Agenda Highlights 4/5/22
The Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting scheduled for 4-5-22 will kick off with 4 zoning change requests. The applicant for the first one, for 5300 Heather Ridge Street that would allow for 43 undeveloped acres to be developed into the Treetops of Fort Smith housing development made up of a mix of single family dwellings, duplexes, row houses, and apartments, has requested that the issue be tabled again until the 4-19-22 meeting. So while the issue may possibly be discussed and/or voted on at the 4-5-22 meeting, it most likely will not be.
The second one is for 815 South 6th Street to allow for a 4 acre vacant lot to be developed into a new location for Next Step Homeless Services including tiny-house style transitional housing.
The third is for 5912 and 5915 Remington Circle to allow for building Convenient Mini Storage.
The final zoning issue is for 2219 South Waldron Road to allow for building Life Storage, a 3-story indoor self-storage facility.
The Board will vote to set prices for the niches in the newly built third columbarium at Oak Cemetery. The prices will match the prices of the other two columbariums, at $600 for some and $400 for others, but the new columbarium has a different layout so the arrangement of niches is different than the other two that are exactly alike.
With the building of the new website and communications system, each city department will be designating one of the department’s employees as a Department Community Liaison and making them responsible for online communications in addition to their regular job duties. The Board will vote on approving paying these Department Community Liaisons $50 per bi-weekly pay period to compensate for these additional communications duties.
The Board will vote on accepting a bid from ACS Playground Adventures for $584,853.00 for the construction of a new inclusive playground at Creekmore Park.
The Board will vote to approve the purchase of 3 new garbage trucks from River City Hydraulics to replace old ones, a front loader for $452,298.15, a side loader for $414,078.96, and a rear loader for $341,355.21.
The Board will vote on approval of a purchase of a new Transit bus from Gillig LLC to replace the downtown shuttle. The bus would cost $575,284, but with the majority of that cost being covered by federal grant funds, the cost out of City of Fort Smith funds would be $86,500.
The Board will vote on approval of a contract with JA Riggs for $117,373 for dozer repair at the landfill.
The Board will vote on an additional $271,302.69 expense added to the existing $100,000 contract with Aqualaw for their assistance on legal matters related to the consent decree.
The Board will vote on whether to approve a 3 year contract for Western Arkansas Tennis Association to continue to operate the tennis center at Creekmore Park. WATA would pay a nominal $10 per year lease and pay the City 10% of all paid tennis lessons with the money going to parks improvements. WATA would be responsible for routine janitorial duties and tools and equipment while the City would be responsible for maintaining the court facilities and utilities.
The Board will vote on whether to approve a contract for 2022 with options to continue for 2023-2025 with Cheese Junkies to operate the putt putt golf course and concession stand at Creekmore Park. The course and concession stand would operate a minimum of 30 hours per week and be open at minimum from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Cheese Junkies would pay the City $1 from each golf game played. They would keep all income from the concession stand. The concession stand plans to serve drink and snack bar food including grilled cheese sandwiches, loaded french fries, hot dogs, walking tacos, and boba tea smoothies.
The Board will vote on approval of purchasing 27 four yard dumpsters and 54 eight yard dumpsters for a total of $117,913.98 from Wastequip Inc.
The Board will vote on approval of purchasing 10 new bus stop shelters from Brasco International. The $76,950 cost of the shelters will be covered entirely by private donations and grants, most of that secured through the donation and fund raising efforts of local artist Sarah Ridgley.
