Okay, let's get started with our agenda session for today, which is the 26th, May 26th.

And I, for some reason, oh, here we go.

Okay, so this will be the meeting that we will have next week.

And first up, after the pledge and announcements, Steve will be doing a sales tax and monthly financial report.

It feels like we just did that, but I guess it's already been a month, and so it's time again.

Um and I will go through what will be on the consent agenda.

We'll have the minutes, of course.

Oh, also, Keith, I needed to check.

Is Dr.

Jones on Zoom?

I'm logging on right now.

Okay, got it.

He usually texts if he's having an issue, but I wanted to just see.

Um first item or A2 of consent is a resolution to approve amendment one to the professional services contract with Garver LLC for additional research, excuse me, for additional services related to the Lake Sequoia Bridge Rehabilitation Project.

And Chris is here and can speak about that if anybody has any questions.

I think that's one that has been talked about even prior to my being on board.

Chris, I know Miss Moore has a question.

If you'll go ahead and come up.

Hi, Chris.

I know these projects can sometimes evolve over time, so I didn't want to thinking back in my memory bank.

Let's just try and this is for design work.

Do we have a kind of ballpark estimate at this time of what we're thinking the total project costs are gonna be for this?

Yeah, so uh we're we're kind of out of sequence here, but um we did we we took bids for the project, so that the project has been bid.

Uh that was at council maybe last time or a couple of times ago.

$600,000 for the bid, and then we had a hundred thousand dollar contingency, so about seven hundred thousand.

Um this total design, uh this increases the design.

I don't remember what the what the numbers were before, but we bid the project uh multiple times, probably three or four times at least.

And so some of what you're seeing here is reflecting in those services and just cycling back through and trying to get construction bids.

Okay.

And so then with that design being redone, I mean, is it possible with the contingency that we have in place that we might see this again with another adjustment with them redesigning, or do we think that will cover we well, we hope not.

Um what uh what really what we need to do is get the contractor out there and see um it's the the big unknown is the deck, so they have to remove uh unstable and unsound portions of the the concrete deck, and once you start doing that, it can kind of get worse on you.

So we've estimated how much we think the deck is gonna have to be removed and replaced.

If that grows a little bit, that's what the contingency is for.

If it grows beyond the contingency, then we would have to come back to council.

Okay, and then if you needed additional, where does that end up potentially coming from?

Which budget?

We're taking these from the from the uh existing transportation bonds, the 2022 bond.

Okay, so it just come additionally from that one as well.

Correct.

Okay, all right.

Thank you, Chris.

Okay, Mr.

Stafford.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh Chris, uh, just to follow up uh and expound maybe a little.

So this is gonna be replacing the deck or replacing the deck where needed, and then probably replacing railing, uh safety railing where needed.

Uh there, I I'm not sure.

Or is that for the shape.

I don't remember the uh any railings that are being repaired, but uh the joints themselves are pretty bad.

So we're replacing the the steel joints in between them also.

That's the other major component is that like the expansion joints, right?

Correct.

Okay.

And um I think that's pretty much it.

So like any section that has like there's some sections with just holes through the deck, that's all gonna be covered, but we're not not doing any widening or anything like that.

That's correct.

Just rehabbing the the structure that's in place.

Okay, great.

Thank you.

Great, thanks, Chris.

Um, the next item.

I believe administration wants to pull Keith.

Do you want to do that?

That's correct.

We'd like to pull this item and we're gonna uh move it to the next city council meeting.

Okay.

So that moves us to A4, which will be the new A3.

A resolution to approve change order two to the contract with Goins Enterprises Inc.

and the amount of five thousand six hundred and seventy-two dollars.

Is that right?

Just five, okay.

For the usually okay, yeah.

For the restriction of 24-inch water lines in South Fayetteville.

A very small change order.

Yes, I I do too.

I just thought it was surely a typo.

Okay.

A five is a resolution to approve amendment number one to the master agreement with Crafton Toll and Associates and the amount of 189,380 for preliminary design services on the Greg Street Safe Streets and Roads for All Project.

Also, we're about to have a presentation just FYI from Dane about the safe routes to school as well as Vision Zero.

But this A5 is specifically an amendment regarding Greg Street.

Ms.

Moore, I just um had a question about the sequencing that's gonna happen with the design.

I know there's been a lot of discussion publicly from residents about Greg Street.

And we had the survey we did the PACRAT night, but I think the date came out pretty late, a couple of days ahead of time.

We talked about maybe doing another in person with a little bit more notice for residents.

And so just wanted to understand timeline of how this is gonna work.

I you know, do get feedback when folks see you know the physical, you know, kind of drawings and design and feeling like they're later in the process.

And so I just want people to be really clear since um they have a lot of interest on Greg Street right now.

Yeah, sure.

Um so this so we're basically in the front end of this project.

Um we're gonna present that conceptual design to the transportation committee this evening for um feedback.

And if uh we'd basically be asking for a vote to move ahead with that design at this point in time.

Um that that will basically get Crafts and toll to do to the preliminary design, at which point we have another public meeting to get additional feedback, and that would probably be um later this year, probably early fall would be my guess.

Okay, so if we don't pass it through transportation committee, I guess that's the question.

I mean, um would there be the potential of holding it for getting additional comment or I mean for the timeline you're trying to meet too?

I'm just trying to understand too, because I know this all flows together, sorry.

Yeah, yeah.

If if I I would think if there are certain comments that you guys have tonight that we can we can incorporate in the design, we could approve it contingent upon those comments, and that way we could keep the keep the project moving ahead.

Okay, but we do uh have a timeline.

Um we're trying to get this to the point where we can get the NEPA submittal in.

That's kind of the big stepping stone the environmental approval.

So that is kind of the rush right now.

Okay, all right, thank you.

Okay, great, thank you.

And now I will ask Dane if you would like to come up and present um an abbreviated version.

I think you either are doing or have already done a presentation to transportation committee.

That is that tonight or was that last month?

Yeah, I think you already did it.

Okay.

So as so that we can all hear the safe routes to school plan and also the vision zero plan.

Is that someone's phone?

Do you hear that?

Okay.

