OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Fort Smith City Board of Directors Meeting - February 3, 2026

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, February 3, 2026
BodyFort Smith, Arkansas
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, February 3, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:41:05

Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

Good evening and welcome to the Fort Smith City Board of Directors meeting on this uh great February 3rd of 2026, particularly after the snow blizzard that we had.

0:16

Um again, thank all of you for being here and keep in mind these meetings are being televised live for the benefit of our residents who can't be with us in person.

0:26

Um at this time, I'm going to ask uh Director Re I'm gonna ask Director Rigo to lead the to lead the invocation, and then Director Good to lead us in the pledge.

0:44

If you wouldn't mind joining me in a word of prayer, Lord, we come before you humbly this evening uh and in a grateful spirit for the opportunity we have to serve you for the blessings that you shower upon our city and for the chance that we have to do our small part uh in the relay race of life to make this world better around us.

1:06

We pray humbly in the name of your son Jesus Christ.

1:08

Amen.

1:11

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice are all again.

1:31

Thank you for being here.

1:33

This time we're gonna ask the clerk to please call the role.

1:37

Director's Rigo here.

1:39

Good.

1:39

Here Kim here, George Kasavis.

1:42

Christina Cassavis here, settled.

1:45

Martin.

1:46

Here.

1:48

Okay, thank you very much.

1:49

This time we will ask for approval of the January uh the January 20th, 2026 regular meeting.

2:00

So moved.

2:00

Second.

2:01

Thank you.

2:01

All in favor.

2:03

Okay, thank you.

2:04

Uh just uh a reminder, a motion, and a second to adopt each of the following items must be offered before director's comments are made.

2:12

Public comments on item must pertain to the presented item.

2:16

Uh before we go into the agenda, let me welcome a couple of friends from the Arkansas Municipal League.

2:23

Um, Mr.

2:25

Uh Jack Critcher and and John Wilkerson are here to make special presentations to our uh legislative team.

2:34

Gentlemen, you recognize.

2:36

Well, thank you very much.

2:37

Um thank you for having having me every time I come to Fort Smith.

2:40

I'm reminded my my grandma was in Lavaca, so I spent a lot of time with my cousins here in uh Fort Smith.

2:46

In fact, once got a whoop in one time for riding a uh zip line at Fiona Hills, so I know the area well.

2:53

But it's always good to be back to be back at Fort Smith.

2:56

And I I will say this for on behalf of Fort Smith, if I may, you are blessed with some really amazing legislators at the Arkansas Legislature, uh Arkansas legislature, and we're here to honor three of them.

3:07

One of them, unfortunately, couldn't be couldn't make it, and Jack has a message from her.

3:11

But I'll start with Representative uh Jay Richardson.

3:14

And Representative Richardson, as you know, where he's here, yes, he is, um, has done a remarkable job for for you and for the cities and towns of Arkansas.

3:22

And one bill in particular, he really went behind and stood behind and championed for for you and for other cities and towns of Arkansas and Neglected Properties bill, which I could go into a long discussion about how that was going to help the cities and towns of Arkansas.

3:36

We didn't ultimately get it to the finish line, unfortunately.

3:39

Um we're we're gonna take another stab at it in 2027.

3:42

But the work that he put in to understanding the issue, dissecting the issue, and doing what he could on that legislation for the city of Fort Smith primarily, and then of course, on behalf of a lot of other cities and towns of Arkansas, is worth mentioning.

3:55

Uh he has been a friend of ours for a long time, a friend of Fort Smith's for a long time.

3:59

He is someone you can go to and talk to and understand and talk through an issue, and he will listen and he will understand, and he'll do what he can to help uh when he can.

4:08

So um, on behalf of the Arkansas Municipal League, and I hope on behalf of the City of Fort Smith, I'd like to recognize uh the Honorable J.

4:15

Richardson in honor of him who's demonstrated exemplary service that benefited cities and and towns of Arkansas during the 95th General Assembly.

4:23

This is the distinguished legislator award for the municipal league.

4:26

Thank you, sir.

4:38

And also I might add uh Jay's work behind the scenes um with um some senators on on pushing forward uh help with our consent decree.

4:50

We thank you for that as well.

4:51

Absolutely good point.

4:53

Uh up next is Senator Justin Boyd, who uh sometimes I refer to as Mr.

