Bentonville City Council & Committee of the Whole Meeting Summary: July 28, 2026

The regular meeting of the Committee of the Whole and City Council of Bentonville, Arkansas was held on July 28, 2026, at 6:00 PM at City Hall. The Committee of the Whole session featured informational updates on the water system and capital program priorities. The City Council session included public hearings, a consent agenda, and votes on multiple ordinances and rezoning requests. The meeting adjourned with general public comments and committee reports.

Consent Calendar

• New Business Items 2 (Superior Automotive Group contract), 4 (Fidelity grant for student art project), 5 (artwork loan for Dave Peel Park), 6 (appointment of Bronwen Gregory to PAAB), 7 (2026 CDBG Action Plan), 9-11 (public hearing settings for right-of-way, access easement, and utility easement vacations), 12 (Flintco Adult Recreation Center change order #1), 14 (Olsson Amendment for Walton & Central Intersection), 15 (Olsson Amendment for SW 2nd & 'O' Drainage), 16 (budget adjustment for concrete repairs), and Utility Board Item 1 (Vaughn/Old Farm Sewer Agreement) were approved collectively without separate discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Robert Crane registered to speak on the Electric Code ordinance but the Mayor apologized for calling the vote before recognizing him; he did not provide testimony.
• Public Hearing (Item 8): No members of the public provided testimony on the alley right-of-way vacation (VAC26-0035).
• General Public Comment: Shayna Calloway addressed the council regarding a significant, ongoing water leak in front of the hospital. She expressed frustration that prior calls to the water department and hospital had not resolved the issue, estimating a substantial flow of water was being wasted. Staff and council members acknowledged the complaint, explaining that leaks on the private side are the owner's responsibility, and committed to investigating and contacting the new hospital operator, Freeman. Council member Suter urged Ms. Calloway to file a formal 311 request to ensure accountability and tracking.

Discussion Items

• Water System Performance Update (Informational): Staff deferred the comprehensive presentation to the Committee of the Whole meeting in August. Key reported metrics included a 20% reduction in water loss, a peak day demand reduced from 26.5 to 21.5 million gallons, and the successful support of Bella Vista's water supply during a neighboring line rupture without exceeding current capacity. Council discussed the challenge of motivating property owners to repair private-side leaks, particularly for sewer inflow in rainwater, where the financial motivation is lower.
• Capital Program Planning & Priorities (Informational): Council engaged in a strategic discussion on aligning capital priorities. Council member Stone identified raw infrastructure (water, sewer, streets, sidewalks) and public safety as top priorities, expressing concern that the growth of capital needs outpaces the city's ability to finance them. Council member Acri emphasized the need for proportional investment in quality-of-life amenities alongside core infrastructure. The Mayor and staff clarified that the CIP is a comprehensive planning document, a balanced budget will be presented in November, and the city is aggressively pursuing grants and private funding. The relationship between the full CIP and the Tischler impact fee analysis was explained, noting that the impact fee CIP is a narrower subset focused on growth-related projects.
• LDS Church Certificate of Occupancy: Council member Acri asked for an update on the C.O. hold up for the LDS Church on 28th and Featherston. Staff confirmed the legal team was resolving the issue and that the C.O. would be authorized within the next half day.
• Electric Code Amendment (Item 1): Adopted unanimously. Council members expressed support for the change to allow 14-gauge wire, aligning with the national code and noting its potential to significantly reduce construction costs for multi-family housing.
• Rezoning - SNUG Properties, 1108 Royal Dr (RZ26-0032): Approved (6-1). Council member Burkhart voted in opposition, calling the zoning change 'destructive' to the surrounding single-family neighborhood. Staff noted the applicant had already lowered their request from a higher density T4.1 based on staff recommendations.
• Rezoning - STEM Lands, 607 SW F Street (RZ26-0018): Adopted unanimously. An upzoning from T5.1 to T5.2 Town Center High.
• Committee Reviews: The Active Transportation Advisory Board discussed traffic signal timing and cyclist safety. Parks Board reported on the new maintenance facility. Public Art Advisory Board toured potential installation sites. Council member Stone requested a future presentation on the city's license plate reader ('flock camera') program to better address constituent questions.

Key Outcomes

• Approved: Electric Code Amendment (unanimous), Code Enforcement Fees ordinance (unanimous), Alley Vacation VAC26-0035 (unanimous), Half Marathon Fees ordinance (unanimous), Rezoning RZ26-0018 (unanimous), Rezoning RZ26-0032 (6-1), Consent Agenda (all designated items).
• Appointment: Bronwen Gregory to the Public Art Advisory Board.
• Deferred Actions: Full Water System Performance presentation deferred to the August Committee of the Whole meeting. Presentation on license plate reader cameras scheduled for a future meeting.
• Directives: Water Department directed to investigate the hospital water leak immediately.