Bentonville City Council & Committee of the Whole Meeting - November 10, 2025

The Bentonville City Council and Committee of the Whole held a combined meeting on November 10, 2025, at 6:00 PM at Bentonville City Hall. The meeting included informational discussions on the Ozark Regional Transit (ORT) contract and the revised Bella Vista wholesale water agreement, a presentation on the Buy Bentonville campaign, and approval of multiple consent agenda items, utility board items, and planning items. Public comments focused on the importance of maintaining on-demand transit services for residents with disabilities.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of minutes from October 28, 2025.
• New Business items 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 were approved as a consent package:
  • Resolution to declare various items as surplus for public auction.
  • Resolution to declare various items as surplus for landfill disposal.
  • Resolution to declare various items as surplus to be transferred to Morrilton Fire Department and Benton County Fire Protection Association.
  • Resolution for approval of Amendment #1 with Volkert, Inc. for the Tiger Boulevard Overpass Project (additional $50,000 for design revisions).
  • Resolution accepting the Elm Tree Road Sidepath Construction Grant from Walton Family Foundation ($2,259,641).
  • Resolution to amend a contract with CEI for Bright Road Trail construction administration ($14,500).
• Resolution setting a public hearing for a utility easement vacation (VAC25-0029) was approved separately.
• Utility Board items were approved:
  • Resolution approving an agreement for McAuley Place sanitary sewer cost share (with one abstention).
  • Ordinance to waive competitive bidding to order 3-phase transformers (emergency clause approved).
• Planning items (property line adjustment, easement plats, lot splits) were all approved 6-0 or unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Rebecca Clark (resident, 1307 SE 22nd St) spoke in support of preserving on-demand transit. She noted that in 2024, ORT reached 300,000 riders (a 15% increase), fixed-route ridership rose 49% to over 200,000, and on-demand ridership declined 27%. She argued that on-demand is a critical data tool and a bridge for people with disabilities, older adults, and lower-income residents. She emphasized that rideshare alternatives often lack wheelchair-accessible vehicles and that public transit is an economic engine.
• Alina Clark (resident, 4738 N Rock Ridge Dr) shared personal experiences of navigating the city from a wheelchair, including a door incident at City Hall. She urged leaders to experience the built environment from a wheelchair perspective and to implement policies that give people with disabilities more freedom and independence.
• Jean DeLeon (Rogers resident, member of the National Federation of the Blind) spoke in support of ORT’s demand-response service. He described the importance of the service for medical appointments and grocery trips, noting that without it, a half-mile trip would cost $15–$25 each way via rideshare. He expressed concern about losing the service.
• Noel Rodriguez (power chair user) addressed the link between transportation and employment for people with disabilities. He argued that lack of accessible transit creates hidden unemployment and called for expanding public transit, partnering with employers, improving accessible infrastructure, and involving disabled consultants in planning.

Discussion Items

• Ozark Regional Transit (ORT) Contract (Informational): Council members discussed the potential elimination of on-demand transit and the addition of a new fixed route to downtown. Concerns were raised by multiple council members (Gaia, Bill, Chris, others) that eliminating on-demand would harm residents with disabilities because paratransit requires medical certification and only serves areas within 3/4 mile of fixed routes, leaving some parts of the city uncovered. Council members discussed the need for more data on ridership, the cost differential (estimated $150,000 more to keep on-demand and add the route), and alternative options (e.g., partnerships with Uber/Lyft, micro-mobility, taxi vouchers). The mayor summarized that they would relay questions to ORT, including whether paratransit and on-demand could be combined to cover the full city, and what legal obligations exist. No formal vote was taken.
• Revised Bella Vista Wholesale Water Agreement (Informational): The city presented a revised contract changing from a minimum to a maximum daily purchase (5.25 million gallons, based on 17.5% of Beaver Water District’s 30 MGD firm capacity), a new base rate covering O&M, and a 3% markup on water cost. Council members (Bill, Gaia, Chris, others) questioned whether the rates adequately compensate Bentonville for its infrastructure and water loss, whether Bentonville is legally obligated to continue serving Bella Vista, and how the rates compare to other potential suppliers (e.g., Two Ton). The council directed staff to obtain a legal opinion on obligations, compare rates with Two Ton, and analyze the cost of replacing the capacity used by Bella Vista. The negotiation is ongoing, with a goal to finalize before year-end.
• Buy Bentonville Campaign (Informational): A representative presented a campaign running from November 24 to December 24, 2025, encouraging residents to shop local. The campaign is a partnership with the Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce, Visit Bentonville, and DBI. It includes window clings, a hashtag (#BuyBentonville), and promotion of the city’s business registry. Council members offered suggestions, including creating a business guide and using council members’ social media to spread the word.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda Items Approved: New Business items 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 were approved unanimously without discussion.
• Public Hearing Set: Resolution setting a public hearing for November 25, 2025, for a utility easement vacation (VAC25-0029) was approved unanimously.
• Utility Board Approvals:
  • McAuley Place sewer cost share resolution approved (7-0, with one abstention). The city will pay $143,000 for upsizing a pipe already at capacity.
  • Ordinance waiving competitive bidding for three-phase transformers approved (unanimous, emergency clause adopted).
• Planning Items Approved: All six planning items (property line adjustment, easement plats, lot splits) were approved on roll call with unanimous or near-unanimous votes.
• Next Steps: Staff will gather additional data on ORT (ridership numbers, maps, legal options) and on the water agreement (legal obligations, comparison rates, capacity cost) and report back to the council.