Okay, uh, thank you.

Good evening, uh council members.

Thank you, Mayor.

So uh this evening I'm just uh giving a quick update on our Safe Ross of School Plan.

Uh this is gonna be a resolution uh request for uh approval by resolution from the the council for uh this plan document.

So in 2024, Fayetteville was awarded a hundred thousand dollar grant through the Northwest Arkansas Planning Commission and the Department of Transportation's carbon reduction plan for a comprehensive safe routes of school plan for the city and the school district.

Fayetteville Public School District, as well as the city uh committed twelve thousand five hundred dollars each uh to share in the matching funds for this this project for a total budget of 125,000.

Tool design group was selected through a competitive bid process uh and selected to uh begin work on the the plan, which is which was completed in April of 2026.

Uh Fayetteville Public Schools is a major contributor of the traffic for this the Fayetteville community with over 10,000 students traveling to and from school each day.

And Fayetteville, even though we are a gold-level bicycle-friendly community and an extensive trail system and ongoing efforts to provide safe walking and biking routes.

Uh less than 10% of our public school students do walk or bike to school.

So this plan focuses on six key areas engineering, education, encouragement, equity, enforcement, and evaluation and planning.

Collectively known as the six E's, which is a uh a holistic approach towards addressing infrastructure needs around campuses as well as policy changes and support programs to foster culture for families choose to walk and bike safely and roll to school.

Uh, and that's normalized and celebrated through the culture.

So uh the six goals are focused on engineering and planning, which addresses infrastructure needs within a quarter mile of every school campus, identified through extensive GIS mapping and data collection.

So the six goals are focused on engineering and planning, which addresses infrastructure needs within a quarter mile of every school campus, identified through extensive GIS mapping and data collection, education, provide on bike education for K through six students, provide driver's education as well, and uh and through high school encouragement by providing bike and walk to school programs to help achieve the plan's school-specific mode share goals and increase the number of bike and walk to school students by 50 50% by the year 2029, enforcement to ensure that every school has full crossing guard staff and strict enforcement of school zones, evaluation.

So this is accountability that establishes uh an implementation plan and formal adoption through the school board as well as the city council to conduct annual travel tallies and measure each school's progress.

Equity and allocating resources to schools and students where they will have the most impact.

So the plan identifies ongoing programmatic needs such as education, encouragement, coordination across schools, which would require dedicated staff and capacity from favorable public schools as well as the city to implement effectively.

City and the public schools uh staff technical advisory committee work closely with tool design group and city staff uh through the planning process.

Uh in-person meetings were held with each school principals, including school resource officers, crossing guards, bike education uh faculty, and uh we did hold a large open house at Woodland Junior High, those well attended to showcase some of the draft of the plan.

Uh our online survey uh received over 500 responses, and uh over 3,000 students participated in the travel tally surveys, which was a like a census for how students travel to school every day.

And this plan has been through the Active Transportation Advisory Committee and the Transportation Committee for Review and recommended for uh approval by the full council.

Can you tell me you said there were six?

I have education, equity, encourage, encouragement, enforcement evaluation.

Sorry, I didn't mean to put you on the spot.

Engineering and planning.

Got it.

Engineering.

That's what it was.

Okay.

Um then just housekeeping note.

Terry, was that door locked?

Could you not get in?

Yeah.

Okay.

All right, just checking Keith in case anyway.

Okay.

Thanks, Dane.

And are you gonna roll right into Vision Zero?

If there's no questions, questions about safe streets for all.

Okay, I don't think so.

Go ahead.

Okay.

Oh, do you want to was that?

I have A7 as well.

Yes, that's what I was gonna say.

You want to go ahead and roll right into A.

Vision Zero Safety Action Plan?

That would be great, yes, at least.

So uh again, this is very similar item.

So we're uh bringing forward a local vision zero plan or a comprehensive safety action plan.

There is a plan for the region.

Uh this is Fayetteville's specific Vision Zero colloquially named Vision Zero Plan, but it's a comprehensive safety action plan aimed at strategies to eliminate and reduce uh fatal and serious injury crashes on our roadways to zero.

So uh traffic crashes remain significant public risk issue in Fayetteville and across Northwest Arkansas.

Between 2018 and 2022, 235 people in Fayetteville were killed or seriously injured in traffic crashes with vulnerable road users, people walking, bicycling, and motorcycling, especially, accounting for a disproportionate share of those severe outcomes.

Grant through through that program.

So uh in the discussion section, safety action plan provides Fayetteville specific strategies, actions, and priorities on corridors to improve safety for all users.

Key outcomes are implementation of the safe system approach, which is a framework that acknowledges human error and prioritizes designing streets to minimize severe outcomes when crashes do occur.

Equity focused prioritization and improvements where areas with higher social vulnerability and persistent property.

Implementation frameworks.

So action items with timelines, cost ranges, responsible agencies, and execution guidelines.

The plan also aligns with ongoing activities, including safe streets, uh safe reps of school planning, complete streets implementation, and recently awarded federal federal SS4A funding for corridor improvements.

Adoption of a plan that will uh that will give Fayetteville continued advantage in SS4A applications.

This has been reviewed and you unanimously supported by the Act of Transportation Advisory Committee and the Transportation Committee of the City Council.

And as a side note too, we just hit submit on uh another SS4A grant that will uh be that is referencing this local action plan.

So we are working towards more funding through these programs as we speak.

Thank you does anybody have any questions about vision zero.

Keith.

Oh, okay.

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

All right, first item of unfinished business.

Hopefully, for the last time on unfinished business.

Um a resolution pursuant to 39.10C4 of Fayetteville City Code to authorize a payment of 100,000 to Chris Scaraki for a sewer damage claim.

Tim, can you give us the latest?

Yes, ma'am, I can.

Uh we've been waiting for lodging receipts, and we did receive some at 407 for coming down this meeting.

So the Airbnb receipts are a total of 4700.

Uh staff will have to get with the city attorney on the ordinance with the per diem and the and if there's a food allowance.

Uh also the other uh discrepancies as they're called, and there is a difference between salvageable items that could be salvaged according to the adjuster, and was not we're not salvaged with the contractor's estimate.

