Agenda Highlights 4/19/22
The Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting scheduled for 4-19-22 is set to begin with a vote on approval of a zoning change for a vacant lot at 815 South 6th to allow for Next Step to build a homeless facility with tiny-house style housing units. This issue was tabled at the last meeting to allow for a study session that was held 4-14-22 on the topic.
The Board will vote to approve the prices for niches in the columbariums at Oak Cemetery at $600 each for eye-level niches and $400 each for all other niches. This issue is up for a re-vote after it was discussed and voted on at the last meeting .While it received more affirmative votes than rejections at that meeting it failed to receive the 5 votes in favor necessary to pass on the first reading so it is required to have a second reading and vote.
The Board will vote on approval of the updated Standard Operating Procedure for utility billing including bill adjustments for water leaks, meter change outs, unexplained high usage, and a form for filling swimming pools.
The Board will vote on approval of a contract for $424,816 with Steve Beam Construction for replacement of the current walking trail at Creekmore Park with a new 8 ft wide concrete trail going around the park. Timers will also be added to the electric lighting around the trail that will result in $2500 in annual savings for the city.
The Board will vote on approval of purchase of Dial-a-Truck for $188,146.30 from River City Hydraulics. The funds for the purchase would come from an insurance settlement.
The Board will vote to approve the purchase of a CNG fueled front-loader garbage truck for $415,799.60. The purchase of a CNG front-loader was actually previously approved at the 4-5-22 meeting, however, this model was found that is $36,498.69 cheaper than the more expensive one already approved. This vote will allow the Solid Waste Department to buy the money-saving option instead.
The Board will vote to approve Tandem Mobility installing and operating 8 bike share stations around town with a total of 40 bikes, 20 being regular pedal bikes and 20 being e-bikes. The bike share program would be funded entirely by a grant from the National Science Foundation that was pursued and facilitated via a partnership between the City, the University of Arkansas, Arkansas Colleges of Health Education, Frontier Metropolitan Planning Organization, Future School of Fort Smith, Riverside Rides, Champion Cycling, and Western Arkansas Planning and Development District.
The Board will vote on approval of renewal of the contract with Kitties and Kanines Shelter (currently undergoing a renaming to be called Fort Smith Animal Haven) to continue providing animal services to the city. The contract would include a monthly payment from the city to the shelter of $56,300 per month (up from the previous contract rate of $45,566 per month) and per-day-per-animal payments at the same rate as the previous contract , $45 for an animal’s first day at the shelter, $10 for days 2-5, or a total fee of $85 dollars if the animal stays 5 days (a 5 day rate that is lower than the previous contract). The estimated total expense for 2022 for the animal services contract would be $850,600.
