Questions 1, 4 and 5
Thursday, Feb. 12: 8:30 a.m. Coffee Talk with the Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce. Click here to register for this chamber eventPre-registration is required and click here to do that.
Tuesday, Feb. 24: 6 p.m. at Maumelle Charter Middle Schooln | Public Meeting to discuss Bond Questions 1, 2 and 3
Civic Group discussions are also planned for the Maumelle Rotary Club, Maumelle Industrial Roundtable, Maumelle Fraternal Order of Police, Maumelle Fire Fighters Association, Maumelle Community Partners and the Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce Board
The first coffee will be at 8:15 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 5 and be at Cheers in Maumelle while the second will be at the Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce and start at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 12.
Election Calendar
Early Voting Dates: Feb. 17 through March 2
Early Voting Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday – Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and 8 a.m to -5 p.m. on Monday March 2.
March 3: Preferential Primary Election/Annual School Election/Nonpartisan Judicial General Election
If a runoff is needed in the primary, it will be March 31
Early Voting Locations
Pulaski County Regional Building, 501 West Markham, Little Rock
Sue Cowan Williams Library, 1800 S. Chester St.
Dee Brown Library, 6325 Baseline Road, Little Rock
Thompson Library, 38 Rahling Circle, Little Rock
William F Laman Public Library, 2801 Orange St., NorthLittle Rock
Jacksonville Community Center, 5 Municipal Drive, Jacksonville
Jess Odom Community Center, 1100 Edgewood Drive, Maumelle
First Christian Church of Sherwood, 2803 E. Kiehl Ave., Sherwood
McMath Library, 2100 John Barrow Road, Little Rock
Hillary Clinton Children’s Library, 4800 W. 10th St., Little Rock
John Gould Fletcher Library, 823 N. Buchanan St., Little Rock
Terry Library, 2015 Napa Valley Drive, Little Rock
‘Snowcrete’
We admit we weren’t familiar with the term “snowcrete” but after seeing it in action and the damage Jorge did to the driveway hammering if off, we hope to not see the combination of snow, sleet and ice packed down as hard as concrete again, or at least anytime soon.
In the meantime, a familiar sight around town and at least the forecast gets better. Go sun go.
Eye on the Sky
Today: Sunny, with a high near 54, with a low around 35.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 69 and a low around 35.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54 and a low around 36. (The carwash beckons)
Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 70, with a low around 44.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69,, with a low around 51.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers, with a high near 71 and a low around 51.
Casino Night rescheduled
The Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce’s Casino Night has been rescheduled and will now be Thursday, Feb. 19 and will start at 6 p.m. It will still be at the Maumelle Event Center and to register click here. Also check out the flyer below for more information.
Sports
Basketball schedules | Not all makeup dates for previously postponed games have been announced.
Maumelle Charter
Boys
Friday, Feb. 6 ... vs ... Rose Bud ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 ... vs ... St. Joseph ... 7 p.m.
Girls
Friday, Feb. 6 ... vs ... Rose Bud ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 ... vs ... St. Joseph ... 7 p.m.
Maumelle
Boys
Friday, Feb. 6 ... at ... Jacksonville ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 13 ... vs ... Sylvan Hills ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 17 ... vs ... Greenbrier ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 20 ... at ... Little Rock Christian Academy ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 24 ... vs ... Vilonia ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 27 ... vs ... Catholic ... 7 p.m.
Girls
Friday, Feb. 6 ... at ... Jacksonville ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 13 ... vs ... Sylvan Hills ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 17 ... vs ... Greenbrier ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 20 ... at ... Little Rock Christian Academy ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 24 ... vs ... Vilonia ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 27 ... vs ... Mount St. Mary Academy ... 6 p.m.
CAC
Boys
Tuesday, Feb. 10 ... at ... Morrilton ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 13 ... at ... Robinson ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 20 ... vs ... Heber Springs ... 7 p.m.
Girls
Friday, Feb. 6 ... vs ... Bigelow ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 ... vs ... Conway Christian ... 5 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 13 ... vs ... Robinson ... 5 p.m.
North Little Rock
Boys
Friday, Feb. 6 ... at ... Conway ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 ... vs ... Little Rock Southwest ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 13 ... at ... Jonesboro ... 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 24 ... vs ... Bryant ... 7 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 26 ... vs ... Cabot ... 7 p.m.
Girls
Friday, Feb. 6 ... at ... Conway ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 ... vs ... Little Rock Southwest ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 13 ... at ... Jonesboro ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 24 ... vs ... Bryant ... 6 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 26 ... vs ... Cabot ... 6 p.m.
Health
Pandemic deaths unknown
The state Department of Health didn’t update the state’s dashboard this week, again, and deaths still total 532 for the past year. There’s no tab created for 2025 either and the virus has now killed 14,162 Arkansans since the pandemic began then. That would mean the pandemic death toll has now passed Marion’s 13,635 people, the state’s 29th largest city.
Covid toolkit
There’s now a one-stop shop to learn about vaccination sites and other Covid related information. Click here to learn more.
If you don’t want to get sick and die, there’s some things you can do:
Get vaccinated
Get boosted
Wear a mask
Avoid crowds