5:00

Fort Smith because every time there is a bill that's at the legislature and we have a question about, we will go talk to him, and his first question, as Jack mentioned a second ago, is how does this impact Fort Smith?

5:11

And he has been a great friend to y'all, great friend to us for many, many years.

5:15

Again, as someone that who thinks through ideas that help your city and works with us on ideas that helps all cities and towns in Arkansas.

5:23

And again, it's someone who is a champion for his district and a champion for all the we like to say the good ideas to help cities and towns across Arkansas.

5:31

And he is a thoughtful person, a great senator, and again, you are very blessed to have this Senator Senator Justin Boyd.

5:38

And so again, on behalf of the Arkansas Municipal League and on behalf of the City of Fort Smith, if I may, I'd like to honor Senator Boyd for for him who's demonstrated exemplary service that benefited the cities and towns of Arkansas during the 95th General Assembly.

5:51

This is a distinguished legislator award from the municipal league.

5:54

Thank you, sir.

6:05

Of course.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Community Engagement█████████████████17%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████████████17%
Procedural█████████████13%
Public Engagement████████████12%
Audit and Oversight███████████11%
Economic Development█████████9%
Infrastructure and Engineering██████6%
Environmental Protection████4%
Government Structure Reform███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Fort Smith City Board of Directors Meeting - February 3, 2026

This regular meeting of the Fort Smith City Board of Directors was held on February 3, 2026, following a snow blizzard. The board addressed zoning changes, contracts for infrastructure projects, a downtown development agreement, an audit of Parrot Island Water Park, a software contract, and multiple consent agenda items. The meeting also featured a special presentation from the Arkansas Municipal League recognizing state legislators.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes: The board approved the January 20, 2026 regular meeting minutes. (Unanimous)
  • Consent Agenda: Seven items were approved en bloc, including a resolution authorizing an amendment to an engineering services agreement for the 2025 street overlay project, a resolution accepting completion and final payment for the Bay Branch Outfall Culvert Remediation, a resolution authorizing a grant application to The Boring Company for a portion of the Lake Fort Smith water transmission line project, three resolutions authorizing purchases of solid waste vehicles (one side loader, two rear load trucks, one front load truck) per the replacement program, and a resolution authorizing purchase of five staff vehicles for the Fire Department per the 2026 capital improvement plan. (Unanimous, 7-0)

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Item 1 (Rezoning 74th & Rogers): Kim Fodge expressed support for the project but raised concerns about traffic congestion on 74th Street and pedestrian safety.
  • Item 3 (Alleyway Rehabilitation):
    • Andy Hannah spoke in favor, noting the historical significance of the alley bricks and the poor condition of the alleys.
    • Joe Elskin explained his regular attendance as a civic duty, urged board members to walk the alleys, and noted that improved alleys could incentivize infill development.
    • Shane McKinney, a property owner bordering affected alleys, described how a sewer project two years ago destroyed an alley that was supposed to be fixed quickly, but delays have caused ongoing accessibility issues for a wheelchair-bound resident. He urged the city to address infrastructure delays.
  • Item 4 (Main Street Fort Smith Agreement):
    • Stephanie Nugent, business owner and Downtown Business Association director, spoke in strong support, citing Amanda Hager's grant programs, the Invest Fort Smith events, and the Levitt Concert Series.
    • Jesse Burrows, downtown business owner and Main Street board member, supported the agreement, emphasizing the organization's role in coordinating events and bringing family-friendly activities downtown.
    • Milo Mazur, Clayton House director and DBA board member, expressed strong support, noting grant opportunities, preservation efforts, and collaboration on events like Fall Festival and Coco Crawl.
    • Phil White, Central Business Improvement District commissioner, stated that Main Street is not a duplication of CBID and provided historical context.
    • Ken Lyon expressed hesitation and opposition, arguing that Main Street's grants are only reimbursements for existing owners, no help is available for new developers, and the program misaligns with Propel Fort Smith. He called for more time to realign the program.
    • Eric Wideman asked whether the contract price was negotiable; staff confirmed it is the same amount as the previous three-year agreement.
    • Dan Williams supported the agreement, citing the positive study session presentation, the anchor tenant concept, and sharing information about Region Bank's investment.
  • Item 5 (Parrot Island Audit):
    • Kim Fodge urged the board to include 2023 and 2024 in the audit, citing unpaid invoices to Clarity Pools ($138,000 for 2023-24, plus $38,000 for 2025) and Burton Pools for 2024, a December 2024 attendance figure of 18,000 that she questioned, and a 2024 profit/loss showing a $298,000 loss. She called for monthly reports from the management firm.
    • Dan Williams agreed with including more years but suggested starting with 2025 and expanding if discrepancies are found.

