The Little Rock Board of Directors will decide next week whether to allow the city to begin negotiations with an Ohio-based communication firm to develop a long-term Youth Master Plan.
The strategic plan has been requested by the board for years. It would lay out a strategy to help youths in the city who are involved in or at a high risk of becoming involved in gangs, delinquency or other negative behaviors. The plan would also come up with procedures to gauge the success of youth programs.
Little Rock spends about $5.5 million each year on community programs, a large portion of which funds prevention and intervention programs, and neighborhood-based and after-school youth programs.
The Community Programs Department has recommended the city contract with Advocacy and Communication Solutions LLC for no more than $125,000 to come up with the comprehensive Youth Master Plan by the end of this year.
Advocacy and Communication Solutions has offices in Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; Phoenix; and Washington, D.C. Its website lists experience in early childhood education, K-12 education, Medicaid, health and human services, and workforce development.
"They're very renowned in this area. I thought that's what we need -- an outside group that could look at what we've done in the past, what we are currently doing and what we need to do better. This group is very impressive. I think without a doubt they will be able to facilitate development of this plan," City Manager Bruce Moore told the board at an agenda-setting meeting Tuesday.
The other companies to submit proposals were Brandon House Cultural and Performing Arts Center of Little Rock and Forward Solutions, based in New York.
City Attorney Tom Carpenter would not release Advocacy and Communication Solutions' proposal packet because the contract has not been entered into yet.
"Since we are still in negotiations, divulging that information falls under the 'Competitive Disadvantage Rule' because we have yet to enter [into] a contract, especially if we're not successful and have to go to another applicant," city spokesman Luis Gonzalez said in an email.
The city's requests for proposals required applicants to have successfully developed a Youth Master Plan that had been implemented within the past five years.
The city will require the chosen firm to come up with evidence-based academic, social and cultural opportunities that "will empower youth."
Community Programs Director Dana Dossett told the board Tuesday that the firm chosen to develop the plan will recommend criteria for members of an advisory committee that will help research best practices.
Since the city started its youth prevention and intervention programs after heightened gang violence in the 1990s, the city board has questioned the methods used to gauge the success of such programs.
At-large City Director Joan Adcock has been outspoken on the issue, asking for a set of outcomes and measures to be developed so the city can see what benefit the programs have for youths and the community.
She has previously said: "One of my problems is so many of these young people that are the problem today -- who are involved in these murders, robberies and everything -- these are the young kids who have grown up in Little Rock. If we have spent $60 million to show these young people the right way, why do we have so many problems now? What have we missed that we have not had a better outcome?"
The issue before the board next Tuesday at its 6 p.m. meeting at City Hall is to allow the city to negotiate a contract. The board will have to vote again to approve entering into the contract for a set amount.
Metro on 01/29/2015