Indian Hills Community Club’s revitalization plan draws mixed reaction
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – As members of the Indian Hills Community Club (IHCC) in North Little Rock petition for what they say is a new revitalization plan, others in the neighborhood say they oppose the petition as it would add more cost to their bills.
In the Indian Hills community, two groups are collecting signatures, both with the hopes of changing their neighborhood. But how the money is used is where people who live there are taking sides.
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On one side, Indian Hills Community Club Secretary Bernadette Rhodes said the club was created decades ago and it relies only on membership dues to keep things going.
Rhodes said they want to improve their aging facilities like the lakes, dams, trails, tennis courts, a pool and more by having an urban service district (USD) in the entire subdivision. They say overtime membership dues weren’t enough to improve the facilities like the pool area which they struggled to keep open and closed over a year ago.
The proposed USD would demolish the pool and turn the pool site into a park.
Wendy McCloud, who lives in Indian Hills and has an opposing petition, argues the USD should only focus on the lake and park property owners first, not the entire subdivision.
Regarding the cost, McCloud said, “To a lot of people $8.50 is not a big deal but to a large part of the Indian Hills neighborhood who are on fixed incomes it is a big deal.”
As for Rhodes, she said, “We do feel that the $8.50 a month is justified to keep this land and lakes and in our community position under our community so we can all decide what happens to it.”
The $8.50 would be added each month to the water bills of the around 1200 homes in Indian Hills for 10 years. The other part of this argument is how many signatures are needed for or against the proposal.
“I think that the 25% threshold for what would be a 10-year obligation is completely ridiculous. Especially when you have to have the opposition reach 50%,” McCloud said.
“25% of registered voters saying’ yes, we want this urban service district’ will actually be indicative of a large consensus of the neighborhood,” Rhodes said.
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In a statement from McCloud regarding the percentage, she said, “in no system of democracy is 25% considered a consensus, much less a majority.”
If the club is able to reach the 25% of registered voters in the neighborhood, then it would then go to the City Council of North Little Rock for their decision on what to do in a vote.
North Little Rock Mayor Terry Hartwick provided a statement regarding the debate about the plan.
“At this time, the City of North Little Rock is listening to and considering both sides of the Indian Hills revitalization plan,” the statement read.
Rhodes said she feels that the board has been transparent, however, McCloud said she disagrees and would like more information and transparency from the club.
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Some in the community have already sided with what they want.
“It will raise the value of our property. For the children, they’ll be a place to walk and convenient for everybody,” Sherry Holladay, who is for the revitalization petition, said.
Another resident, Cindy Hughes, said she strongly opposes the petition for the plan.
“I just feel like if they want to do improvements around the lake, it should be the property owners around the lake that have to do it, not all of us,” Hughes said.
In a statement by the IHCC, they say in part,
“The lakes/dams have received attention throughout the years, including dredging. However, the pool was always the main driver of IHCC’s revenue. Funds generated by the pool also went to mowing the dams and controlling weeds on the lakes. The volunteer board members made good faith efforts to keep the entire property open and maintained.“
They go on to say in part,
“Only four of the nine board members live on the lakes, and only 25% of the Urban Service District funding is dedicated to the lakes, dams, and creeks, which includes improved access to the lakes for any neighbor to fish or boat on. 40% is dedicated to improving and maintaining the park land with a picnic pavilion, playground, trails, and tennis/pickleball courts.”
McCloud also provided a statement,
“The board of the Indian Hills Community Club has, for 60 years, failed to address the safety issues posed by the two dams they own. They have instead continued to spend money on a pool, which by their own admission has been unsustainable for many of those years. The proposed Urban Service District is nothing more than an attempt by the IHCC board, many of which own property adjacent to either the lakes or the park, to force the rest of the neighborhood to pay the cost for their negligence in exercising their duty of care. The lack of engagement with the community, along with the seeming lack of interest in the amenities provided should indicate to the board that it’s time to let those amenities go or step up and take responsibility for them by passing their own smaller USD.”
Wendy McCloud
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As both continue to collect signatures, Rhodes said their next meeting is on May 23 from 7-8 pm at First United Methodist Church on JFK Boulevard where people can learn and sign their petition.
On the other side, McCloud said on May 25 from 10 am to 2 pm, their side will be at the Indian Hills Kroger where people can sign their petition.
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