Agenda Highlights 1/31/26

At the Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting to be held 2-3-26, the Board will vote on a zoning change for 7308, 7310, 7326, and 7320 Rogers and 3106 and 3110 South 74th (the former Stonewood Village shopping center property) to allow for development of The Forum at Rogers, consisting of mixed use retail, service, and entertainment businesses and a hotel including a proposed increased height allowance for the hotel to allow it to be 4 stories tall.

The Board will vote on a zoning change for 1520, 1524, and 1530 North Greenwood Avenue and 1525 and 1531 May Avenue to allow for development of multiple parcels into two character areas. Area A along Greenwood would have a bridal shop, auto parts sales, auto sales, and indoor tire sales. Area B along May Avenue would have auto detailing, auto paint and body, auto repair, and auto glass and muffler shops.

The Board will vote on contracting with Western Millwright for construction on the Alleyway Rehabilitation project to improve just over 2 miles of alleyways with lighting, fencing, and permeable pavement to turn them into safer more inviting pedestrian/bicycle paths for $2,612,654 and McClelland Consulting Engineers for construction administration and engineering services on the project for $240,240. The bid from Western Millwright is significantly less than the engineering estimate of $3,966,819. The project is fully funded through a federal Climate Pollution Reduction Grant.

The Board will vote on whether to renew the services agreement with Main Street Fort Smith for downtown development services for $12,500 per month (the same amount as 2025). The Arkansas Main Street statewide grant program requires that the City must contract with an independent non-profit to participate in the program. This issue was tabled at the 1-20-26 meeting and discussed at the 1-27-26 meeting.

The Board will vote on contracting with Forvis Mazars to perform the Agreed Upon Procedures (AUP) on the 2025 operations of Parrot Island Water Park. The audit firm will look into things including the cash balances, cash receipts, cash disbursements, financial analytics, invoices received but not paid by year end, cash transfers, and timeliness of reporting for the park, concession item profitability, and the compensation for the management of the park. This issue was discussed at the 1-13-26 meeting and the 1-27-26 meeting. The audit would cost $30,000-$40,000 to be paid out of the Parrot Island operating funds.

The Board will vote on whether to apply for a grant from The Boring Company to build a 1 mile long 12 ft wide tunnel to cross the Arkansas River as a part of the Lake Fort Smith water transmission line project. The “Tunnel Vision Challenge” grant is for a project involving a mile long 12 ft wide tunnel and the award is The Boring Company building the winning tunnel for free.

The Board will vote on whether to purchase replacement garbage trucks including an ACX64 side loading truck for $555,855.92, two Battle Motors Raider LET2-CNG rear loading trucks for $416,105.10 each, and an ACX64 front loading truck for $554,130.46.

The Board will vote on whether to purchase 5 replacement staff vehicles for the Fire Department including three 4x4 Tahoes and two Silverado Crew Cabs from Superior Auto Group for a total of $240,900.06. The purchase would allow the Fire Department to start using lighter vehicles to respond to medical incidents, reducing wear and tear on the far more expensive ladder fire trucks.