Agenda Highlights 12/13/22

The Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting scheduled for December 13, 2022 will include a vote on a raise for the Mayor from the current salary of $10,000 per year with a car allowance of $450 per month to a salary of $30,000 per year with a car allowance of $600 per month.

The Board will also vote on raises for the City Directors from the current salary of $1000 per year with a $400 per month car allowance to $7800 per year with a $600 per month car allowance. If approved, this would be the first raise for the Board of Directors since 1967.

The Board will vote on whether to approve the 2023 Operating Budget.

The Board will vote on a Trespassing Warning ordinance that would allow for individuals who are found to be in violation of other rules and laws to be excluded from city properties (including parks) temporarily. The ordinance is intended to reduce nuisance behaviors and is modeled after similar ordinances in other states and crafted with particular attention paid to staying in line with Constitutionally protected rights. The ordinance would allow the police to issue the Trespassing Warning to people who are breaking the laws and rules in the parks and the warning would ban them from the park up to 7 days for the first offense in 12 months, 8-60 days for the second offense in 12 months, and 61-120 days for subsequent repeat offenses in 12 months. If someone enters or remains on the property after being excluded by the Trespassing Warning, they can be charged with Criminal Trespass. People who receive the warning can request a review of their case that will be at a hearing held by the Parks and Recreation Commission.

The Board will vote on whether to order the demolition of a vacant and burned out house at 3718 Allen Drive.

The Board will vote on whether or not to waive the building permit and construction inspection fees for one three story 100 unit apartment building costing $13.2 million and 38 units in two story townhomes costing a total of $5.7 million that are to be constructed for Arkansas Colleges of Health Education. If collected, the fees would be estimated to be $35,821.50.

The Board will vote on a 2 year renewal of the contract with First Western to provide insurance and risk management advisory services including insurance claim reporting responsibilities at a cost of $130,000 per year.

The Board will vote on whether to accept a bid for $787,735 from Goodwin & Goodwin for improvements at Carol Ann Cross Park including removing and replacing the bathrooms, repaving the roads and parking lots, removing and replacing the pedestrian bridge, and construction of an additional fishing pier.