Board of Directors - Regular Meeting

Good evening. I would like to call to order the October 20th, 2026 Little Rock City Board of Directors meeting. We would like to welcome those in attendance as well as those watching at home or streaming online. Madam Clerk, if you would please call the roll.

Present. We'll now have invocation from our city attorney.

We please stand for a pledge of allegiance. Members of the board, we have four additions to the agenda. Is there a motion?

There's a motion. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor, please say aye. All those opposed, say nay. Ayes have it. Madam Clerk, if you would please read the consent agenda.

There's a motion. Is there a second? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. All those opposed, say nay. Ayes have it. Madam Clerk, if you would please read the grouped items.

There's a motion to second. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. All those opposed, say nay. Aye. Second reading.

Yes, my notes had just been read at one time.

He only wants to read it once, and then the next time we come back, we'll vote on it. No, we're not voting today.

Yes. Okay. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. Ayes have it. Third and final reading.

All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed, say nay. Ayes have it. Madam Clerk, since we've already done 22, would you please read item 23?

And before we go, I want to take this time if our members of our Little Rock, retired Little Rock Police Department and Fire Department who are part of LOCFE and we just passed their ordinances, let's give them all a round of applause. Chief Hubbard, are they hard negotiators? Thank you. Thank you.

Is there a motion to go to second reading? So moved. There's a motion to second. All those in favor, please say aye. All those opposed say nay. Ayes have it. Second reading.

There's a motion and a second. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. As opposed to say nay. Ayes have it. Third and final reading.

We've had three readings. Director Webb?

Thank you, Mayor Scott. Could we get a presentation from them about this? I have some questions. Yes, ma'am.

It's open. Whoever asked, it's open. Carry on.

I do. I have a couple of questions, and thank you for that. That was very helpful, but I do have a couple of additional questions. Okay, so the first thing that you talked about was the Tebow Pump Station, and that is the one that is for a potential mega site, but it's something that we don't know what it is yet that is going to be there.

If say nobody takes the site, is there a possibility that rate payers can be on the hook for if the port does not deliver the revenues that are expected?

Okay, so there's nothing in here that can have a negative effect on rate payers? I would say no. Thank you.

Any questions? Seeing none. All got close to public hearing. Any more questions? Any more questions? Going once, going twice. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. Aye's have it.

There are five emergency clauses for items 15, 16, 19, 20, and M4. All those in favor, please say aye. All those opposed, say nay. Ayes have it. Madam Clerk, you will please read item number 23.

All those in favor please say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. Ayes have it. Madam Clerk, would you please read for the third time?

Members of the board, we've had three readings. Are there any questions? Yes, we do. We'll get to that. I just want to see if y'all had any questions. Any questions for board members? Questions from board members. All right. Ms. Becca Swarna.

Thank you. We'll now go to Tommy Johnson or Tammy Johnson. I'm sorry, I just couldn't read it. Or we'll register that you are against. OK. All right. Letter received. Stacy Fletcher.

Thank you so much. Seeing no other questions, all those in favor, please say aye. I was supposed to say nay. Nays have it. Madam Clerk, if you would please read item 24 for the first time.

Is there a motion to go to second reading? There's a motion to second. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed? Aye. Ayes have it. Second reading.

Is there a motion? Is there a second? Second. All those in favor please say aye. Aye. All those opposed say nay. Ayes have it. Third and final reading.

Members of the board, we've had three readings. Any questions? Any questions? We'll now go to the community. Ms. Alicia Watson.

Thank you so much, Mr. Weaver. Mr. Mike Poe.

Thank you. Members of the board. Are there any questions? Are there any questions? Director Webb.

Thank you, Mayor. I mean, I do agree with Natalie that I don't think it's the same as a, as a FedEx moment, but I appreciate everybody who spoke tonight, regardless of which side they spoke about. We tried an 18-month moratorium, and it didn't pass. We talked about a six-month in the beginning, and people said that was too short. And after the 18-month moratorium failed, a couple of attorneys reached out to me and said, you know, you pass a six-month, it doesn't prohibit you from passing another six months. Um, and before I even brought this forward, I spoke to many of those attorneys who were

Just making sure we got every person who wants to speak. Director Pat? Thank you, Mayor.

Could Brad come up? I have a couple of questions I'd like to ask Brad Jordan, if that's permissible. Yes. Thanks, Brad. Everybody knows that Kathy and I, well, Kathy did the lion's share of this work, and we had the first go at the moratorium, which I opposed. And then she brought it back. It was 18 months. That was my primary objection. I thought that was too much time. And we brought back, or she brought back, and I co-sponsored the six-month moratorium. So I guess I've read this and marked it up, well, several times. And it's pretty technical, although I understood it. I have several concer

Thank you, Jay. Director Lewis? No. You weren't done. Oh, you still had questions?

Hey, everybody, let's keep it in order. Everybody keep out of the quorum, please. Thank you.

YES. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SOME BRIEF REMARKS ON THERE IS A LOT OF MISINFORMATION ABOUT THE DATA CENTERS. this NDA that is constantly being spoken about because I haven't signed not one NDA ever, and my colleagues haven't either. So I just want to put that out there. Secondly, it's this narrative out there about I vote based on votes going to already be voted down and this and that. I stand on my own beliefs, my own morals and values, and I don't need anybody telling me how to vote. I vote the way that I feel, and I have always supported the community. I am for the moratorium because that is wha

Director Hines. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you for all your comments. Again, to reiterate, as Jay said and Director Lewis said, I know I can speak for everybody up here, but I know I haven't signed an NDA, so... There we go. And then to point out a clear error in somebody's comment earlier is that I do not own an interest in any construction companies. I have a customer that builds racks for these data centers. Whether or not they will get a contract to put them into the Little Rock data center, I do not know. But it is a benefit. They're looking at putting operations here to build those for othe

I'm about to get them as well, just like I said earlier. Let me get the decorum for everybody. Everybody, please. Nobody talk when the opposition talks. No one was talking when there was pro talk. Please keep the decorum. The city board member, the governing authority is speaking. I'm asking for everyone to keep decorum. People were quiet when those that were against were talking. People were quiet when those that were for were talking. Please. Director Hines. Thank you.

Again, we... We've had discussions, we've had votes in this community, and overwhelmingly this community has voted to build this super site to attract these exact same kinds of businesses. And I'll say it again, a hyperscale data center is a medium-intensity industrial use. There are a whole lot more things at the port that are already existing and that could come that use a lot more resources and create a lot more pollution, or potentially. But we have regulations that deal with that. I think if we want to continue to be a pro-growth, progressive city that employs thousands and lifts all boat

We have a question and commentary from both Director Weirich and Phillips. So Vice Mayor Weirich.

Director Phillips. Then after Director Phillips, Director Hines is called to question.

All right. Thank you, Mayor. I just want to state, like my colleagues, I didn't sign the NDA either since we're making that statement. But due to my law firm's involvement with this issue, I will be recused as mayor.

All right. There's a question being called. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. All those opposed, say nay. Nay. We're talking about the question. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Now, we've had three readings. We've had commentary. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. All those opposed, say nay.

The item fails due to a lack of six votes. There were three nos. Four nos.

And one recusal. Thank you. All right. I will go to Citizens Communication. Mr. Luke Scrabble.

Thank you. Sir, Diamond Butler? Diamond Butler going once. Diamond Butler going twice. All right, Jacqueline Smith?

Thank you so much. Michael Hernandez, Mr. Michael Hernandez.

Thank you. Is there a motion to go to the executive session? So moved. There's a motion to second. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. All those opposed, say nay. Ayes have it. Recess.