Agenda Highlights 7/14/26

At the Fort Smith Board of Directors study session meeting to be held 7-14-26, the Board will hear an update from the non-profit organization Fort Smith Cemeteries Inc. regarding their cemeteries, Forest Park, Rose Lawn, and Holy Cross. This issue was discussed at the 7-15-25, 8-19-2025, 9-23-25, 12-9-25, and 12-16-25 meetings. In December of 2025, there was discussion between Fort Smith Cemeteries Inc. and a private company regarding the private company taking ownership of the cemeteries, but Fort Smith Cemeteries Inc. was not interested in that transaction and decided to continue to own and operate the cemeteries themselves.

The Board will discuss an ordinance that would fine any person or entity for transporting homeless individuals into Fort Smith. The discussion is in response to speculation that homeless people from other parts of Arkansas and other states are being transported into Fort Smith and dropped off here to access the support resources offered here.

3 other cities, St. Joseph, Missouri, Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Joplin, Missouri enacted ordinances of that type in 2025. None of those 3 have yet taken any enforcement actions on their ordinances. The exact fines for violating St. Joseph and Joplin’s ordinances were not listed, but the fine for violating Ft. Wayne’s is up to $2500 plus prosecution costs.