Agenda Highlights 1/21/25

At the Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting scheduled for 1-21-25, the Board will vote on whether to order the demolition of dilapidated houses at 3301 Neis, 407 North 17th, and 920 North 10th.

The Board will vote on whether to approve the building inspection report conducted as part of the due diligence process for the purchase of the City Office Building at 623 Garrison. The report from the inspection conducted by Beshears Construction said that the building is in “typical condition for a building of its age” and City Administration said that there was “nothing unexpected or alarming discovered.”

If the inspection report is accepted and the Board wants to move forward with the purchase, the Board will vote on appropriation of $4 million from the general fund to purchase the building. This issue was discussed at the 1-7-25 meeting.

The Board will vote on adding an additional $138,507.25 to the existing contract with Forsgren for road work on South 28th to cover waterline relocation that is needed in association with the road work.

The Board will vote on contracting with Halff Engineering for a total not to exceed $466,330 for the design and engineering for 2 stormwater detention ponds at the former Acme Brick property on Old Greenwood. The ponds would cost a total of $5.2 million dollars to build. They would allow the Maybranch storm pipe system to accommodate a 25 year storm. The system is currently overwhelmed by a 10 year storm.

The Board will vote on whether to renew the annual agreements to make payments of up to $60,000 to Area Agency on Aging, up to $9,500 to Project Compassion, and up $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 funding for those payments would come from the City’s portion of the county wide sales tax that is designated for services for Fort Smith senior citizens.

The Board will vote whether to renew the long-standing annual agreement with the Fort Smith Museum of History to pay up to $20,000 out of the general fund to cover their utilities.

The Board will vote on whether to accept the bid from Frost Oil Company for bulk fuel sales.