Neil Bryant will fill the vacant Pulaski County Planning Board position left by Chairman Ray Vogelpohl after Quorum Court approval of his appointment.
County Judge Barry Hyde appoints people to the planning board, and the Quorum Court must approve them.
Bryant, 68, graduated from Drury College in Springfield, Mo., in 1968. His term expires in July 2019.
He is a former alderman from North Little Rock and serves on the North Little Rock Parks Commission. He's also a former member of the North Little Rock Airport Commission and a 24-year veteran of the U.S. Army.
Bryant's family owns and operates Gadwall's Grill in Sherwood, operates a mini-storage facility in Sherwood, and owns a farm in Lonoke, according to a statement prepared for the county.
Additionally, Bryant was a member of the Policy Advisory Council that produced the Lake Maumelle Watershed Management Plan in 2007 in his capacity as an alderman. The plan, among other things, allowed Central Arkansas Water to pursue voluntary conservation easements with property owners in the watershed, the drainage area surrounding the lake.
Bryant signed a "Personal Information Sheet" now required by the county for board members and commissioners stating he would "refrain from any irresponsible or unethical conduct while serving" and "be present for at least 70 percent of the scheduled meetings."
The county began requiring the Personal Information Sheet after Vogelpohl had taken fire for working with Central Arkansas Water to sell conservation rights to his land to the utility while the utility was actively petitioning the planning board for various watershed protections.
District 1 Justice of the Peace Doug Reed, R-Roland, asked Bryant about his philosophy on property rights, referencing push-back from property owners in the Lake Maumelle watershed who opposed regulations in the area.
Bryant said everyone needs water and that he would refrain from taking any specific stance until posed with a specific issue on the planning board.
Bryant's appointment was approved 12-0, with Reed abstaining. District 2 Justice of the Peace Tyler Denton, D-Little Rock, and District 10 Justice of the Peace Robert Green, D-McAlmont, were absent from the meeting.
Metro on 03/01/2015