So uh right now the um the total price is 136,201 plus the 4700, which would be 185, or excuse me, 141,000.

Uh the claimant is asking for 185,736.

Um we don't see a whole lot of uh wiggle room in the adjuster and the repair cost as far as the uh mitigation, we paid what they were asking as far as the uh cleaning of personal items and we asked everything else.

We are awarding what the claimant is asking.

The discrepancy is in the repair cost.

Our adjuster did use contractor software that gives the that's updated every 30 days, gives us the current price of things, and he went in and measured every square foot of what needed to be done.

So we're pretty comfortable with that uh assessment.

Okay.

I hope that regardless of what the outcome is, we can get to a resolution.

You don't see any reason it will be tabled next week, do you?

Like no, I'm not seeing any reason.

Okay.

All right.

Okay.

Thank you.

Go ahead, Ms.

Moore.

Just one thing that I know this has been a different claim than what we've um seen previously, but just from our previous claims in the past, are you able to give us at next Tuesday nights or somewhere in between?

Um typically, I know adjusters for those of us that have had to do things and with our insurance.

You know, you might have a claim and they have a difference amount.

Can you tell us maybe historically what that's look like?

So we have something to gauge based on other claims when something's come forward, how much the adjuster versus, you know, is it typically it's a 10% off or it's off by 30%?

I mean, I just don't know.

Well, typically a lot of our claims are reimbursement for plumbing bills and this type of deal, is it's ones where we do not use an adjuster, uh, usually anywhere from a dollar to $7,000, maybe a little more.

When it gets to the point where there's structural need to be structural repair, we will call the adjuster in.

Uh, and you know in all the years we've used them, uh, there's never been anything like this as far as as a claimant completely uh disagreeing with what the adjuster said.

Uh we've even had some instances where the adjuster did an estimate and the claimants insurance did an estimate, and there were like one penny off on two.

So we're very confident on that, but there's no percentage that's used, it's actual what the damage is, what the what it's cost to make the customer haul.

Okay.

Thank you for that background.

Okay.

Yeah, go ahead.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, I think my question is for Kit.

Um Kit, because the language of the uh resolution is still the 100,000 dollar amount, but we're we're using the new ordinance to uh use the adjuster's amount.

Uh are we gonna have to amend this or uh how will this come to us and will we need to make amendments?

I guess that is correct.

Uh, if you want to use the adjuster's amount, uh then you'll have to amend from this one to the adjuster's amount.

I'll have that resolution ready and send it to you uh probably this week so you can take a look at it.

But uh the new ordinance does allow you to pay up to the amount that our ingesture has kind of certified.

Okay, great.

And then and that's pretty much it.

We won't be able to debate like this is like you want to pay what the adjuster says or not, like pretty simple, right?

It's up to that amount.

You wouldn't have to pay the full amount of what the adjuster says, but you can't go above it.

Gotcha.

Thank you, Matt.

You won't be amending, you'll be drafting a new resolution entirely.

Is that correct?

Right.

I will draft the whole new resolution for that that you can substitute for this one.

Will it still be then fall on just asking about will it still fall on unfinished business or will it be considered brand new new business on the first reading?

Uh yes, no, it's uh it's old business.

You're just you're just amending this resolution to the new resolution.

Okay.

Great.

Thank you.

Okay, thanks, Tim.

Um B2, a resolution to order the raising and removal of a dilapidated and unsafe structure on property owned by Stephen and Greta Smith, located at 20 North School Avenue.

Um this was tabled on the at the April 21st meeting, we tabled it to this meeting.

Do we have any, and I don't remember why?

Jonathan, do you have updates for us?

I do.

Thank you, Mayor.

Jonathan Kurt, Development Services Director.

Uh this item and the next one were both uh tabled at staff's recommendation after we put them on URL's agenda.

It appeared to it got the public or excuse me, it appeared that it got the property owner's attention, as is so often the case.

Uh this specific item, uh, the one at 20 North School did have a demolition permit submitted for it in the time between the last meeting and this one.

Uh that was issued Thursday of last week.

And about 90 minutes ago, we got a schedule of their plan for how to take down the building.

Uh, we are currently evaluating that, and if we feel like it's reasonable, we may be recommending this item be tabled by council indefinitely so that they can move forward with that work themselves.

Great.

I'm happy to take any questions or uh remind council anything on this item.

We know there was not a formal presentation because of uh our request to table it.

Uh but if it if it is staff's recommendation that it be removed, we'll we will make a full presentation on Tuesday.

Okay.

Um what about the B3, the raisin removal of the property on North Jackson?

This one we have not seen a demolition permit uh submitted for it.

Staff did meet with the property owner who expressed the same objective they've been expressing since January of last year, which is that they want to make repairs to the structure.

We've not seen any building permits submitted.

Uh they did submit a uh a schedule to do that work about 15 minutes ago, I believe.

Uh, we are also evaluating that one.

There's nothing like a public hearing to get people's attention.

Uh so uh that one uh currently staff does not have any uh indication that they're gonna move forward with the work, so we may be uh recommending that that one that council issue the order for raise and removal on that one.

But I'll certainly uh we'll offer a more full picture on Tuesday as we have a chance to evaluate these.

Okay, thank you.

Um now a rezoning, and this is technically an old business though.

We didn't it didn't go through a reading, so it's essentially it's new.

It's an ordinance to rezone the property described in RZN 2026-11 for approximately 0.4 acres located at 1002 North Hall Avenue in Ward 4 from RSF 4 for units per acre to UN urban neighborhood.

Jonathan.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh the both these this and the next item have the same applicant or representative.

Uh they tabled it, acknowledging how busy your your last agenda was.

Uh no new information has been provided, and and staff intends to make a uh a full typical presentation this coming Tuesday since it will be the first formal hearing that this item and the next item have had at the council.

Okay.

Ms.

Turk.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, I think we've received a lot of uh comment for the public that was last week that might have been kind of commingled with all the other public comments we got on uh Swarm Arrow and the Rami and everything else.

