Agenda Highlights 5/21/24

At the Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting scheduled for 5-21-24, the Board will vote on whether to issue up to $25 million in industrial development revenue bonds for an expansion at Mars Petcare that will increase the facility’s production by 40% and add 120 jobs paying an average of $21.50 per hour.

The Board will vote on a change to a truck route. The street improvements necessary to facilitate the planned change have already been completed.

The Board will vote on whether to initiate a 6 month pilot program for glass recycling. To participate in the program, residents would need to sign up to participate and would pay $7 per month. They would be issued a 100 liter cart with a purple lid and would contact the Solid Waste Department when the cart is full to arrange for it to be picked up. The Sebastian County Solid Waste Management District would pay for the cost of the pilot program ($6,093.68 for the purchase of 110 carts). The program is not expected to bring in significant revenues with the value of the glass being less than one cent per pound. At the end of the pilot period, the results of the trial would be evaluated and it would then be decided if the program would be continued, amended, or terminated.

The Board will vote on whether or not to authorize the City Attorney to proceed with an interpleader action regarding $401,792 in taxes that were improperly collected from Parrot Island admission tickets from 4-20-21 to 11-30-23 when a POS system was accidentally set up incorrectly so that it was charging sales tax that it should not have been.

The Board will vote on whether to purchase a replacement compost windrow turner from Scarab International for $571,500 and a replacement 4 wheel drive loader for the compost area of the landfill from Stribling Equipment for $344,095.03.

The Board will vote on a 3 year renewal of the contract with Motorola for radio communications and the tornado siren network for a total of $1,099,11.90 for the entire 3 years.

The Board will vote on whether to purchase repairs and upgrades to the grit removal system at the P Street wastewater treatment plant from Smith & Loveless for $1,099,111.90.

The Board will vote on whether to purchase a new inclusive playground and sidewalks and fencing to go around it at Carol Ann Cross park from ACS Playground Adventures for $868,425.38.

The Board will vote on whether or not to be the required government sponsor for the application to be made by Methodist Village Senior Living for an Arkansas Transportation Alternatives Program grant to build a paved path from the Methodist Village facility to Carol Ann Cross park. The 20% local funding required for the grant would be paid by Methodist Village (not at a cost to the City).

The Board will vote on whether to renew the 2 year permits for Prime Sanitation and KL Dumpsters for non-residential solid waste collection at a 5% franchise fee.

The Board will vote on authorizing the Police Department to auction off unnecessary equipment including restaurant equipment and office equipment acquired in the purchase of the former Whole Hog Cafe building at 4501 Burrough Road that will soon serve as the new 911 call center. The auction would be conducted by Looper Auction on June 14, 2024.

The Board will vote on whether to have Fire Trucks Unlimited refurbish two pumper trucks for a total cost of $1,084,000. The refurbishment will allow the trucks to offer 10 more years of service. Buying new trucks would cost $1,1000,000 each and would take 40 months to be delivered.

The Board will vote on water rate changes including increases that were discussed at the 4-16-24 meeting and tabled to allow for further study and discussion including the special study session with opportunity for public input to be held 5-20-24 and the survey being conducted to collect public feedback.