OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

City Council Agenda Session – April 28, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, April 28, 2026
BodyFayetteville, Arkansas
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, April 28, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:26:17

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Okay, everyone, we're gonna call this agenda session to order.

0:03

We're gonna get started.

0:06

Hello, yes, hello.

0:08

Okay, good.

0:08

Thank you.

0:09

Okay.

0:11

All right.

0:12

Um, I think I oh no, I think I have the wrong agenda.

0:16

No, I don't.

0:17

Okay.

0:18

We will begin next week's meeting with a sales tax and monthly financial report from Stephen Dotson, our chief financial officer.

0:24

Um after that, we will go into our consent agenda, which I'll begin reading now.

0:30

Um quickly though, Keith, Jonathan, do we have any council members that are um that have zoomed in?

0:39

Sorry, I had not logged in myself yet.

0:41

If you can give me just a moment, I think.

0:42

So, Keith, just turn on your light if we have a hand raised for um for any of our other members who might be participating that way.

0:50

First item of consent is a change order with Southern Brothers construction.

0:54

It's a resolution to approve change order number one with Southern Brothers in the amount of $37,950 for additional concrete work on the recycling and trash collections compost pad.

1:06

Peter Neerengarden, our environmental director, is here and can do a brief presentation on that or answer questions if you have them.

1:14

If not, we will move on to our next item of consent.

1:19

I do just have one question.

1:21

Peter, come on in.

1:23

Is will this be um the envisioned full build out for the compost expansion we're doing, or will there be any possibility in that space that there's going to be any future that thought of in that area?

1:34

I know we talk about a lot about the south part of campus and what might happen down there.

1:39

So this work, this work was just for repairs to our existing compost pad.

1:44

We had a a large area where there was a sinkhole.

1:47

Uh we bid the project out, and when they got in and did the demo, we realized that there was more concrete there and more repair work needed to be done than what we actually thought in the beginning.

1:57

So uh the amount of that work exceeded our contingency, and that's why we had to bring a change order back to you.

2:02

Um to answer your question, though.

2:04

No, this uh is not the completion of our work.

2:07

Right now we're beginning the remediation on the old PD shooting range, and once that lead remediation is complete, then we'll have some additional work in that area uh to to make that more usable.

2:18

And that'll have a similar layout where it will be these type of pads that'll be in that extra area as well then.

2:24

Okay, correct.

2:25

Thank you, Peter.

2:26

Okay, um A2 is a resolution to I'm sorry, I should have checked.

2:31

Do we have any more questions for Peter?

2:34

Okay.

2:34

A2, Flowers C C and D L L C cost Share, a resolution to repeal resolution 278-24 and approve a cost share agreement with flowers C C and D L C in an amount not to exceed 23,289.50 cents for the installation of a water line and to approve a project contingency in the amount of four thousand six hundred and fifty-eight dollars.

2:57

This has gone to the water and sewer committee, and Tim is here um and can answer questions about it if you have them.

3:10

Okay.

3:11

We will move on to item A3, uh, still with water and sewer.

3:16

It's at 2825 North Humeunt Road.

3:19

It's a resolution to allow the extension of the city sewerage system beyond the city limits to 2825 North Humeunt Road under the same conditions as a citizen of Fayetteville could receive such sewer services for new construction.

3:33

And Tim, do you mind to come up and tell Tim or Corey and tell us a little bit more about this one?

3:37

Ms.

3:38

Turk.

3:39

Um, I wanna I I'd like to hear what Tim has to say, but um I'd really kind of like to pull this off.

3:47

The water and sewer committee is not has not reviewed this, and there have been other citizens that are already within the city of Fayetteville boundaries that have requested sewer service, and so I want to make sure that our policies are consistent, um, especially with um sewer requests that's outside of the city limits right now.

4:06

Okay.

4:06

Tim, can you address that?

4:07

And then Mr.

4:08

Stafford, do you want to give Tim a chance to speak?

4:10

Or do you go ahead and yeah?

4:12

I have a question as well.

4:13

I I'll I'll listen to what Tim has to say first.

4:16

Okay, please go ahead.

4:18

So, sir sewer service for this single family home was requested uh due to a failing septic tank.

4:24

Um a sewer service line across North Hume Road would be required to service this property.