So I just wanted to remind the council of that, and then um, you know, usually I would suggest a tour, but I think it's pretty easy to go by and see these two properties, and so I'd encourage all of us to do that.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Um I'll go ahead and read the the next one, though.

I think Jonathan, it seems like you sort of spoke for both of them at one time, but it's an ordinance to rezone the property described in RZN 2026-10 for approximately 0.31 acres located at 800 North Hall, also moving from RSF for residential single family and P1 institutional to UN urban neighborhood.

And do you have any additional comments for that one or were they all together?

No new updates, Mayor.

Okay.

Okay.

Um so that brings us on to what will be on new business.

Um first up is an ordinance to implement an annual 3% compass 3% compound cost of living adjustment for all eligible participants of the City of Fayetteville Fire Pension Fund.

Stephen, would you like to talk a little bit about this?

Thank you, Mayor.

Um the old fire pension plan voted to consolidate with Lop Fee back in 2023.

And at that time, the plan was consolidated without a cola.

Um, and that was basically due to the financial status of the plan at that time and the revenues that were coming in to pay off those expenses.

In 2026, we received a request to have an actual study done uh to determine the feasibility of providing a three percent COLA.

In reviewing that actuarial study and uh taking a look at the projected revenues to pay off those costs, which are property tax millage and state turnback, uh the city determined that a 3% uh compound cola could be funded.

And this ordinance provides that 3% cost of living adjustment uh for the old fire plan retirees, which matches what we had done with the old police plan when that was consolidated last year.

Happy to take any questions on this.

Mr.

Wheelker.

Thank you.

So is it up to 3% or is it a automatic 3% each year?

It's an automatic 3%.

I believe that's calculated in July each year.

Okay.

So if in inflation we had deflation in, it was you know one percent, it would still be a three percent.

They've earned it.

That's correct.

Okay.

And you know, to be perfectly uh clear here.

So what we did is we we took a look at an actual study, and that's how these things were determined to determine what the projected cost in the future is uh for these uh plan remittances.

Then we took a look at what our projected income would be for the property tax millage and state turn back.

And so, you know, there is some um some projected numbers that are involved with this, some estimate, but uh as I mentioned before, we do feel like the revenues coming in are sufficient to to cover the cost of this three percent cola going forward.

And if that were ever to change and uh the revenues coming in for the millage or the state turn back were insufficient to cover it, basically that would be a cost that the general fund would need to bear, um, just to be perfectly open as to how this works.

Turk uh and then Mr.

Berna afterwards.

Okay, thank you, Mayor.

Um so just to be clear, you already we've we've already implemented this in the police fund, and you're just trying to implement the the everything is exact same between the far and the police if we pass this.

Well, the the plan I guess the the financial status of the two plans were a little bit different when we consolidated with LopVee.

And yes, to answer your question, this would uh basically match what we are currently doing with the old police pension plan.

Okay, thank you.

Um if I remember right, it's been many years since uh uh the fire uh retirees have received uh uh cost of living increase.

Do you know when the last time that was?

I apologize, I don't have that information.

It's been I mean, it they they manage their own plan for years and years, and I don't think that the plan was ever in a financial status to where they could afford a cola.

Um and I think that was part of uh the reason why they chose to consolidate with Lope when they did.

They were actually under uh kind of duress to where they couldn't select their own uh investments within that old fire plan.

And by consolidating with Lope, they were able to kind of take advantage of some economies of scale and a projected better return on investment that that Lope had provided over what they were currently receiving.

So to answer your question, I don't think it's it's actually ever happened, to be honest with you.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Stephen.

Thank you.

Thank you, Kara.

I know you work with that pension board as well.

So thank you.

Okay, okay.

Uh next up is um an ordinance to provide for the conservation and protection of certain city-owned real property to establish permitted and prohibited uses and for other purposes.

Allison, can you talk to us a little bit more about this?

I should have read the title.

Conservation ordinance for properties included in the climate pollution reduction grant.

Sure.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

As many of you may remember, the EPA awarded the Tri-Region Arkansas Coalition a CPRG grant, just under 100 million dollars in 2024.

Northwest Arkansas is seeing about 36 and a quarter million dollars of that.

Um and five of those projects are in Fayetteville, including the town branch corridor project, which is receiving about 5.2 million dollars for habitat and stream restoration.

So this is a request to approve an ordinance conserving city-owned lands along town branch associated with the grant.

Um the ordinance will be in place until 2050.

It was largely modeled after the streamside protection language and establishes permitted and prohibited uses of the land to maximize greenhouse gas reduction benefits included in the grant application and in accordance with the grant requirements.

The ordinance affects uh nine parcels or portions thereof containing approximately 72 acres along town branch, primarily in riparian areas.

A map of the properties is included in your packet, as well as a detailed list of the permitted and prohibited uses.

I'll have a more detailed um description next Tuesday, but I'm happy to answer any questions this afternoon.

Teresa.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, you know, Allison, I don't know if you were on that email um that was sent this afternoon by uh one of our residents, and they were concerned about sort of the pollution created um by the homeless, or at least that's what was in there.

And so I'm hoping maybe by next week when we hear this, that maybe you can address that and I can I can forward that email to you uh and maybe we could have a larger discussion about that or what this um uh um what that report has singled out.

Sure.

Um I was uh thank you for mentioning that email.

Um I was forwarded that, but I it's my understanding that that would be a a separate issue than this particular ordinance because that type of activity is already covered under existing city ordinances.

Okay, great.

Thank you for that clarification.

I thought it would I thought it was as well, but I wanted to make sure we talked about it tonight.

So thank you.

Um I don't know who was first, but Bob and then Ms.

Moore.

Okay.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um Allison, uh it's on the map, it's the blue areas.

Um I do notice an area uh where I've been working with a constituent and developer.

Uh they were hoping to get some uh a right-of-way for uh uh sewage pipe to the property.

It's like the only way uh they have to uh get that drainage to the property or get that sewer easement to the property, and I'm it looks like that may be in that blue area.

Um I I'd like to get a detail of that.

And and would this once this is if this were to pass and that was in this area, would that preclude them from being able to get that easement?

I would need to see the property that you're talking about.

And you and you and I have met about this property before over on the corner of Yeah, on town.

