Fort Smith CBID Brainstorming Meeting on Butterfield Trail, Mural Funding, and Sisterna Park Ideas - October 14, 2026

The Fort Smith Central Business Improvement District (CBID) commission met on October 14, 2026, for a brainstorming session on the proposed Sisterna Park renovation. The meeting also included an update on the Butterfield Trail sculpture and a funding request for a mural on the Court Street building. The commission initially lacked a quorum for official business but later determined a quorum was present and proceeded to vote on the mural funding and approve the previous meeting's minutes.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes from the previous meeting were approved by voice vote, with commissioners present confirming approval.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Joe Armstrong expressed support for the Sisterna Park renovation concept but suggested using cobblestone instead of red brick to better represent the Italian sister city of Cisterna. He opposed changing the ground cover around the General Darby statue from grass to brick, stating that the grass makes the space more inviting for visitors.
• Liz Armstrong proposed making Sisterna Park a veterans memorial plaza, suggesting additional life-sized monuments for deceased Fort Smith service members from different eras, including Chad Collie, with funding to be raised privately.
• Ashley Moss, executive director of the Darby House, presented design elements inspired by the sister cities of Cisterna, Italy, and Torbella, Ireland, including marble pillars and an archway. He supported maintaining the synthetic grass around the Darby statue and agreed the park should honor all military branches, not just Darby's Rangers.
• Caroline Spear, representing the Fort Smith Museum of History, presented a design concept incorporating Italian cypress trees, columns from Cisterna, and an obelisk from Torbella. She emphasized the importance of telling the full historical story of Darby's Rangers and the sister city relationships through park design elements, including wayside panels and plaques.
• Steve Sharam, attorney and owner of the Court Street building, requested $5,000 from CBID to complete funding for a mural on the east wall of his building, to be painted live during the Garrison Arts Walk in November. He stated that without CBID's commitment, the project would not happen.
• Amanda Hager, executive director of Main Street Fort Smith, supported the mural project and noted that Main Street has contributed $1,000 toward supplies. She stated that the mural will be painted during the Garrison Arts Walk on November 7th, which coincides with the Red Autumn Arts Festival and the River Valley Run, bringing a large number of visitors downtown.

Discussion Items

• Commissioner White provided an update on the Butterfield Trail sculpture: the concrete foundation was being poured that day, the sculpture is life-size and made of rust steel, and the entire project has been donated, costing the city and CBID nothing. A plaque honoring Judge Spears has been ordered with a seven-to-eight-week lead time.
• Commissioners debated the $5,000 mural funding request. Commissioner Stuart expressed concern about setting a precedent of using public funds on a privately owned building. Commissioner White noted that a previous $10,000 commitment to the Butterfield Trail project was not needed since private funding covered it, making those funds available. Commissioner Bill advocated for the project and encouraged the building owners to raise the remaining $2,500 privately.
• The main discussion focused on the Sisterna Park renovation concept presented by MAHG representatives Galen Hunter and Tim Barnell. The concept includes a tree-lined pedestrian promenade along the old Towson Avenue alignment, improved green spaces, enhanced lighting, seating areas, and integration of the existing Darby statue and fountain. The goal is to create a welcoming gateway that incorporates the history of General Darby, the sister city relationships, and Fort Smith's military heritage. Commissioners noted that the park at the triangular intersection of Garrison Avenue and Towson Avenue serves as a critical intersection and gateway for downtown.
• Commissioners discussed the existing pump station on the park site. Sarah Duster had previously indicated that moving the pump station would cost approximately $300,000. MAHG representatives stated that no decision has been made and their goal would be to incorporate it into the design or leave it in place if feasible.

Key Outcomes

• CBID voted to approve $2,500 of the $5,000 requested for the Court Street mural, with the condition that building owners raise the remaining funds. The motion was made by Commissioner White and seconded. The vote passed with ayes. The deadline for the decision was October 27, 2026, to meet the artist's contracting timeline.
• CBID affirmed its commitment to the design phase of the Sisterna Park renovation with MAHG, with the understanding that once a design is agreed upon and put to bid, an additional vote would be required to proceed with construction.
• No formal decisions were made on the park concepts; the session was a brainstorming meeting to gather ideas from the public and stakeholders before MAHG develops a refined design proposal. Community members were encouraged to submit additional input through MAHG's contact information.