Agenda Highlights 1/17/23
At the Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting scheduled for 1-17-23, the Board will vote on relinquishing control of some street sections near ABB so that they can be closed off and gated for the safety of ABB employees. The Board will also vote on creating/allowing utility easements in those areas if they are closed.
The Board will vote on pay rates for city employees. The proposed rates include a 7% merit raise for all employees. Employees already at the top pay rate will receive a one time lump-sum bonus payment of 7% of their base pay. There are also small increases for Fire Fighters. The biggest increase proposed is a 23.85% raise for all uniformed Police Officers (except for the Police Chief).
The Board will vote on whether or not to partner with Frontier Metropolitan Planning Organization to develop an Alternative Mobility, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Master Plan. The City would be responsible for a total of $24, 117 while Frontier MPO would pay the remaining $96,465 of the cost of making the plan.
The Board will vote on whether to accept a bid for $3,098,678.30 from Forsgren for 1.8 miles of street overlays and two railroad crossing repairs.
The Board will vote on whether or not to enter a cost sharing agreement with Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority and Rival Commercial Real Estate for street overlays, new railroad crossings, and minor storm drain work on Ward Avenue between Terry Street and Fort Chaffee Boulevard. The total cost to the city is estimated at $257,047.17.
The Board will vote on payments of $60,000 to Area Agency on Aging, $9,500 to Project Compassion, and $175,000 to Sebastian Retired Citizens Association for services provided to citizens of Fort Smith including the programs offered at the local Senior Activity Centers. The Board will also vote on renewing the agreement with the Fort Smith Museum of History to pay up to $20,000 to cover their utilities.
The Board will vote on whether or not to accept a bid from Carco for $106,892.14 for a replacement 2 ton dump truck for the Streets Department and bids from Riggs Cat for replacements for an asphalt paving machine for $320,571.38, a long reach excavator for $353, 507.79, and a mini excavator for $100,788.12.
The Board, in keeping with the City’s policy on gifts, will vote to approve the acceptance of an anonymous donation of 3 $25 dollar gift cards to local restaurants to be given to each Police Department staff member (a total gift value of $75 per Police employee).