Yeah, I think I remember I can't remember the streets there, uh, but south of 15th, uh west of Razorback Road.

Correct.

This ordinance uh would likely prohibit that activity once it's in place.

Um could this map be adjusted to to because I think that's a pretty significant thing that they could stymie and cost someone a lot of money, and I'd hate to do that at the same time.

Let me take a look at that.

Okay, thank you.

Well, my question kind of piggybacks um just uh um not knowing what it's gonna look like when we get to 2050.

And so I looked at the uses that are allowed and then prohibited, and I can't imagine necessarily that we might need to do a prohibitive use, but I don't have a crystal ball and we do all kinds of things, and so what would have to be the process or would we have a workaround or what does it look like in the event we need to do something that we've committed we wouldn't do to 2050?

So, in terms of updating the ordinance, that's probably a uh question for Kit.

Okay.

Well, I didn't know if it goes in though, too, with our agreement though.

So the right, so these um requirements are meeting what uh the grant requirements are from the EPA.

Okay, so it could potentially, I mean, basically it could be it would have to, I'm assuming it would need to be revised back up through the EPA.

Okay, I mean I don't anticipate that way we'd have that.

I just was curious if it, you know, definitely permanently tied us to 2050 on some of that.

I mean, we end up with parking lots, for instance, as workarounds oftentimes close to waterways to be able to get some in-fill development.

So I just was like curious about some of that too.

Not that I want to put a parking lot by any waterway.

I've been a no on some of those.

But thank thank you for for walking through that with me.

I don't know, Kid, if you have anything to add to that.

You ask okay.

Do you want me to nudge him?

Okay.

Um Ms.

Turk.

Thank you, Mayor.

So Alison, am I understanding you correctly that um these are all required by the EPA at this point.

And so if for some reason we were to amend those or reject those Tuesday night, then that portion that Fayable gets of that 36 million dollars would be in jeopardy.

I can't speak if it would be in jeopardy.

I'm just uh I believe that if we wanted to make change changes to what is presented, then that would need to be reviewed through the EPA.

Okay, thank you.

All right, thank you, Allison.

Sure.

Minister Jones, we are on C3.

An ordinance to rezone the property described in RZN 2026-14 for approximately 0.21 acres located at 2710 North Colette Avenue in Ward 3 from RSF 4 to NC neighborhood conservation.

Jonathan.

Thank you, Mayor.

This request is in east northeast Fayetteville.

Uh it's one subdivision removed from Goalie Park to the northeast and about two lots south of Old Wire Road on Colette.

It's uh more specifically at the northeast corner of Collette Avenue and Yvonne Drive, which you'd be forgiven for not knowing Yvonne.

It's about 50 yards worth of street before dead ending uh to the east of this property.

Uh it's currently developed with one single family home.

And as Mayor noted, the request is to rezone it from RSF4 residential single family four units breaker to NC neighborhood conservation.

Uh to date, we've not received any public comments on this item.

Uh staff is recommending in favor of the request, and it's come to council with a unanimous vote of eight to zero as well.

Uh I can take any questions that the council may have.

Okay.

Looks like we're gonna move forward to the next one, which is C4.

It takes us to Dean Street.

It's RZN 2026 12 for approximately 0.7 acres at 2245 West Dean in Ward 2 from RSF 4 to RIU residential intermediate urban.

Thank you.

Uh an effort to make y'all's life harder.

We have two pairs of rezonings that are on the same street but removed from each other.

So the two on old business run hall, these two items are on Dean Street.

Uh the first one is the westernmost of the two.

Uh, to orient you, it's due south of fire station number eight.

It's between uh Porter to the west and evening shade to the east.

It's a property on the south side of the street that's uh currently developed with a duplex.

It is proposed to be rezoned from RSF4 to RIU, residential intermediate urban.

And having not heard any public comment to date, uh the main update I have for you is that staff is recommending in favor of this one as well.

And it also came to the city council by unanimous uh positive vote from the planning commission.

Okay.

Great.

That takes us through new business.

We have a Mayor, I didn't I didn't touch on the second of the other dean items if you'd like me to briefly.

Oh, I'm so sorry, there's a second okay.

No, you're right.

I apologize.

Yes, it's I was ahead of myself.

Okay, yes, please touch on the other one, which to be clear is RZN 2026 13 for approximately 0.4 acres, located at 1429 and also at 1431 West Dean in Ward 2 from RSF 4 to RIU.

Thank you.

Yes, this is the other one on Dean Street.

It's uh further east of the two, where the last one was closer to the police station and fire station number eight.

This one is closer to Garland, uh about equidistant between Lewis to the west and garland to the east.

It has two addresses because there are two single family homes developed on the property.

Uh similar to the last request.

This one is also to uh rezone the property from RSF4 to RIU.

Uh we did receive one comment in opposition to the requests in advance of the planning commission, but no comment at the meeting itself.

Uh staff recommends in favor and the planning commission does as well uh by a eight to zero vote when they heard the item.

And I can take any questions.

Thank you.

Okay.

Now we can move on to our proposed addition.

Um Ms.

Moore, um, I think that has already gone out to everybody, so please take it away.

Yeah, thank you very much, Mayor.

Um, first I want to thank city staff and the attorney's office.

Um I had a resident reach out about our um urban agricultural or ordinance.

And I know some of you got to um live through the goat days.

Um I do remember those during COVID times.

And so I was reached out to about um the allowance of adding sheep and the similar nature to goats.

Um and I didn't have a lot of knowledge of sheep, so I gave this over to uh Justine and her team at Animal Services and our development services team, and I really appreciate the research that was done.

Um apparently they're very similar in nature to goats, they're actually a little more cleanly than goats, and um what's proposed before you and why I'm walking this on is um to basically be under the same criteria um to goats for the square footage and for what's allowed in the city.

Um the uh from what I understand and uh for the timing is that you know, because sheep just have their um offspring in the spring.

Um what I was hearing as I work with this resident over these weeks was that many of the ones she was inquiring about now were already spoken for, and that um for folks who maybe wanted to go ahead and inquire um one of the babies from um these productions that they would need to do that fairly quickly.