Discussion Items

  • Arkansas Municipal League Presentation: Representatives Jack Critcher and John Wilkerson presented Distinguished Legislator Awards to Rep. Jay Richardson (for work on neglected properties bill and consent decree support), Sen. Justin Boyd (for championing Fort Smith at the legislature), and Rep. Cindy Crawford (absent, but recognized for economic development focus).
  • Item 1: Rezoning at 74th Street and Rogers Avenue: Deputy City Administrator Maggie Rice presented a proposal to rezone a little over eight acres for a planned zoning district allowing mixed-use development including a hotel. The planning commission recommended approval 9-0. A neighborhood meeting had no attendees. The board adopted the ordinance with suspension of the rules (7-0) and the emergency clause (7-0).
  • Item 2: Rezoning at North Greenwood Avenue and May Avenue: A request to amend the master land use plan and rezone approximately one acre to a planned zoning district with two character areas (retail/auto sales on Greenwood, auto repair on May). The planning commission recommended approval 9-0. The board adopted the ordinance with suspension of the rules (7-0) and the emergency clause (7-0).
  • Items 3A & 3B: Alleyway Rehabilitation Project: City Administrator Jeff Bishop presented a contract with Western Millright Commercial Construction for $2,612,654 (lowest of six responsive bids, below the updated engineering estimate of $3,966,819) and a separate contract with McClellan Consulting Engineers for construction administration. The project is 100% funded by a Climate Pollution Reduction Grant. The board voted to approve both resolutions (7-0).
  • Item 4: Main Street Fort Smith Agreement: A resolution approving a one-year agreement for downtown development services, funded from the general fund at $12,500 per month. Executive Director Amanda Hager answered board questions about the organization's history, return on investment (grant matches, foot traffic, tourism guides, and free programming), and recent $26,000 contract with CBID to hire a second employee. The board voted 6-0-1 (Director Christina Katsavatz abstained) to approve the resolution.
  • Item 5: Parrot Island Water Park Audit: Director of Internal Audit Amanda Strange presented a contract with Forvis Mazars LLP for an agreed-upon procedures audit covering 2025 operations, with an estimated cost of $30,000–$40,000 paid from the water park's operating account. Director George Katsavatz made a motion to include 2024, but withdrew it after discussion. The board voted to approve the resolution (7-0).
  • Item 6: Gravity Software Agreement: CFO Andy Richards reported that after board feedback, the vendor agreed to a 3% annual escalation (down from 5%) in exchange for a five-year term, saving an estimated $15,000 over the contract life. The board approved the resolution (7-0).
  • Item 7: Final Payment for Consent Decree Project: Director of Engineering Todd Metge presented a resolution accepting completion and authorizing final payment of approximately $26,000 to Patriot Utilities for the 23-19-C4 project. The project, originally bid at $14 million, was completed at $12.4 million through a construction manager at risk approach. Approved (7-0).
  • Consent Agenda Pulled Items:
    • Item 8B (Bay Branch Outfall Culvert Remediation): Barry McCormick and Todd Metge explained the project. The original single bid of $14 million was rejected; using a CMAR method with Van Horn Construction saved about $1.6 million, finishing at $12.4 million including change orders. Approved as part of consent agenda.
    • Item 8C (Lake Fort Smith Water Transmission Line Grant): Discussion about the innovative grant application to The Boring Company. Approved as part of consent agenda.
    • Item 8G (Fire Department Vehicles): Director George Katsavatz asked for clarification that the five vehicles are for administrative staff (chiefs and assistants). Approved as part of consent agenda.

Key Outcomes

  • Rezonings (Items 1 & 2): Both ordinances approved with emergency clauses, effective immediately (7-0 each).
  • Alleyway Rehabilitation (Items 3A & 3B): Contracts awarded by unanimous vote (7-0).
  • Main Street Fort Smith Agreement (Item 4): Approved 6-0-1 (Christina Katsavatz abstained). Funding to come from general fund.
  • Parrot Island Audit (Item 5): Approved 7-0. Focus on 2025 operations with cutoff procedures covering 2024 payables.
  • Gravity Software (Item 6): Approved 7-0. 5-year contract with 3% annual escalation.
  • Final Payment for Consent Decree Project (Item 7): Approved 7-0.
  • Consent Agenda: Approved 7-0.

