Public Invited to Swearing-In and Reception

Little Rock, AR (30 December 2006). January 1st not only marks the start of a new year, it marks the beginning of terms for seven City of Little Rock officials. Joan Adcock, Brad Cazort, Gene Fortson, and Dean Kumpuris will begin new terms on the Little Rock City Board of Directors. Likewise, Alice Lightle, Vic Fleming, and Mark Leverett will be sworn-in to terms as Little Rock District Court Judges.

The swearing-in ceremony will take place in the rotunda of Little Rock City Hall at 10:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day. Following the ceremony, a reception will be held at City Hall. Those who cannot attend the ceremony will be able to watch the live broadcast on LRTV, the City’s government access channel located on Comcast 11, south of the Arkansas River.

Director Cazort serves as the Ward 4 City Director. He first took office in January 1997. Directors Adcock, Fortson, and Kumpuris serve as At-Large City Directors. Director Kumpuris, who holds Position 8, began his service on the Little Rock City Board in 1995. Director Fortson was appointed to Position 9 in 2006; this will be his first four year term. Director Adcock was first sworn-in on January 1, 1993. She serves in Position 10 on the City Board.

Judge Lightle will be sworn in as District Judge, First Division, which is the Criminal Court. She succeeds Judge Lee Munson, who chose not to seek re-election. Judge Lightle was appointed by Governor Mike Beebe in 2007 to fill a vacancy in the District Judge, Third Division, which is the Environmental Court. The Criminal Court is responsible for the adjudication of criminal offenses; seeks to divert offenders from criminal activity, and increases public accountability through probation, drug testing, victim restitution, and community service programs.

Judge Fleming will commence his fourth term as District Judge, Second Division, which is the Traffic Court. Judge Fleming has original jurisdiction over all traffic offenses committed in the city limits—including DWI and vehicular homicide, as well as speeding, failing to yield, and firelane parking tickets.

Little Rock’s new District Judge, Third Division is Mark Leverett. He succeeds Judge Lightle in that position overseeing the Environmental Court. This Court is responsible for the adjudication and imposing sanctions for code violations to ensure that neighborhood conditions are improved to comply with accepted health and safety standards.

Little Rock City Hall is located at 500 West Markham Street. Due to staging for the ceremony, the Markham Street doors to the rotunda will be locked. The public is encouraged to enter City Hall from Broadway or from the City Hall parking lot behind the building.

Though City Hall will be open on the morning of January 1, 2009, for the Swearing-In Ceremony, Little Rock City government offices will be closed on January 1 and January 2.

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