4:30

Uh the septic system was inspected and evaluated by a licensed plumbing contractor in February, and it was determined that the system is failing, no longer functioning or in a safe or sustainable manner.

4:41

The system is no longer dispersing wastewater into the soil as designed, causing sewage to back up into the home.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Water And Wastewater Management██████████████████████████████30%
Mental Health Awareness█████████████████████21%
Public Engagement█████████████13%
Flood Management████████8%
Zoning And Land Use███████7%
Procedural██████6%
Public Safety██████6%
Engineering And Infrastructure███3%
Homelessness██2%
Summary of Proceedings

The Fayetteville City Council held an agenda session on April 28, 2026, to preview and discuss items scheduled for the regular council meeting on May 5, 2026. The session included a detailed presentation on the proposed 2026 water and sewer rate and impact fee study, discussions on several consent agenda items (some of which were pulled for further review), and presentations on rezoning requests and a crisis response system study by University of Arkansas PhD students. No formal votes were taken, as this was a preparatory session.

Consent Calendar

  • A1: Change Order with Southern Brothers Construction – Resolution to approve a $37,950 change order for additional concrete work on the recycling and trash collections compost pad. Environmental Director Peter Neerengarden explained the work was for repairs to an existing sinkhole, not a full buildout.
  • A2: Cost Share Agreement with Flowers CC and D LLC – Resolution to repeal Resolution 278-24 and approve a cost share agreement not to exceed $23,289.50 for a water line installation, plus a $4,658 contingency.
  • A3: Sewer Extension at 2825 North Humeunt Road – Resolution to allow a sewer connection outside city limits for a failing septic system, contingent on annexation. Councilmember Turk requested this be pulled from consent due to policy consistency concerns and the lack of a water/sewer committee review. It was moved to new business.
  • A4: On-Call Materials Testing Services – Resolution to award RFQ 26-1 selection number one to McClelland Consulting Engineers, Olsen Associates, and GTS Incorporated through April 2027.
  • A5: On-Call Surveying Services – Resolution to award RFQ 26-1 selection number two to Crafton Toll, Hawkins We're Engineers, and Garvert Incorporated through April 2027.
  • A6: Plain View Avenue and Rolling Hills Connection – Resolution to amend a contract with Garver LLC for $88,050 in additional design services for the Plain View and Rolling Hills Extension Project.
  • A7 & A8: Homeless Services Contracts – Staff indicated that future contracts for day center operations and Walker Family Center services will be opened to competitive bidding (RFP) in the next cycle.
  • A9: Security Bollards at Upper Ramble – Resolution to award a $166,647 contract to Hutton Corporation for security bollard installation, with a $20,000 contingency, to be installed before June events.
  • A10: Purchase of 2400 West Valley Drive – Resolution to purchase a floodway property for $225,000 (plus $7,500 contingency) to remove a structure and improve flood flow. Councilmember Wheat expressed concerns about paying above appraised value and the lack of a comprehensive flood mitigation plan. The item was pulled to new business.

Discussion Items

  • 2026 Water and Sewer Rate and Impact Fee Study – Corey Granderson (Utilities Engineer) and Isola Barnes (Corolla Engineers) presented a phased rate adjustment and updated impact fees. Key points:
    • Water reserves would fall below minimum within one year without rate increases.
    • Proposed: 14% revenue increase in July 2026, 16% in 2027 and 2028, then 3% inflation adjustments in 2029 and 2030.
    • Sewer rates: 3% annual increases (status quo).
    • Impact fees: updated from $1,843 to $5,670 combined (water and sewer) – first update since 2009.
    • Inside city customers using 2,000 gallons or less would see no increase in July 2026; average 4,000-gallon household would see about $4.50 increase.
    • Outside city rates are 1.5 times inside rates.
    • Council questions focused on growth assumptions, water loss (42% unaccounted), and the need for regular master planning.
  • Rezone 2026-009 West Palmer Place – Proposal to rezone from RSF4 to RSF8. Staff and planning commission recommend approval. Councilmember Turk requested a tour of the property due to stormwater concerns.
  • Rezone 2026-008 1705 North Garland – Proposal to rezone from RSF4 to RIU; the planning commission denied it (2-6 vote). The item is on appeal. Council discussed potential PCD or conditional use permit alternatives. A tour was scheduled for the same day as the Palmer Place tour.
  • Crisis Response System Presentation – University of Arkansas PhD students presented a capstone project comparing crisis response models (CERT, STAR, HART, CORE) and offered recommendations for Fayetteville, including expanding CERT hours, piloting a civilian-led team, and adding mobile crisis units. Council members expressed appreciation but noted the presentation was irregular as it was not routed through staff or the police department first. Some members raised concerns about the cost comparison methodology and the lack of ride-along experience. The resolution to thank the students (D6) was not moved to consent due to a council member's objection and remained on the agenda.

