Agenda Highlights 9/24/24

At the Fort Smith Board of Directors study session meeting scheduled for 9-24-24, the Board will discuss possible uses for the former Bost building 1801 South 74th that has returned to City ownership when Bost moved their operations to a different facility. The deed turning back over to the City was discussed at the 3-36-24 meeting.

One potential use to be discussed is that (though no formal proposal has been submitted) the City has been approached by Methodist Village that operates a senior living facility nearby about using the building for a day care center to be operated by Methodist Village that would provide care for 150 children (both for the children of employees of Methodist Village and for the public at large).

Another potential use to be discussed is that it could be used as an animal shelter. The building would require significant renovation to be well-suited for that use.

Another potential use to be discussed is that the City has been approached by Blue Sprig Pediatrics about using the building for a facility for therapy for autistic children. The services provided by Blue Sprig would be similar to some of the services previously provided in the building by Bost.

The Board will discuss the goals of the Utility Advisory Committee that has been proposed to be created. Creation of the committee was discussed at the 7-30-24 meeting.

The Board will discuss that the Central Business Improvement District (CBID) has proposed purchasing the building at 623 Garrison that the City currently leases for the City offices and leasing it to the City at terms favorable to the City and the City being able to purchase it outright for a nominal amount as soon as the CBID’s loan taken out for the purchase of the building is paid off. The Blue Lion building where Board of Directors meetings are held is handled under a similar type of arrangement. The City would be able to also start using the spaces that it does not have use of under the current lease including space on the 1st, 2nd, and 6th floors and the basement. The full renovation that the City would ultimately like to have done to the office building would cost $14.6 million and the CBID would not be involved in that. The Board will discuss the potential for starting with renovating the 1st floor into a customer service floor with funding for that either being included in the loan the CBID takes on and factored into the City’s lease or through other appropriation of City funds. The CBID’s intentions in purchasing the building and leasing it to the City are to help ensure that the City offices stay downtown instead of relocating to another neighborhood. The current lease was discussed at the 3/5/24 meeting.