And so I was looking to try uh to bring this forward for our next council meeting just to not have a delay in case her and others would want to move forward, and because it looked like in staff's um looking in the background that there weren't any concerns that were raised.

Again, I didn't know when we started if potentially sheep would be an issue.

Um they are limited to I think it's 24 inches and and less, yeah, not to exceed 24 inches.

Um they can be there were examples that were given of like baby doll south down sheep, but I was also told that um from the person that knows a lot more of this resident that they can be crossbred, etc.

Everybody's looking at me laughing.

I learned a little bit about sheep.

So obviously um didn't want to suddenly pass this in the summer, and then people couldn't actually acquire a sheep, and so that's why I'm walking it on, and I'm happy to take any questions and thanks for giggling because I giggled too.

Okay, um, Miss Bunch.

Um yes, I have a question about and you brought up baby doll sheep, which I actually know what those are, and um they're they're darling, but um so we have it's pygmy goats, right?

The the small goats are allowed, but sheep are substantially larger.

And do we it is there actually are there actually sheep that are the same size as the pygmy goats that because sheep get pretty big?

So these are miniature sheep, and I will let anybody that knows.

I know Jonathan did some research if he wants to, but I I relied on this resident, but um, you know, these baby doll south down sheep were one of the ones that were looked at by the attorney's office because basically not exceeding the 24 inches um to try to keep them at the small stature, like you said.

They're not just full ground sheep like we're used to out on like the agricultural lands that the university has.

We'll see sheep, they're not gonna be the same.

Okay.

I will confess I have not seen a baby one of these miniature sheep in person.

Is there a um like a limit?

Are you proposing a uh a limit to the number or like the it's the same as goats?

I'm thinking Jonathan, was that two?

I'm trying to remember off the top of my head, I apologize.

They are they are herd animals and they three long.

Max of three.

Yes, and it follows exactly so the language in here, and we'll work on getting you the addition language um so you don't have to go and guess through here, but basically where the allowances were given of the square feet, like in four under 164.04, we just added the language where it says goat and sheep.

And so all of that painstaking work that the council and the the residents did those years ago, we basically just piggybacked off of that.

Um I guess you know, we didn't hear back from staff that there had been huge complaints in regard to that ordinance, but you know, again, this will go out and residents can let us know if they have concerns.

Oh, I see, rams are not allowed.

It says it in D2.

Oh, okay.

All right.

And then the other thing too was allowing sheep.

Um, I learned this as well that sheep can be used like goats for like the clearing of vegetation.

So allowing them to also do that that language was changed where it's goats and sheep.

That meet that criteria.

So I also have another another question here.

So if your lot is, I mean, do we limit I have not looked over all of this and I didn't see this in here?

Are we limiting like someone to have if someone has chickens?

Can they also have goats or sheep?

Or if they have chickens and bees, can they also have the sheep and the goats and in a regular suburban lot?

Our ordinance isn't currently prohibiting of those animals, if that makes sense.

So you could potentially have a combination of bees and sheep or goats and chickens.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you.

Bob, you have a question about the sheep.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I think you addressed one of my questions was ensuring that we don't allow rams.

But I think the other question is, you know, chickens have an agricultural use.

Do do miniature sheep have a legitimate agricultural use or these like to pets.

I mean, I believe that this resonance more from a pet, but she did also want to use them as far as being able to clear vegetation too.

So there is a use case, not just I want to have a pet.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you.

Um I'm happy to agendize at the end if that's okay with others.

I don't think that's a problem.

Okay.

Seems like it's okay.

Um we have an energy report from our environmental director, Mr.

Peter Nerengarden.

I also want to add before we get in case they leave early.

Do we have a couple of our retired firefighters that are in the room?

I think we do.

I think we have one.

Do we have two?

Or just one?

Just one.

Anyway, I want to say thank you for your service, sir.

And I'm glad we could make this happen.

Um, of course, pending the vote next week.

But um I'm really proud that we were able to do that.

And I know it's something you had wanted us to be able to do last year, so thank you for your patience.

Um it's really great that we're oh yeah, yes.

Oh, and Mr.

Burner wanted to know are we correct in in the understanding that you all have never received a colour.

Uh I think we received one in the early nine.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Well, yes.

So overdue, and we're really glad that we could make that happen.

Thank you for being here.

Uh Peter, come on up.

Thank you, Mayor, and good evening, council members.

Peter Neargarten Environmental Director.

Um want to take the opportunity for this month's energy report to broaden the report a little bit and talk to you a little bit about some updates uh relative to the 2024 climate action plan.

Um so starting out, I will talk about energy for just a moment.

Um on the graph you see the the red is 2025 numbers, the blue are 2026 numbers.

Um and these uh due to data lags, this these this is reporting through March.

So in March of 2026, the city spent almost $350,000 on natural gas and electricity utility expenses.

This was a 21% increase as compared to March of 2025.

Um our year-to-date utility expenses through March uh are 1.2 million, um which is about 36% higher as compared to last year.

Our electricity use is up four percent.

Um so the number of kilowatt hours we use is up four percent, but our costs went up eighteen percent, um, suggesting that the city is beginning to feel the impact of the recent um SWEPCO rate increase.

Um but because our cost increase is again 18%, but the utility increase was 23%.

Um what that suggests to us is that um the solar that we've been investing in is helping to buffer or mitigate or reduce the impact of um those utility rate increases.

So speaking of solar, I did want to remind the council that on April 27th, we flipped the switch on the city's newest 3.77 megawatt solar array um in southwest Arkansas near Nashville.

Um this is in our Swepco territory and will help offset electricity consumption at a number of our city buildings, including our downtown campus, our Happy Hollow campus, and several of our city parks and other facilities.

Um this is brought to us uh via a 25-year solar services agreement with integrity energy partners.

Um this partnership and the the solar project will provide over seven million dollars worth of savings over the life of the contract.

It'll produce six point five million kilowatt hours of clean electricity annually and offset over a hundred thousand metric tons of carbon dioxide over the life of the project.

Um and this project brings the city's total sort solar portfolio to 14 megawatts of solar deployed on city lands and on city facilities and brings um the city's energy supply for government buildings to 93 percent clean energy.

