Highlights of the Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting 5/2/23

The Fort Smith Board of Directors meeting held 5-2-23 was an especially brief meeting led by Vice Mayor Rego. It began with a vote unanimously in favor of a zoning change for 6201 Rogers Avenue Suite H to allow for the zoning for the site of the former State Farm building to match the rest of the lot. This is to enable a possible retail development. The site is part of the property planned for Project X that the City approved to receive a tax incentive to lure a specific retail business not yet revealed to the public.

Director Morton called it “perfectly reasonable” to rezone the property “consistent with adjacent property”.

The Board was scheduled to vote on zoning changes for 7301 and 7323 Terry Street, 7300-7313, 7317, 7401, 7404, 7405, and 7412-7429 Buckhorn Street, 7300, 7305, 7312, 7402, 7412, 7428 Ellis Street, and 11821 Darby Street to allow for existing buildings (mostly former Fort Chaffee barracks buildings) to be used for a mix of uses including a wedding chapel, event hall, duplex, and hotel/motel. However, Director Settle motioned to table the issue because the property is near a location that has a pending lawsuit against the City of Fort Smith. Settle wanted to postpone any potential zoning changes near the property under litigation until that suit is finished. The motion to table the issue passed with Directors Good, Morton, and Rego voting against tabling and all others voting in favor of tabling. The rezoning issue can return to the Board for a vote at a later date.

The Board voted unanimously in favor of a zoning change for 2015 and 2105 Savannah that would allow for a parking expansion for an existing day care center.

The Board voted unanimously to allocate this year’s federal funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program and HOME investment partnership program as recommended by the Community Development Advisory Committee. The recommendations for the allocations were discussed at last week’s study session meeting.

The Board voted unanimoulsy in favor of allocating the $1,501,450 in federal housing funds from the American Rescue Plan as recommended by the Community Development Advisory Committee. The recommendations for the allocations were discussed at last week’s study session meeting.

Director Morton asked Next Step Homeless Services Executive Director Sharon Chapman for an update on the timeline for the new tiny house community transitional housing facility the organization plans to use the funding for building. Chapman said that the land has already been purchased and the envirnomental assesment has been conducted and that the next phase will be the design and engineering phase that is estimated to take 6-8 months, then they will break ground, then it should take about 18 months for construction. The funding approved at the meeting should get Next Step half way to the total funding needed for the project. The remainder will be made up through other grants, fundraising, and a line of credit at a local bank.

Director Settle expressed his view that “All the funds should be used mostly on capital one time projects” rather than allocating some of the funds to organizations for use on ongoing costs like food and case management. He favored using them all to make a “big splash” on the Next Step project to “help our community fastest”.

Director Martin also expressed his “desire to move forward quickly” with the new Next Step facility. He mentioned his anticipation for the new transitional housing facility to replace the current day room facility that he hears complaints from neighbors about.

Director Good praised the plans presented for the new Next Step facility and encouraged Next Step to post “coming soon” advertising featuring the renderings of the new facility in the downtown neighborhood.

Director Rego called the allocations for the American Rescue plan funds “doing a lot of good and spending it in a sensible way.”

The Board voted unanimously to approve the Police Department accepting a $5000 donation from the Arvest Foundation for the Police Department’s community relations program. The money will be used for registration fees, uniforms, and equipment for the Public Safety Cadet program that lets 14-21 year olds learn about policing and interact with Police Department staff.

Director Good praised the Police Department’s community relations efforts.

During the Officials Forum section of the meeting Director Settle motioned to add an item to a future meeting agenda requesting the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority to donate the Deer Trails Golf Course to the City of Fort Smith. Director George Catsavis also requested that the City’s legal counsel research dissolving the irrevocable trust that establishes the FCRA so that the FCRA would no longer exist and operate. Both the golf course resolution and the findings of the legal team regarding the FCRA will be added to a future agenda.