Fort Smith Board Reviews Roadway Project, Job Data, Camping Ordinance, and Water Park (Mar 10, 2026)

The Fort Smith Board of Directors met on March 10, 2026, for a study session addressing several major community issues. The agenda included an update on a critical roadway safety project in the Bakery District, a comprehensive review of local employment data and workforce development, a reconsideration of a camping prohibition ordinance similar to Grants Pass, an analysis of costs for security lighting in alleyways, and contract recommendations for the Parrot Island water slides and the 2026 water park management season. The meeting concluded with a robust public comment period covering homelessness, city governance, and infrastructure priorities.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jimmy Harrison: Voiced concerns about an unusually high water bill with a 38-day billing cycle. Staff attributed the delay to weather-related issues with meter reading and confirmed the next cycle would be shorter.
• Shane McKinney: Announced he was petitioning to change the city's form of government from an administrative form to a strong mayor form, with the goal of placing it on the November ballot.
• Gary Podgerski: Requested the board direct engineers on the Sixth Street project to develop a specific traffic plan for the National Cemetery around Veterans Day and Memorial Day. He stated that homeless veterans have shelter services available through the VA and expressed agreement that American Resort Management should not continue to manage the water park.
• Joey McCutcheon: Criticized the board for delegating the FMS military project largely to the Chamber of Commerce and questioned costs related to security details. He supported the petition for a strong mayor form of government.
• Crystal Cadelli: Expressed cautious support for Fort Smith being a finalist for a Boring Company project, but urged the board to prioritize core infrastructure challenges (water consent decree, streets and drainage) and housing affordability to foster sustainable growth.
• Richard Morris: Praised the responsiveness of various city departments and highlighted a recent Department of Defense request for information regarding training foreign pilots, suggesting Ebbing Air Base should pursue this opportunity.
• Quentin Cunningham: Stressed the complex realities of homelessness, arguing against villainizing the homeless population or service providers, and noting how easily a personal crisis can lead to homelessness.
• Sarah Harrison: A mayoral candidate, she inquired about coordinating downtown feeding sites, the impact of police staffing cuts on enforcement capacity, long-term budget safeguards, and the feasibility of using city land for tiny houses for the homeless.
• Sharon Chapman: Clarified that the Hope Campus operates a bus ticket reunification program for those who want to leave and have a destination. She emphasized that while street outreach exists, the primary barrier is often the individual's willingness to accept services, and proposed the city consider a designated camping area connected to services.

Discussion Items

• Sixth Street & Wheeler Avenue Roadway Project: The board received an update on the approved $1.53 million project aimed at improving safety near the Bakery District and National Cemetery. The plan includes expanding sidewalks to seven feet, simplifying the traffic signal, optimizing parking through parallel configurations, and replacing roughly 300 feet of a 120-year-old sand-cast water line. Director Settle questioned the shift from angled to parallel parking, which staff explained was due to poor site distance for a first-time public implementation. Director Kemp asked about increasing the water line replacement scope to avoid future disruptions. The project has an estimated seven-month construction timeline.
• Employment and Job Growth: Dr. Kendall Ross from UAFS presented data on the Fort Smith Metro. Key metrics included a 4.4% unemployment rate, a record 105,200 non-farm jobs, but a modest 0.7% year-over-year growth. Manufacturing anchors the economy at 17.2% of jobs. While wages have grown 30% since 2020, housing costs have risen 60%, creating affordability pressure. Western Arkansas Planning and Development District detailed workforce training services funded by WIOA. The board discussed the need to boost population growth, upskill the workforce, and address barriers like childcare and transportation. The board requested this presentation be provided annually.
• Camping Prohibition Ordinance (Grants Pass): The board revisited an ordinance to prohibit camping on public property. Chief Baker and Sean Guard indicated that existing state laws on disorderly conduct and loitering already cover many of the targeted behaviors, and enforcing a new ordinance would largely result in citations that do not solve underlying issues. Chief Baker noted a zero-tolerance approach downtown simply shifts the problem. The discussion highlighted a lack of dedicated city funding for long-term housing and mental health services as the primary gap. The board broadly agreed the challenge is funding comprehensive services, not the absence of a specific ordinance.
• Security Lighting in Alleyways: Director Meeker presented that adding city-maintained lighting to approximately 2,000 alleyways would add a recurring annual cost of $280,000 to $340,000 to the city's electrical bill. Director Kemp advocated for a proactive, data-driven approach using police crime heat maps to target priority areas. Director Settle expressed concern about the long-term budget impact. The board directed staff to work with the police to develop a targeted implementation plan.
• Parrot Island Water Slide Bids: Staff recommended awarding the construction contract to SSI Incorporated ($1,751,910) and the aquatics contract to Clarity Pools ($664,200), for a total of $2,416,110 (within budget). Director Savage expressed a preference for the local bidder, Burton Pools, but the 5% local bidder preference did not make them the lowest responsive bidder. A motion was made and seconded to place the contract awards on the March 17 regular meeting agenda.
• Water Park Management (2026 Season): City and County officials recommended a one-year contract extension with American Resort Management (ARM) to avoid operational disruption, with a new RFP to be issued mid-season. Director Savage strongly opposed the extension, citing ARM's negligence and stating the move was "a slap in the face to the people of Fort Smith." Staff noted ARM's 2026 budget projection anticipates a modest surplus assuming the new water slides are not operational. A motion was made and seconded to place the one-year agreement on the March 17 regular meeting agenda.

Key Outcomes

• Directives Issued:
  • The board directed staff to collaborate with the Fort Smith Police Department to analyze crime heat maps and prioritize alleyway lighting in high-crime areas.
  • Administration was directed to schedule an annual presentation tracking employment and job growth metrics.
• Agenda Placements: The board voted to advance the following items to the March 17 regular meeting agenda for final approval:
  • Contract awards for the Parrot Island water slide project to SSI Incorporated and Clarity Pools.
  • A one-year management agreement with American Resort Management for the 2026 water park season.
• Broad Consensus: On the camping ordinance, the board broadly agreed that the city's primary gaps are dedicated funding for comprehensive homeless services (mental health, addiction, housing) rather than the need for a new enforcement ordinance, with a focus on coordinating existing services and addressing root causes.