Agenda Highlights 2/6/24

The Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting scheduled for 2-6-24 will begin with a vote on a zoning change for 6515 South Zero that would allow for the former Trinity property management office building to be redeveloped into Boys Home of Fort Smith, a boys shelter.

The Board will vote on a zoning change for 4322, 4324, 4326, and 4328 Grand Avenue to allow an undeveloped lot to be developed with a 4000 square ft shopping center with two suites, one of which will be occupied by a Farmers Insurance office.

The Board will vote on a zoning change for 8100 Phoenix that would allow for an undeveloped lot to be developed into a two-story multi-specialty Mercy medical clinic.

The Board will vote on a zoning change for 6002 South 31st that would allow for an undeveloped lot to be developed into a 25,500 square ft single story warehouse.

The Board will vote on a change to the Limited Tort Claims policy that would allow for the City to make payments of $2500 each (until the budgeted amount for such claims is exhausted)for flooding. This issue was tabled at the January 18, 2024 meeting so that the proposed policy could be revised. The revised version up for a vote at the 2-6-24 meeting differs from the one presented at the 1-18-24 meeting in that it includes wording to allow for payments for flood damage in proximity to a City controlled drainageway that was not properly maintained and kept clear, that it no longer requires properties to be outside of National Flood Insurance Program flood plain areas, and no longer requires homeowners or tenants to carry flood insurance to qualify for payments.

The Board will vote on replacing the pipes and joints around the activity pool and lazy river at Parrot Island Water Park. The cost of the $379,000 project will be split with the County resulting in the City’s share of the cost being $189,500.

The Board will vote on whether to approve for Walther to participate in the Tax Back program that allows for refunds on sales taxes paid on building materials and equipment associated with the manufacturing facility’s expansion.

The Board will vote on entering into a Consent Administrative Order with the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality in response to the water from the Massard treatment facility having excessive ammonia-nitrogen levels. In the agreement the City agrees to correct the problem and to pay the fines. ADEQ agrees to reduce the fines and put the fines on hold while the City is working on fixing the problem.

The Board will vote on terminating the contract with Goodwin & Goodwin for work on a consent decree sewer project that has not been completed. The contract was initially issued January 19, 2021 for a total of $3,485,749. There is $1.2 million remaining still to be completed on the project.

The Board will vote on drainage projects for Hardscrabble Way and South 56th, the 2600-2700 block of Dallas, and the 2700 block of Glen Flora Way. The total cost for the projects would be $193,280.

The Board will vote on a drainage project for East Valley Road and South X near Hardscrabble Country Club that will include a detention pond. The cost for the project will be $2.2 million.

The Board will vote on approving ending the contract with Forsgren to fix water leaks and install new meter boxes. The contract was initiated September 21, 2021 for a total amount of $3,067,050. So far, 619 leaks have been fixed by Forsgren at an average cost of $4,248.05 per leak. There is still $437,508.63 left on the contract and 150 leaks still left on the list for Forsgren to repair. However, Forsgren has said that they are not interested in continuing the contract and continuing to fix the leaks.

The Board will vote on issuing a two year permit to Budget Bins for non-residential solid waste collection.

The Board will vote on the purchase from River City Hydraulics of three additional Heil rear-loading garbage trucks at a cost of $404,843.09 each to facilitate the return of servicing regular trash, recycling, and yard waste every week rather than only recycling and yard waste every other week and one replacement Petersen TL3 knuckle boom truck for $298,157.66. The total for all of the vehicles would be $1,512,686.93.