OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

CBID Monthly Meeting – September 6, 2026

Meeting Portal — Sunday, September 6, 2026
BodyFort Smith, Arkansas
SessionMeeting Portal
DateSunday, September 6, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:18:14

Transcript — Verbatim
1:26

So we can go ahead and just do a roll call since we have six and nine and F.

1:30

Anyone else at the end.

1:32

Um your minutes were sent to you.

1:36

Uh were you able to review those?

1:41

Motion approved.

1:42

Second.

1:43

Okay, motion to approve the minutes as written.

1:45

All in favor, please say aye.

1:49

So moved.

1:51

All right.

1:52

Mr.

1:53

Tard, Treasury report.

1:54

Not much report, just the first month of the year.

1:57

Uh we had a small loss.

1:59

That's kind of expected as you all know.

2:00

Our assessments are gonna be on the back half of the year primarily.

2:04

So uh but our cash position is still in good position down slightly from 303,000 to 296.

2:13

Not really much else to report.

2:19

All right, any questions in?

2:22

Nope.

2:24

Yes.

2:24

Yes.

2:25

Move they'd be approved.

2:28

Second.

2:28

Got a second.

2:30

All those in favor of the finances at presented, please say aye.

2:35

Ah sub move.

2:38

Yeah, I should have all right.

2:42

Uh the code enforcement reports are in your packet.

2:51

So right there.

2:55

For some citations.

2:59

Yeah, I'm gonna add a disadvantage here.

3:06

Which ones are those?

3:08

Is that an extra one?

3:10

Yeah.

3:12

521.

3:14

801 and 521.

3:17

Are those uh recognize one name?

3:23

What buildings are those do we have?

3:32

Yeah, it's Warren Garrison.

3:33

Lord Garrison.

3:34

Okay.

3:35

What's eight on one?

3:37

What are you?

3:38

Um, which one is that?

3:41

So one is that roosters way?

3:44

That's right.

3:51

So uh no progress on the exterior of the building.

4:05

Anything else to know there?

4:11

No.

4:12

Okay.

4:13

Uh looks like there's a couple of permits issued.

4:22

Sorry, I have a question.

4:24

Yes, I'm fairly new here, and so I mean, so we get these uh reports.

4:30

What do we do we have any authority or any is this just the reports are just informational regarding an activity happening downtown?

4:39

I mean if we at some point want to have some dialogue with the neighborhood services or anyone else we can make them as part of our meeting, but it would generally include these reports they sent them to me just because everybody had asked them and then I had asked at one point it asked for regular reports on those items, so we just always have them in the monthly meeting.

5:00

So we have no authority or anything to push to get it's just informational.

5:03

Okay.

5:03

Thank you.

5:07

Roosters had a big shindig last week.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Mental Health Awareness█████████████████17%
Historic Preservation█████████████13%
Public Safety████████████12%
Technology and Innovation██████████10%
Community Engagement█████████9%
Community Development████████8%
Procedural█████5%
Public Engagement█████5%
Affordable Housing████4%
Summary of Proceedings

CBID Monthly Meeting – September 6, 2026

The Central Business Improvement District (CBID) held its regular monthly meeting on September 6, 2026. The meeting covered consent items, departmental reports, community project presentations, and public comments. Key actions included approval of minutes and financial report, a tied vote on solar canopy lighting, and discussions on a buddy bench initiative and downtown monument/plaza ideas.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes: Approved unanimously.
  • Financial Report: Treasurer reported a small loss with cash dropping from $303,000 to $296,000; assessments are back-loaded. Approved unanimously.

Reports

  • Code Enforcement: Citations for 521 and 801 (Warren Garrison / Lord Garrison) showed no exterior progress. A new business at 911 Garrison and City Hall interior remodel noted.
  • Parks & Facilities: Compass Park Splash Pad fencing final cost under $10,000; CBID contribution reduced to $5,000. Cisterna Park Pump House redesign to raise floor 5 feet; bids open next week. Fountain liner replacement planned for summer.
  • Citizen Services – Solar Canopies: Installation ahead of schedule, inverters going in, on track for March. Lighting proposal: Garrison Bridge ($20,000+, no lights included) vs. canopy lights (all-in price). Discussion favored canopy lighting.
  • Police Department: Corporal Selease reported Rooster's voluntary 4-month closure; overnight ops led to 6 arrests (including defecation); camera at 5th & A; pedestrian safety video; Operation Downtown Overwatch poster with QR code.
  • Main Street Fort Smith: Small business incubator “Commerce Collective” – location secured, applications open early March, move-in May, launch June. Levitt concert series: 7 consecutive Thursdays starting Sept 10; need $28,000 match. 2025 stats: 19 new businesses, 4 closures, $15M private investment.

Discussion Items

  • Buddy Bench Initiative (No More Stigma): Founder Eric proposed brightly colored benches for mental health conversation starters, costing ~$,2,500 each. Benches would have signs with hotline numbers. Two already sponsored. CBID members expressed concerns about using district funds and suggested private placement. No formal action taken.
  • Community Project Ideas (Jim Spears): Judge Spears proposed: 1) a laser-cut steel stagecoach silhouette monument (life-size, possibly built with college) and 2) a pedestrian plaza closing a section of Rogers Avenue near Gateway Park and First Baptist Church. CBID directed Phil to explore costs and feasibility with Galen Hunter.

Public Comments

  • Next Step Housing: Tiny homes project fully funded; awaiting federal paperwork for groundbreaking at 6th & High streets; construction 12–16 months.
  • Downtown Business Association (Stephanie): General meetings moved to fourth Tuesday mornings; Pub Crawl on March 14 with River Boy and collector cups.
  • Tourism (Ashley): Fort Smith Dine Local Week starts Feb 9 (30 restaurants); disaster relief fund for restaurant workers seeded by Tankersley; Great American Conference basketball tournament March 4–8 at Northside.

Key Outcomes

  • Lighting for Solar Canopies: Motion to provide 50% match (up to $13,000) for canopy LED lights resulted in a 3-3 tie. The chair directed staff to proceed with offering the match to the city, pending budget confirmation.
  • Stagecoach Monument & Plaza: Staff directed to begin cost estimation and coordination for the stagecoach monument; further discussion on the plaza concept to follow.
  • Board Resignation: Noted resignation of board member Lynn, effective February 28.

Meeting Transcript

So we can go ahead and just do a roll call since we have six and nine and F. Anyone else at the end. Um your minutes were sent to you. Uh were you able to review those? Motion approved. Second. Okay, motion to approve the minutes as written. All in favor, please say aye. So moved. All right. Mr. Tard, Treasury report. Not much report, just the first month of the year. Uh we had a small loss. That's kind of expected as you all know. Our assessments are gonna be on the back half of the year primarily. So uh but our cash position is still in good position down slightly from 303,000 to 296. Not really much else to report. All right, any questions in? Nope. Yes. Yes. Move they'd be approved. Second. Got a second. All those in favor of the finances at presented, please say aye. Ah sub move. Yeah, I should have all right. Uh the code enforcement reports are in your packet. So right there. For some citations. Yeah, I'm gonna add a disadvantage here. Which ones are those? Is that an extra one? Yeah. 521. 801 and 521. Are those uh recognize one name? What buildings are those do we have? Yeah, it's Warren Garrison. Lord Garrison. Okay. What's eight on one? What are you? Um, which one is that? So one is that roosters way? That's right. So uh no progress on the exterior of the building. Anything else to know there? No.

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