Keep in mind our climate action plan goal is to get to 100% clean energy by 2030.

So we're 93% of the way there.

Um transitioning over to uh transportation.

Um in March of 2026, the city spent almost 168,000 on fuel for our fleet vehicles.

This was up about 30 percent or close to 40,000 from March of the previous year.

Gasoline use was up seven percent, and diesel use was up about twelve percent.

The largest driver of our fleet fuel expenditure increase over in March was of course the higher per gallon cost for fuel that we are currently paying due to due to higher fuel prices.

But because our EV options are somewhat limited due to recent um state laws that have been passed, that limits our ability to procure additional electric vehicles.

So fleet operations has been doing a really good job focusing on transitioning our fleet over to uh hybrid electric vehicles.

And these vehicles and that focus has been especially on those vehicles that have higher idle times.

So the the batteries and those electric vehicles can help, and those hybrid electric vehicles can help cut down on fuel expenditures.

So currently we have uh 40 vehicles that are hybrid electric in our fleet.

12 of those were purchased last year, another 15 were purchased so far this year with more to come later this year.

Sticking in the transportation sector, wanted to share just a just a brief update on recent transit service changes on College Avenue.

Uh on May 4th, we transitioned from one bus per hour operating up and down College Avenue between the square and the mall to two buses per hour.

So this is doubling that service.

And uh starting in August, Razorback Transit is going to take over operation of that college avenue service, uh, and that'll offer extended hours into the evening.

Um that'll add Saturday service to that college avenue route, and then there'll be some new stops in both the downtown uh and mall area.

All of the existing stops along College Avenue are going to remain the same, except for a few tweaks in areas where we're putting in new um new transit shelters.

Um speaking of those new shelters, here's a picture of one of the new shelters that's being installed.

Um this is in front of Evelyn Hills.

This is part of the um College Avenue Improvement Project between North Street and Sycamore Street.

These new shelters provide ADA access along um sidewalks that are connected.

Um they also have covered shelters.

Um this stop will eventually have a bench, it's not in installed just yet.

And these are replacing older stops.

There's a sign just down the street, that's the older stop uh that are often just a sign in the pat in a patch of grass on the side of College Avenue.

So uh a much needed improvement in terms of um transit shelters uh up and down college.

Uh we're also working with Ozark Regional Transit and Razorback Transit to get new shelters installed at several other stops across the city of Fayetteville.

The photo on the left here is of 25 new shelters that were received last month that are being assembled at Razorback Transit facilities.

Um the first one of these will be installed this coming Thursday, or the plan is to install it this Thursday, pending weather uh on Appleby near Washington Regional Medical Center.

Additionally, picture on the right, that's of uh benches that have been assembled by Fayetteville Strong.

And so we're partnering um with Fayetteville Strong to get uh between 10 and 12 of these benches installed at a number of other stop locations across the city, and these are in locations where we don't have as much room for the larger transit shelters.

Uh and then finally, no uh climate action plan update from me would be uh complete without just a brief update on our recycling program.

Uh if you've been living under a rock, then you might not be aware that the city is transitioning our curbside recycling program away from the old carp program, excuse me, the old bin program to a new uh cart-based recycling uh program, and that program is scheduled to launch next Monday, June 1st.

Um crews have been busily delivering um close to 28,000 carts in three different sizes 35 gallon, 65 gallon, and 95 gallon to residents and businesses across the city.

We have about another thousand carts to deliver primarily to multifamily and commercial customers that that work is ongoing.

And with the new new blue cart program, we'll be offering weekly collection of uh number one and number two plastics, aluminum and steel cans, uh, newspaper and flattened cardboard inside that blue cart, and then we'll be offering biweekly collection of glass in the old green bins.

And for those who are having trouble figuring out which week their glass collection is on, we have a handy calendar that has the city and map that has the city divided into red weeks and blue weeks.

Um, you can go to my Fayetteville services and enter your address, and it'll tell you if you're red week or blue week.

If you click on the red or the blue on that page, it'll take you over to the calendar, and then you'll be able to see which week you're on.

And with that, I'll conclude and answer any questions that anyone might have.

I just had a comment.

Um, thank you for reporting about the um the benches, and um that's a really great opportunity that we wanted to take advantage of with Fayetteville Strong.

We know that they're not permanent.

I mean, we know that ideally we would have fixed installed permanent seating at every bus stop, but we don't want to let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

So these are designed to be temporary.

We know that they you know could get up and walk away we hope that doesn't happen but but in the meantime it's a place to it's a place to sit um it doesn't mean that we're slowing down on adding more permanent infrastructure there.

So Minister Jones.

Thank you, Mayor.

Peter, I had three questions um first you were talking about the electric vehicles and state law that prohibits us what is the state law state around that.

So there was a uh a state law passed in the last legislative session around um supply chain and um uh requirements on uh reporting within the supply chain that ensure none of the battery components come from um slave labor or from um a couple of different countries that are you know known to have uh unethical work practices um the requirements are uh as we understand rather difficult for the electric uh vehicle manufacturers to certify that they can meet because the supply chain within um battery production is very difficult to understand you know all the way back to where the materials are sourced uh we do we do have confirmation that Chevrolet uh and GM can meet the requirements but we haven't gotten certification from any of the other electric vehicle manufacturers so we had been pursuing purchase of Ford vehicles and we have uh four of our five vehicles are Fords um and so we're having to you know just take another look at uh what uh EVs in the Chevrolet or GM line um could meet our needs okay thank you um my second question you showed the new shelter at Evelyn Heels um and it was a um ADA shelter but it didn't have a bench the bench is not yet installed that shelter is not complete it is coming yes ma'am um and my third and final question was um commercial customers somebody asked me this today and I couldn't answer the question do they need to request uh the recycled bins as well or are they automatically brought to commercial customers if they were not previously participants of our old green bin program then yes they will need to reach out to us okay and if you have the green bin you that's part of the 1000 that we're working to deploy over the next couple of weeks okay thank you Miss Bench I just wanted to um compliment our interaction with Fayetteville Strong on the benches uh while I I realize they are they are more residential benches in a pinch I think they're going to be a very good alternative for some of our smaller shelters and I would hope if they do get up and grow legs and walk off that that they can easily be replaced because they are residential benches but I really think that's a great idea and and that we can plan to put the permanent benches in in a later date that's what I'm hoping we'll do.

