Ex-spokesman is tapped to fill position on lottery commission

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Senate President Pro Tempore Michael Lamoureux, R-Russellville, appointed former Arkansas lottery spokesman Julie Baldridge of Little Rock to replace departing Arkansas Lottery Commissioner Steve Faris of Central, Lamoureux said Friday.

Lamoureux said Baldridge’s appointment will become effective Aug. 1.

Faris said Monday that he would resign from the lottery commission, effective July 31, after Lamoureux appointed him to the 11-member Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace board. That board will decide whether Arkansasshould take over responsibility for operating its health-insurance exchange.

Faris has been on the nine-member lottery commission since April 2011, when then-Senate President Pro Tempore Paul Bookout, D-Jonesboro, appointed him to a six-year term to replaceattorney Derrick Smith of Little Rock. Faris, a former state lawmaker, was Bookout’s aide during the 2011 regular session and Lamoureux’s aide during the 2013 regular session.

Lamoureux said he appointed Baldridge to replace Faris because “she basically started the Arkansas lottery.”

He said he wanted someone on the commission “with a history of where we havebeen and just be able to deal with any current challenges we are having now.”

Baldridge “is the most experienced Arkansan in terms of the Arkansas lottery,” Lamoureux said.

Baldridge retired from the lottery at the end of April, after working mostly as its spokesman and legislative and commission liaison since June 2009, when then-lottery Director Ernie Passailaigue hired her. Passailaigue said he got to know Baldridge when she was an aide to former Senate President Pro Tempore Bob Johnson, D-Bigelow. She also previously worked for former U.S. Rep. Ray Thornton, who was the lottery commission’s chairman during its first year.

Baldridge served as the lottery’s interim director from October 2011 - after Passailaigue resigned - until February 2012, when the commission promoted its chief legal counsel, Bishop Woosley, to be the lottery’s director. She also previously worked as an aide to former Gov. Bill Clinton and an assistant dean for external relations for the law school at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Asked whether Baldridge’s past employment makes her too close to lottery employees, Lamoureux replied, “I think the strength of experience outweighs any negativesthat that may have.

“We have a good mix on the [commission],” Lamoureux said.

He said he’s given Baldridge no marching orders as a lottery commissioner.

Woosley said he’s pleased with Baldridge’s appointment to the commission.

“She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the lottery industry, which will be of great value to our agency. I look forward to working with her over the next few years,” Woosley said.

Baldridge could notbe reached for comment Friday.

Arkansas’ lottery commission also includes John C. (Smoky) Campbell of Hot Springs, Bruce Engstrom of North Little Rock, Raymond Frazier of Little Rock, George Hammons of Pine Bluff, Dianne Lamberth of Batesville, Ben Pickard of Searcy, Doug Pierce of Jonesboro, and Mark Scott of Bentonville.

In another lottery-related development, Lamoureux said Sens. Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, and Jason Rapert, R-Bigelow, will be departing the Legislature’s lottery oversight committee to serve on the Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace Legislative Oversight Committee.

Sen. Jimmy Hickey, R-Texarkana, has agreed to serve on the lottery oversight committee to fill one of the vacancies, Lamoureux said. He said he’s working on filling the other vacancy.

Arkansas’ lottery has largely financed Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarships for more than 30,000 students during each of the past three years.

The lottery’s ticket sales and net proceeds raised for college scholarships slipped in the fiscal year that ended June 30, its third full fiscal year of operations. Final figures for fiscal 2013 are expected to be released next week.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 9 on 07/06/2013