Committee of the Whole & City Council Meeting - January 27, 2026

The combined Committee of the Whole and City Council meeting on January 27, 2026, focused primarily on impact fees, sewer development fees, and the city's long-term utility infrastructure capital improvement plan (CIP). Presentations from multiple departments highlighted how impact fees have funded fire stations, parks, police communications, library expansions, and other growth-related projects. Council members debated the cumulative cost burden on new housing—estimated at up to $19,374 per home in combined fees—and whether to pause or reduce impact fees for developments already in the pipeline. Staff presented the overarching water/wastewater CIP, totaling $675 million for capacity projects and $15.3 million per year for asset renewal. Several consent agenda items and waiver-of-bid ordinances were approved unanimously. Public comments addressed the Little Sugar Creek dam removal, support for library impact fees, and a judicial candidate.

Consent Calendar

• New Business Items 8, 9, 10, 12 and Utility Board Items 1, 2 were approved by unanimous vote consent agenda after being discussed in Committee of the Whole.
• Item 8: Resolution approving a $11,214.81 change order with GTS Inc. for geotechnical services at the Adult Recreation Center.
• Item 9: Resolution authorizing a $175,019.66 agreement with Moser for furniture, shelving, and lockers for the new Parks Maintenance Facility.
• Item 10: Resolution authorizing a $101,922.62 agreement with P&K Equipment for one John Deere 9009A Terrain Cut mower.
• Item 12: Resolution authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to accept loans totaling up to $9,621,360 from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture Drinking Water State Revolving Loan fund for the 48" supply water transmission project.
• Utility Board Item 1: Resolution awarding IFB-25-84 for water main repair materials to NW Arkansas Winwater and Consolidated Pipe in a total amount of $89,196.00.
• Utility Board Item 2: Resolution authorizing a three-year agreement with Procore for Capital Improvement Project Management Software totaling $511,218.80.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Beth (Friends of Little Sugar Creek): Expressed gratitude to the City Council, Mayor, and staff for reaching consensus on full removal of the Little Sugar Creek dam and spillways, calling it a 10-year citizen engagement effort. Thanked council members individually.
• Cynthia Cochran (Library Advisory Board Chair): Asked the Council to continue supporting library impact fees, stating that impact fees ensure growth pays for growth and that existing residents are not asked to absorb the cost of serving new demand. Noted that library circulation, visits, and cardholders are outpacing population growth.
• Tim McDonald (Rogers resident, candidate for Circuit Judge Division 8): Informed the Council about the upcoming election of four new circuit judges in Benton County (March 3) and the resulting loss of judicial experience. Argued that adding a criminal judge with prosecution experience would help move felony cases through the system faster, reducing jail overcrowding without expanding the jail.

