By Ray King
After lengthy debate Monday night, the Pine Bluff City Council voted to authorize Mayor Shirley Washington to enter into development contracts with the P3 group regarding downtown housing and the hotel attached to the Pine Bluff Convention Center.
As he has with anything involving Go Forward Pine Bluff or the Urban Renewal Agency, Council member Ivan Whitfield led the opposition to both proposals, saying that he had previously opposed urban renewal’s purchase of land in the downtown area. He also said if the P3 group was going to look for land to build housing, he would not object, as long as that land was not in downtown and owned by the Urban Renewal Agency.
The vote on the downtown housing resolution was six to two with Whitfield and Council Member Glen Brown Sr., casting the only no votes. Voting yes were Council members Steven Mays, Lloyd Holcomb Jr., Glen Brown Jr., Bruce Lockett. Joni Alexander and Steven Shaner.
When it came time to vote on the development agreement on the hotel attached to the convention center, Whitfield and Brown Sr., were joined by Mays in voting no.
“I know the city is not in the business of collecting rent or room and board,” Brown Sr. said “We’re going to get ourselves in projects so deep that we can’t see our way out and it’s going to be on the back of our citizens.”
While those three opposed the proposals, Council Member Bruce Lockett supported them and explained why.
The P3 Group is currently working with Jefferson County in constructing a new Jefferson County Health Department, Veteran’s Service Office and Coroner’s Office.
Whitfield also voted no on a proposal which changed the job title of the Administrative Assistant to Mayor Washington to Chief of Staff and increased that person’s salary from $36,000 annually to $50,000 annually. Washington said the position was a new one for the city and according to a job description, the Chief of Staff will organize, manage and direct the day to day operations and activities in the Mayor’s Office.
Also reclassified was the position of Administrative Assistant III, which will now be known as Assistant to the Mayor.
