The Arkansas Municipal League’s executive committee, officers and other board members met to implement our organization’s policies and goals and strategize for the coming year during the annual planning meeting, held August 14 and 15 in Magnolia, home of new League President, Mayor Parnell Vann. Unfortunately, due to a family emergency, Mayor Vann was unable to attend the executive committee meeting. Nevertheless, his staff and the city stepped up in his absence and were fantastic hosts.

Acting as chair in the absence of the president, Greenwood Mayor Doug Kinslow, first vice president, brought the meeting to order at 9 a.m. on Thursday, August 15, at the Magnolia Performing Arts Center. After the approval of the minutes from the committee’s May 15 meeting, League Executive Director Mark Hayes presented his annual report, updating the executive committee on the status of the League’s activities and programs and to discuss what the future holds for the League and its member cities and towns.

Following the executive director’s recommendation, the executive committee voted to retain the existing service charge formula for member cities and towns. The base charge will remain $40 plus 35 cents per capita. Members receive a 7-cent credit per capita for participation in each of the League’s optional benefit programs.

The League also has 121 limited-service members, which include counties, housing authorities, waste management districts, volunteer fire departments and other entities. The executive committee voted to retain their existing rates as well. The membership rate for counties is $1,000 and the rate for other municipal entities is $500.

For detailed information on the League service charge, fees associated with optional programs, turnback estimates and the latest APERS multiplier, please refer to the executive director’s budget memo in this issue on page 16.

 The meeting also gives program directors and other key staff the chance to discuss the fiscal status of the optional benefit programs, propose any necessary rate changes, set future meeting dates and other business. See the updated rates for the Municipal Vehicle Program and the Municipal Property Program on page 18 of the Autumn issue of City & Town.

One important agenda item before the executive committee was to review the package of resolutions passed by the membership during the convention’s annual business meeting. Upon the recommendation of League General Counsel and Legislative Director John Wilkerson, who leads the legislative advocacy team, the committee prioritized several of the resolutions in preparation for the 2025 General Assembly. Priority resolutions include:

• A resolution to add “retail” the Arkansas Constitution’s list of economic development projects cities may invest in under Article 12, Section 5.
• A resolution to study ways a portion of the 3% administrative fee charged by the state to collect local sales taxes could be used to assist municipalities.
• A resolution supporting amending statutes governing highway revenue distribution to allow municipalities to spend street fund money for emergency purposes when the need arises.

These and other resolutions are included in the League’s 2024-2025 Policies and Goals, included as an insert in this issue and available on the Publications page of the League’s website, www.armunileague.org/publications.