Thank you.

Me too absolutely also say thank you for my cart I got it I ordered the biggest one and it comes up to here on me.

So if you find me on the street uh underneath it at some point somebody stop and get get me out of it you know get me out from underneath it because it is huge.

It is thank you though.

Appreciate your patience with us on that and absolutely agree with your comments on Fayetteville strong they've been great partners with us on this more.

Thank you Mayor um no I wanted to applaud I mean getting the carts out I've heard so many compliments about the team that's doing that how courteous and expedient they are and then I ran into them in my neighborhood the other day and they were expedient so um I did uh want to um ask um kind of switching gears about the transit um with the changes that we have coming um what does the communications plan look like?

I know I'm getting a lot of folks reaching out kind of the rumor mill is swirling and especially folks are very rely on it reliant on our transit for their everyday needs to get to and fro that might have mobility challenges especially I've been able to answer those particular questions but it makes me wonder you know how many other folks are kind of wondering or that time that it's not ORT and it's Razorback and they have the hesitation to continue to use it.

What kind of communications plan and and things can we potentially help to kind of bump out to residents to share with their friends.

Yeah I think we're still working with both transit organizations to dial in what that communications messaging is exactly going to look like but I think the important points to for folks understand is that you know this the the service locations are not changing there they're uh with the exception of a couple stops that are being added so nothing's being taken away there's only um additional service being added both in terms of new stops and hours of service and days of service.

Okay, yeah, no, and I really appreciate that, especially keeping the existing stops because um want to kind of apply it on that just because you know I had someone tell me it doesn't seem like a lot for me to have to walk a couple of blocks, but they said that would keep me from being able to use this to go and get to those things.

So I really appreciate that we're we're keeping those stops.

And then I wanted to just tag on to council member bunch's comment about the benches.

I mean, I'm very excited about the temporary benches, and I I appreciate the partnership that's happened with Able Strong.

And I know that we've talked about Transportation Committee.

It doesn't have to just be one group.

I think they can reach out to to Dane and chat with them if there's just even a neighborhood group that wants to build one or two benches.

I think anyone can contact the city about being a part of that effort, it sounds like so.

I appreciate again that it we're having improvement while we work towards the end product.

Appreciate everyone's involvement in that.

Absolutely.

Mr.

Stafford.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh Peter, I'll just share my uh excited excitedness and thanks as well.

I know my wife share with you uh my excitedness.

So uh thanks for not making that part of your presentation.

But thanks for you to you and your team.

Your video was fantastic.

Okay, Minister Jensen.

Thank you.

I know my husband is tired of me telling him to take it out.

He's just not June yet.

Because it's full.

June 1st, that's right.

It's full.

Um, Peter, I may have some uh duplicate questions on Route 27.

And um specifically, you're saying that Route 27 will take the place of 10?

Uh correct on college avenue, yes.

And what did you say the um communication tools that we're using to share that information?

Because the communication I've got is 10 is going away and people are panicking.

How do we communicate?

It's not going away.

There is a replacement, the stops will be the same, and there's an opportunity around the DOT and FTA of funding if you're wanting to get that out into the community for marketing purposes, but I think um this is coming when, Peter, what's the date that you had the role?

Not until August.

So what are we doing?

We've already transitioned to to from one bus an hour to two buses an hour.

That happened at the beginning of May, and then in August, it'll it'll it'll be transitioning from Ozark Regional Transit to Razorback Transit.

I don't have the exact date for you yet on that.

We're working on dialing that in.

Um, but again, I think the messaging is that you know the stops are remaining the same with the exception of the.

But how are we communicating that out to the people that are panicking because there's no flyers, there's no posters.

What are we putting out as a city to share that we are improving the routes?

The numbers change, but they are the same routes.

Yeah, let us work on that.

Can I answer?

Can I answer that?

I think that you bring up a very good point, and it was a miss on on my part.

I think that the assumption we made is because it was staying the same that we didn't have to do as much proactive communication.

But you're right.

I think that was a a miss that that I'll take responsibility for because if people hear the number is changing and then they look at a map and see the number, we need to get that out.

And I'm wondering if you think posters or flyers in all of the bus stops on that route would be at least a good place to start.

I think it would be great.

Even a simple mailer in those communities because people are depending on 10 to get to work to school to doctor's offices.

And if you see 10 and go away, you assume you don't have a way to get to workers' school.

And could we also um this was Mr.

Wheedaker's idea?

Can we also look at doing signage on the bus itself on the physical bus?

Well, we can talk with the transit operators and see what see what we can do.

Does he have the does he have the uh rolling messages in the um inside the buses?

Inside and buses.

Yeah, we can we can ask about that as well.

Okay.

What I'll um Minister Jones, if it's okay, I will ask Gracie to email you um within the next couple of weeks and uh maybe go over getting a list of some other places where we could physically go and take and have some flyers.

So yeah, that's a good point.

Yeah.

So Jason's church here.

Okay.

Okay.

I can make some personal outreach tomorrow and Marley, I can ask you for help with contacts.

And I don't mind to personally call and say, here's what's going on, but then also say we're gonna come by with some flyers and I can I can start help that start helping that effort tomorrow.

And even if we um do the route brochures to show them the new routes and the new signs and and where they'd be stopping, because without that, you don't know where you're gonna get off, where you're gonna get on, especially if a I don't care if a route has moved from one inch to one mile, you need to know where to stop and wait for it.

Yeah.

Yep.

Okay.

That's good feedback.

Thank you.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you.

Is that is that everything?

We have uh the planning commission will be meeting in here in about 35 minutes.

Is that correct?

It's 615.

Is that 15, yes, ma'am?

Okay.

So if you would like to stay for the fun, stay here for planning commission.

If not, we'll see you soon.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Transportation Committee is meeting in 101 on a separate Zoom link.

That's correct.