Bentonville City Council and Committee of the Whole Meeting Summary - May 12, 2026

The City of Bentonville held a combined Committee of the Whole and City Council meeting on May 12, 2026, at 6:00 PM in Bentonville City Hall. The meeting began with informational sessions in the Committee of the Whole, followed by the City Council business meeting where proclamations were issued, numerous contracts and ordinances were approved, and the council debated and ultimately filled a vacant Ward 1 seat.

Consent Calendar

• Items 6, 7, 9, 16-20, 22 (New Business) & Utility Board Item 2: Approved en bloc. Including purchase of an emergency communication center video system ($96,862.11) and consoles ($71,033.16), Solarwinds software renewal ($81,655.08), loan of 12 artworks from OZ Art for the Adult Recreation Center at no cost, a contract amendment for SE Walton & J Street ($24,600), rainbow curve improvements bid award to APAC-Central ($7,527,371.55), change order for Dave Peel Park (273-day extension) and plaza ($9,800), design services for a future Memorial Park Pickleball Complex ($300,000), and the Shewmaker Interceptor Rehabilitation Phase 1 construction bid ($3,743,519.10).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Immigration Rights Project: High school students Ashton Pizas and Sophia presented a community-based learning project on immigration rights. They shared three anonymized stories of immigrants (Anna C., Gabriel M., Jane D.) struggling with fear, limited resources, and family separation. They urged the council to expand accessible immigrant resources and legal aid programs, increase multilingual outreach, support partnerships with nonprofit immigration advocacy organizations, and create safer community spaces for all residents regardless of immigration status.
• Tiger Boulevard Overpass: A resident advocated for the commencement and completion of the Tiger Boulevard overpass project connecting McCollum Drive to NE Gramercy Road. The resident cited disproportionate traffic accidents in the area, referencing neighbor-created data from BentonvilleCrashData.org, and stated that a "bike to school" event required a police escort due to safety concerns. City staff responded that the design is being finished and the project aims to bid in the Fall of 2026.

Discussion Items

• Quarterly Financial Update: The Committee of the Whole received the first-quarter financial report. Council members noted no extraordinary findings and praised the updated presentation format for easier year-over-year comparison.
• Public Safety Equipment (Individual Votes):
  • Waiver of Bid for Radio Equipment ($102,601.57): Purchase of additional public safety radio equipment from KA-Comm, including a budget adjustment for a 7th dispatch console. Approved.
  • Waiver of Bid for 9-1-1 Equipment ($68,500): Agreement with AT&T for E9-1-1 call handling equipment and upgrades for a 7th position. Approved.
  • Purchase of 80 Tasers ($48,246.51 Year 1): Waiver of bid to enter a lease-to-own agreement with Axon Enterprise, Inc. to outfit all uniformed officers. Approved.
• Community Code Implementation (Items 11-15): Council approved a suite of ordinances updating references, zoning districts, fee schedules, and code sections in the Bentonville Municipal Code to align with the new Bentonville Community Code adopted on April 14, 2026. This included repealing a prohibition on roller skates, blades, and skateboards (Sec. 82-86).
• ARDOT Grant Transfer (Item 21): The council approved a resolution transferring ARDOT grant funds from the Elm Tree Sidepath Trail to the McCollum Sidepath Trail. A council member clarified this does not mean the Elm Tree project is cancelled; a Walton Family Foundation grant covers it. The McCollum project, delayed for years due to road ownership transfer issues, received a $1 million ARDOT grant requiring a 20% match. Staff estimates city funding needed will be minimal.
• Emergency W. McNelly Road Bridge Repair (Item 23): The council approved an emergency waiver of competitive bidding to repair the W. McNelly Road bridge crossing McKissic Creek, with an emergency clause declaring immediate need and authorizing up to $500,000.
• Utility Board – Substation Transformers ($6,044,984.73): The council approved a waiver of competitive bidding to purchase two substation transformers from Prolec-GE for a new substation serving the Bentonville Health Care Campus, citing market volatility and long lead times. An emergency clause was added.
• City Council Vacancy Discussion and Appointment:
  • The council debated at length how to fill the vacant Ward 1 seat.
  • Councilmember Octavio argued for appointing a temporary replacement until the November general election (which would simultaneously serve as a special election) to maintain a full 8-member council for tie-breaking votes, citing a recent 4-3 vote as evidence of the need.
  • Councilmembers Bill, Holly, and Cindy argued against an appointment, citing insufficient time to vet over a dozen applicants, the principle of letting citizens decide in a special election, and concerns about granting an unfair incumbency advantage to an appointee ahead of the November ballot. Councilmember Holly expressed changing her position after hearing the candidates.
  • A motion to hear from all candidates and appoint one for the remainder of the 2026 term passed 4-3.
  • Candidates presented to the council, including Dan Grover (20-year resident, Parks board, Spirit of Bentonville Award, would seek reelection), Julia Gregory (Harvard analytics master's, managed large budgets, focused on affordable housing, would seek reelection), Tom Hogan (Public Art Advisory Board, marketing exec), Benjamin Prout (veteran, product manager), Kim Bell (Walmart exec), and others.
  • Selection: A motion was made to appoint Dan Grover. A subsequent motion to rescind the plan failed on a 3-3 tie (Mayor abstaining). The final vote to appoint Dan Grover passed 5-1 (Councilmember Burkhart dissenting).
• Committee Assignments: Council agreed to assign Dan Grover to the Finance Committee.

Key Outcomes

• Appointment: Dan Grover was appointed to fill the vacant Ward 1 City Council seat for the remainder of the unexpired 2026 term.
• Special Election: A special election will be held in conjunction with the November 2026 general election to fill the seat for a subsequent two-year term. The council ruled out an earlier August election due to an estimated $17,000 cost for the standalone election.
• Financial Approvals: Approved multiple public safety and infrastructure contracts totaling over $12 million.
• Infrastructure Directive: The Street Committee approved a temporary traffic light at McCollum and Central to address congestion.
• Code Enforcement: Staff will review the process for addressing repeat nuisance yard offenders.