Agenda Highlights 10/4/22

The Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting agenda for 10-4-22 starts off with a vote on whether to authorize issuance of industrial revenue bonds for Owens Corning Composite Materials. The first vote will be on issuance of up to $115 million in bonds for the construction and equipment for a manufacturing facility at 5401 Excelsior Drive. The second vote will be on issuance of up to $23 million in bonds for construction of a 420,000 square ft warehouse facility at 5101 Excelsior Drive. The expansions would lead to the creation of 5 new jobs with an average wage of $85,000 per year. The benefit to Owens Corning of using the industrial revenue bonds is a savings on property taxes. Owens Corning (not the City) would be responsible for debt service and repayment of the bonds.

The Board will vote on whether to approve a franchise license for the owner of Payless Taxi to open a second taxi service company, Westark Taxi.

The Board will vote on a change in the Unified Development Ordinance that would allow for tattoo and body piercing shops (currently allowed in C3, C4, C5, and C6 commercial zoning districts) to also be automatically permitted in C2 zoning districts. C2 allows for other personal services including barber shops, salons, and massage facilities.

The Board will vote whether to approve changes to the Unified Development Ordinance regarding zoning for mini storages. The amendment will allow for mini-storage facilities to only be permitted in Industrial Light, Industrial Moderate, and Industrial Heavy zoning districts (currently they have been also allowed in Commercial Heavy districts). Approval by both the Planning Commission and the Board of Directors will be needed for all mini-storages. There will also be added stronger design requirements for mini-storages including roof and wall articulations, a decorative 8 ft high screening wall, and limiting vehicle storage to only the rear of the site. Wording will be added for separate listings for indoor climatized facilities and for outdoor non-climatized facilities.

The Board will vote on whether to raise the limit for damages paid as a consequence of trees that are in a City controlled right of way falling onto and destroying private property. The Board recently voted to pay up to $500 for repairs. The proposed increase would raise that limit to $2000.

The Board will vote on authorizing the city’s property tax millage of 8 mills to be collected in 2023. This would result in no change in the tax rates. The City collects 5 mills for the general fund, and 1 mill each for the library, Fire retirement, and Police retirement. These rates are at the maximum allowed by state law except for the library.

The Board will vote on a resolution directing the City Administration and City Attorney to initiate the actions to file an appeal to the Supreme Court of the Eight Circuit Court’s recent ruling regarding the consent decree that was not in the City’s favor. The appeal being denied means that the City will be required to repair or replace all sewer pipes rated 4 or 5 on the National Association of Sewer Service Company scale. If the City had won the appeal, Fort Smith stood to save $140 million.

The Board will vote on whether to approve a contract with Forsgren for $2,302,843.02 for 1.5 miles of street overlays/reconstruction.