Agenda Highlights 2/21/22 & 2/22/22

A Fort Smith Board of Directors special study session is scheduled for Monday 2-21-22 to discuss the renewal of the existing .25% sales tax to be divided evenly between the Parks and Fire Departments and the renewal of the existing .75% sales tax to be divided with 16.7 percent to the Police Department and 83.3 percent going towards sewer repairs required by the Consent Decree. The issues had original been slated to be voted on by the public in an election to be held in February, but the Board instead postponed the election and held a series of public meetings to share information about the proposed tax extensions and get feedback from the citizens. If the Board wishes to have the items included on a May 10th special election ballot, they must submit them to the County by March 1.

On Tuesday 2-22-22, during the Special Meeting session of the meeting, the Board will vote concerning those sales tax proposals discussed at the prior night’s special study session. Regardless of the discussion, the City Administrator will present the Board with the previous versions of the tax renewal proposals and they will be able to vote to approve them or not or they can vote to refer them to the citizens to vote on. Based on the outcome of the previous night’s discussion, there may also be changes made by the Administration to the versions submitted to the Board for a vote. There is a very high degree of likelihood that the Board will vote on sending some version of a renewal of each of the taxes to the public to vote on most likely in May, possibly the 10th.

The Board will also vote on the renewal of the City’s property and vehicle insurance through Arkansas Municipal League. The Board will be receiving current quotes from both AML that currently provides the City’s coverage and from Traveler’s Insurance that was the previous provider.

Immediately following those two Special Meeting items, the voting concerning the insurance and the sales tax renewals, the Board will have its originally scheduled study session meeting where items will be discussed but no official action will be taken yet.

Inspired by a recent zoning change appeal where some citizens who spoke at a Board meeting expressed that they did not feel that the City adequately notified citizens about zoning changes that would affect their neighborhood, the Board will discuss the city’s procedure regarding notification to nearby property owners concerning Planning Department applications. State Law requires that a notice be published in the newspaper for 15 days before a Planning Commission meeting on a property application (like for a zoning change or conditional use permit). Currently, in addition to that, Fort Smith also puts signs on the property, mails letters to the property owners within 300 feet of the property, and holds a neighborhood meeting prior to the Planning Commission meeting and sends invitations to that to property owners within 300 feet of the property.

The Board will also discuss an idea proposed at a recent Board meeting suggesting that Planning appeals be sent automatically to a study session meeting first rather than just sent to a regular meeting to be voted on. The idea of sending them to a study session is to reduce zoning appeals being tabled at the regular meetings. The change would add a month before the applicant could have a final resolution to their request. Planning Director Rice also suggested an alternative that the staff could disseminate information earlier allowing for more time for the Board to consider the appeals.

The Board will also discuss potential changes in what grass the City does and does not mow. Currently, per the Fort Smith Municipal Code, property owners are responsible for mowing their property including rights of ways and easements. However, in practice, the City has been mowing all of the rights of way in the city regardless of who owns them. Streets Director Matt Meeker states that discontinuing this practice and instead holding property owners responsible for mowing on their property would eliminate the need for 3 tractors and 4 seasonal workers (that have been especially hard to attract and retain during this recent labor shortage) saving the city $120,000 annually.

The Board will also hear an update from Meeker on the progress on and plans for sidewalk repair and construction.