Additional Board Actions

  • Director Settle made motions for study sessions: (1) to discuss auditing all third-party organizations that do business with the city, and (2) to review the city's financial policies and fund balance history over the last 15 years. Both motions were seconded and will be scheduled.
  • Director Rigo requested that a discussion on restoring spay and neuter vouchers be added to the February 10, 2026 study session; staff confirmed it will be placed on that agenda.
  • City Administrator Jeff Bishop updated the board on the consent decree modification: the Department of Justice has completed a redline draft, which has been sent to the state and DOJ superiors for approval. He expects the document to be received within the next couple of weeks, with final court lodging around June or July.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening and welcome to the Fort Smith City Board of Directors meeting on this uh great February 3rd of 2026, particularly after the snow blizzard that we had. Um again, thank all of you for being here and keep in mind these meetings are being televised live for the benefit of our residents who can't be with us in person. Um at this time, I'm going to ask uh Director Re I'm gonna ask Director Rigo to lead the to lead the invocation, and then Director Good to lead us in the pledge. If you wouldn't mind joining me in a word of prayer, Lord, we come before you humbly this evening uh and in a grateful spirit for the opportunity we have to serve you for the blessings that you shower upon our city and for the chance that we have to do our small part uh in the relay race of life to make this world better around us. We pray humbly in the name of your son Jesus Christ. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice are all again. Thank you for being here. This time we're gonna ask the clerk to please call the role. Director's Rigo here. Good. Here Kim here, George Kasavis. Christina Cassavis here, settled. Martin. Here. Okay, thank you very much. This time we will ask for approval of the January uh the January 20th, 2026 regular meeting. So moved. Second. Thank you. All in favor. Okay, thank you. Uh just uh a reminder, a motion, and a second to adopt each of the following items must be offered before director's comments are made. Public comments on item must pertain to the presented item. Uh before we go into the agenda, let me welcome a couple of friends from the Arkansas Municipal League. Um, Mr. Uh Jack Critcher and and John Wilkerson are here to make special presentations to our uh legislative team. Gentlemen, you recognize. Well, thank you very much. Um thank you for having having me every time I come to Fort Smith. I'm reminded my my grandma was in Lavaca, so I spent a lot of time with my cousins here in uh Fort Smith. In fact, once got a whoop in one time for riding a uh zip line at Fiona Hills, so I know the area well. But it's always good to be back to be back at Fort Smith. And I I will say this for on behalf of Fort Smith, if I may, you are blessed with some really amazing legislators at the Arkansas Legislature, uh Arkansas legislature, and we're here to honor three of them. One of them, unfortunately, couldn't be couldn't make it, and Jack has a message from her. But I'll start with Representative uh Jay Richardson. And Representative Richardson, as you know, where he's here, yes, he is, um, has done a remarkable job for for you and for the cities and towns of Arkansas. And one bill in particular, he really went behind and stood behind and championed for for you and for other cities and towns of Arkansas and Neglected Properties bill, which I could go into a long discussion about how that was going to help the cities and towns of Arkansas. We didn't ultimately get it to the finish line, unfortunately. Um we're we're gonna take another stab at it in 2027. But the work that he put in to understanding the issue, dissecting the issue, and doing what he could on that legislation for the city of Fort Smith primarily, and then of course, on behalf of a lot of other cities and towns of Arkansas, is worth mentioning. Uh he has been a friend of ours for a long time, a friend of Fort Smith's for a long time. He is someone you can go to and talk to and understand and talk through an issue, and he will listen and he will understand, and he'll do what he can to help uh when he can. So um, on behalf of the Arkansas Municipal League, and I hope on behalf of the City of Fort Smith, I'd like to recognize uh the Honorable J. Richardson in honor of him who's demonstrated exemplary service that benefited cities and and towns of Arkansas during the 95th General Assembly. This is the distinguished legislator award for the municipal league. Thank you, sir. And also I might add uh Jay's work behind the scenes um with um some senators on on pushing forward uh help with our consent decree. We thank you for that as well. Absolutely good point.

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