Discussion Items

• Impact Fee Discussion: Staff reviewed the history of impact fees dating back to 2002, the 2023 Tischler Bice study, and the adopted fee schedule ($3,845 for single-family detached). Departments (Fire, Police, Parks, Library) described how impact fees have funded station construction, park development (e.g., Citizens Park, Orchards Park, Osage Creek Trail), police communications center expansion, library makerspace and book sorter, and other growth-related capital. Council member Bill Burkhart presented calculations showing that combined current and new sewer capacity fees plus margins and financing could add $43,000 to the cost of a new home over a mortgage, and questioned whether the market can absorb such costs without driving out essential workers. Mayor Orman and staff emphasized that these fees are legally required to be based on growth-related capital needs and that reducing them would mean cutting CIP projects or shifting costs to existing ratepayers. Council members expressed a desire for a comprehensive financing package covering all revenue options, not just impact fees in isolation, and asked staff to pursue an updated impact fee study with Tischler Bice and a separate water impact fee study with Raftelis.
• Little Sugar Creek Dam Removal Follow-Up: David (staff) reported that the spillway originally considered for partial retention to preserve history should be fully removed to achieve best environmental and safety outcomes. Estimated additional cost of $12,000–$16,000, fully covered by existing contingency funds. The city will work with the Bella Vista History Museum to create storyboards about the history of the site, located near the restroom and playground out of the floodway. Council members expressed unanimous support for the change.
• Bentonville Water Utilities Overarching CIP Presentation: Freeze and Nichols consultants presented a comprehensive 25-year capital improvement plan for water and wastewater. Total capacity-driven projects (40 projects) are estimated at $675 million (escalated) over the next 10–25 years, including projects already in design or construction. Asset renewal (replacement of aging infrastructure) is estimated at an average of $15.3 million per year based on a system replacement value of approximately $1.7 billion. A risk-based assessment will prioritize renewal projects by condition and criticality. Council member Burkhart asked clarifying questions about the funding gap, noting that the total does not include roads or general fund needs.
• Ordinance for Waiver of Bid – Police Uniforms & Equipment (Item 3): Approved unanimously to authorize $154,500 agreement with Galls LLC.
• Ordinance for Waiver of Bid – Police Vehicles (Item 4): Approved unanimously to authorize not-to-exceed $800,000 agreement with Superior Automotive Group for 10 police vehicles with upfitting, waiving competitive bidding for upfitting only.
• Ordinance Requesting Waiver of Bid – Medical Supplies (Item 5): Approved unanimously for $125,000 to specified vendors. Emergency clause declared and approved.
• Ordinance Requesting Waiver of Bid – Raman Analyzer (Item 6): Approved unanimously for $67,128.98 to Far West.
• Ordinance Requesting Waiver of Bid – Heavy Rescue Stabilization Equipment (Item 7): Approved unanimously for $45,995.48 to Dixie Rescue Solutions.
• Ordinance Approving 2026 Public Transit Agreement (Item 11): Approved with emergency clause. $700,327 agreement with Ozark Regional Transit. Includes $5,000 set-aside for paratransit at $57.15 per occurrence.
• Meeting Procedures Resolution (Item 13): Approved unanimously. Includes updated language allowing speakers who either live or work in Bentonville to address the Council, as discussed in prior meetings. Council discussed enforcement of civility requirements; legal counsel noted limited enforceability under free speech protections.

Key Outcomes

• Staff directed by Council to proceed with an updated impact fee study through Tischler Bice (general fund) and a water impact fee study through Raftelis, aiming to bring results back to Council within 90–120 days. A comprehensive financing package covering all revenue options was also requested.
• Regarding the 10 development projects whose pre-construction meetings occurred after the January 22 deadline for the new sewer capacity fee, no waiver or extension was granted. Council member Bill Burkhart expressed concern about the lack of advance notice but acknowledged the ordinance does not allow waiving the fee after the effective date. Total fees for those 10 projects amount to approximately $3.5 million.
• Visitors Bureau / AMP Commission: Council was informed that Visit Bentonville has signed a lease to move its offices to the second floor of the Massey building downtown. The AMP Commission will request Council’s approval at the next meeting to place a 1% lodging tax increase on the May ballot, with proceeds intended for parks, trails, and related purposes. Council also received notice of a new commissioner appointment (Trey Bazour) for approval.
• Public Art Committee: Policy review meetings are ongoing; a 250th anniversary mosaic tile project involving schoolchildren was discussed, with a prompt likely to be “What do you love about the United States?” rather than city-specific, pending funding.
• Sidewalk project on Spriggs, Brookhaven, Second and Third streets: Following neighborhood meetings, consensus was reached that several roads will not receive sidewalks due to short driveways and resident opposition. The electric upgrades originally paired with sidewalk construction will proceed; staff will revisit sidewalk conversations on two remaining roads after electric design is complete. Residents expressed greater need for drainage improvements.
• All other waiver-of-bid ordinances and resolutions were approved unanimously via consent or separate roll-call votes.
• Meeting was adjourned after committee update announcements.