Key Outcomes

  • Item A3 (sewer extension) and A10 (property purchase) were pulled from consent and will be considered as new business at the May 5 meeting.
  • The sewer damage claim (C1) was postponed to May 19, 2026, pending adjuster information.
  • Rezone items D3 and D4: A tour of both properties is scheduled for Monday, May 4, 2026, at 3:00 PM.
  • The water and sewer rate ordinances (public hearing on May 5) will be voted on at the May 5 regular meeting.
  • The resolution thanking the University of Arkansas students (D6) will be considered as a separate item at the May 5 meeting.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, everyone, we're gonna call this agenda session to order. We're gonna get started. Hello, yes, hello. Okay, good. Thank you. Okay. All right. Um, I think I oh no, I think I have the wrong agenda. No, I don't. Okay. We will begin next week's meeting with a sales tax and monthly financial report from Stephen Dotson, our chief financial officer. Um after that, we will go into our consent agenda, which I'll begin reading now. Um quickly though, Keith, Jonathan, do we have any council members that are um that have zoomed in? Sorry, I had not logged in myself yet. If you can give me just a moment, I think. So, Keith, just turn on your light if we have a hand raised for um for any of our other members who might be participating that way. First item of consent is a change order with Southern Brothers construction. It's a resolution to approve change order number one with Southern Brothers in the amount of $37,950 for additional concrete work on the recycling and trash collections compost pad. Peter Neerengarden, our environmental director, is here and can do a brief presentation on that or answer questions if you have them. If not, we will move on to our next item of consent. I do just have one question. Peter, come on in. Is will this be um the envisioned full build out for the compost expansion we're doing, or will there be any possibility in that space that there's going to be any future that thought of in that area? I know we talk about a lot about the south part of campus and what might happen down there. So this work, this work was just for repairs to our existing compost pad. We had a a large area where there was a sinkhole. Uh we bid the project out, and when they got in and did the demo, we realized that there was more concrete there and more repair work needed to be done than what we actually thought in the beginning. So uh the amount of that work exceeded our contingency, and that's why we had to bring a change order back to you. Um to answer your question, though. No, this uh is not the completion of our work. Right now we're beginning the remediation on the old PD shooting range, and once that lead remediation is complete, then we'll have some additional work in that area uh to to make that more usable. And that'll have a similar layout where it will be these type of pads that'll be in that extra area as well then. Okay, correct. Thank you, Peter. Okay, um A2 is a resolution to I'm sorry, I should have checked. Do we have any more questions for Peter? Okay. A2, Flowers C C and D L L C cost Share, a resolution to repeal resolution 278-24 and approve a cost share agreement with flowers C C and D L C in an amount not to exceed 23,289.50 cents for the installation of a water line and to approve a project contingency in the amount of four thousand six hundred and fifty-eight dollars. This has gone to the water and sewer committee, and Tim is here um and can answer questions about it if you have them. Okay. We will move on to item A3, uh, still with water and sewer. It's at 2825 North Humeunt Road. It's a resolution to allow the extension of the city sewerage system beyond the city limits to 2825 North Humeunt Road under the same conditions as a citizen of Fayetteville could receive such sewer services for new construction. And Tim, do you mind to come up and tell Tim or Corey and tell us a little bit more about this one? Ms. Turk. Um, I wanna I I'd like to hear what Tim has to say, but um I'd really kind of like to pull this off. The water and sewer committee is not has not reviewed this, and there have been other citizens that are already within the city of Fayetteville boundaries that have requested sewer service, and so I want to make sure that our policies are consistent, um, especially with um sewer requests that's outside of the city limits right now. Okay. Tim, can you address that?

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