Agenda Highlights 2/10/26
At the Fort Smith Board of Directors study session meeting to be held 2-10-26, the Board will discuss reinstating a budget allocation for the spay/neuter voucher program. The program previously allowed for vouchers of up to $100 for the sterilization, rabies vaccination, and microchipping of cats and dogs until funds budgeted for the program run out. In 2024 and 2025 a total of $378,940 was spent on the program. In 2024, 2318 animals were sterilized through the voucher program. In 2025, 1546 animals were sterilized through the program. Funding for the vouchers ran out in August of 2025.
The Board will discuss potentially adding an ordinance that third-party intermediaries working with the City (including contractors, operators, management companies, consultants, advisors, brokers, and agents) would have to
provide a disclosure prior to Board approval of a transaction about the nature of their role, financial interests, compensation received, relationship between the third party and and the vendor manufacturer, contractor, or financier involved, whether pricing and timelines presented are binding or estimated and the basis for those figures
submit to the City a signed Certification of Accuracy that any pricing, cost estimates, financial projections, delivery terms, or material representations are accurate to the best of their knowledge, no material facts have been omitted, and are not knowingly misleading
owe the City “a duty of good faith, fair dealing, and honest disclosure”
Failure to meet the standards set in the ordinance would result in voiding or rescinding the contract or transaction, seeking reimbursement or damages for losses, disqualifying the third-party from participating in City transactions for a period of up to 5 years, referring the matter for civil legal action, and imposing administrative sanctions.
The Board will review the budget carry over and carry forward requests from 2025 into 2026. The $2,992,155 in carry forwards are for the things that are obligations that are already owed from 2025 that will legally need to be paid. The $1,821,918 in carry overs are requests to use money that was budgeted for in 2025 for projects that were not finished in 2025 as planned, but that are not already obligated to be paid for via a contract or purchase order already in place.
The Board will discuss renewal of the City’s auto, equipment and property insurance policies with Arkansas Municipal League. The renewal for auto and equipment is estimated to cost $820,151. The renewal for property would cost $1,833,950. The total of $2,654,101 would be an increase from last year’s cost of $2,451,546.
The Board will discuss the Water System Master Plan crafted in 2022.
The Board will discuss the 2026 Water Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The plan was voted down at the 12-2-25 meeting. The funding needed for the 2026 CIP would be $53,771,534 and only $25,072,226 is available to fund the projects. This would leave the plan in the negative by $233,181. The funding for years 2027-2035 has not yet been identified.
