Directors OK $350,000 for improvements

Money to fund work related to consent decree

FORT SMITH — City directors unanimously approved spending $350,000 for engineering company Burns and McDonnell to continue providing services related to attempts to modify an agreement the city signed with the state and federal governments.

The city entered into the decree in January 2015 with the U.S. Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality. Fort Smith agreed to repair and upgrade its sewer system after decades of sewage runoff into local waterways, including the Arkansas River.

The city agreed to spend more than $200 million over the next 12 years to upgrade its sewer collection and treatment.

The original decree deadline was Jan. 2, 2027, but the city said it couldn’t afford to do all of the work by that date. The city was granted a fiveyear extension to 2032.

In a memo from Lance McAvoy, utility director, to Carl Geffken, city administrator, McAvoy said Burns and McDonnell provided financial consulting and technical assistance in support of the city’s efforts to modify the decree since 2018. He said the firm has been instrumental in providing a second, independent analysis of challenges the city faces.

The $350,000 will increase the total payment for engineering services for the project to $1.15 million.

Jerry Canfield, city attorney, told directors during their meeting Tuesday the city has made several requests to modify the consent decree. He said once the EPA acts on the requests, the city can appeal to the U.S. District Court where the decree originated.

The directors also approved five-year capital improvement plans for the Parks, Police and Fire departments, as well as 10-year plans for the Streets and Traffic, Solid Waste and Transit departments.

Work for the parks, fire, police and utility plans is partially paid for through a 1% sales tax extension voters approved in May — 0.25% split between parks and fire, and a 0.75% split between police and repairs to the city’s sewer system.

The directors heard and discussed the improvement plans during a study session in October.

POLICE

Police Chief Danny Baker said the plan for the money is a nearly 24% salary increase across the department, with the exception of the chief position, and adding five officer positions per year starting in 2028. He said the goal is to hire and retain officers, as the rate will match the new Arkansas State Police salary scale of $50,000 a year for an entry level officer position.

Based on the rate and increased salary level, the current entry level officer salary is roughly $38,065.

FIRE

Fire Chief Phil Christensen said since the department has benefited from the 0.25% sales tax split for the past 10 years, his plan for the department in the next five years isn’t much different. Christensen said the department collects an average of $3.35 million, roughly $2.7 million of which is used for Station No. 11 personnel and operations. He said remaining money is used to replace vehicles.

The department’s apparatus replacement program includes buying a new pumper in 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2027, which is estimated to cost $662,000 in the first year and increase roughly 3% annually. The department plans to buy a new ladder in 2026, which is expected to cost $1.2 million.

PARKS

Projects in its five-year plan include walking trail improvements, pool and bath house improvements, a basketball court, tennis court resurfacing and building an inclusive playground and amenities at Creekmore Park; building dog parks at Chaffee Crossing and Old Greenwood Road; outdoor restroom improvements at Woodlawn Park, Kelley Park ballfields, Tilles Park and Spradling Park; expanding Parrot Island Water Park; general improvements to Carol Ann Cross Park, Martin Luther King Jr. Park and Tilles Park; and creating Maybranch Trail to connect Riverfront Drive to Creekmore Park.

The estimated cost for these projects is $3.2 million in 2022, $9.2 million in 2023, $4 million in 2024, $3.4 million in 2025, $3 million in 2026 and $3 million in 2027.

Parks Director Doug Reinert estimated the department expects to gain $3.5 million per year from the sales tax collection.

ENGINEERING

Proposed five-year capital improvements for the Engineering Department include improving 11 miles of roads; improving drainage in neighborhoods; modifying traffic and the truck routes downtown; improving signals at the Free Ferry Road and Albert Pike Avenue, Massard Road and Dallas Street, and Rogers Avenue and 10th Street intersections; extending Kelley Highway to Riverfront Drive; upgrading drainage, replacing curb and guttering, pavement improvements and sidewalk installation on Towson Avenue from Garrison Avenue to Zero Street; reconstructing Geren Road to a three-lane intersection between Arkansas 45 and 58th Street; widening Arkansas 45 between Arkansas 255 and U.S. 71; evaluating and mitigating flooding at May Branch; extending Leigh Avenue from Cliff Drive toward Southside High School; realigning Airport Boulevard to provide better access for the Arkansas Air Guard; and widening Massard Road to I-49.

The estimated cost for these projects is about $45 million in 2023, $31 million in 2024, $44 million in 2025, $31 million in 2026 and $27 million in 2027.

STREET DEPARTMENT

The 10-year plan for the Street Department was mainly an overview of the vehicle and equipment purchase plan.

Matt Meeker, the director of streets and traffic control, said in a memo to Geffken the purchases can be easily adjusted if needs or priorities change, and the purchases will be made through the department’s capital equipment replacement fund. He said additional purchases will be budgeted as capital outlays through the department’s operating fund.

In 2023, the department anticipates purchasing several items for streets and traffic control and construction, including a half-ton pickup for $25,000 to replace a current vehicle 15 years old, a 1-ton truck for $58,000 to replace a 14-year-old truck and an asphalt paving machine for $340,000 to replace a 26-yearold machine with mechanical issues.

SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT

The 10-year plan for the Solid Waste Department includes replacing two rear loaders and two side loader vehicles, a roll-off truck, a compactor and several service trucks, as well as upgrading current buildings and the truck wash bay.

The plan for the department’s annex building remodel includes adding about 1,000 square feet for office and meeting spaces. It says the current building is in need of major repair including new roofing, flooring and doors.

Nicole Riley, the director of Solid Waste Services, said the improvements are expected to cost $48.5 million total, about $5.85 million of which will be seen in 2023.

TRANSIT DEPARTMENT

The Transit Department plans states the city has to adopt an asset management plan in order to receive grant money from the Federal Transit Administration. It says the overall condition of the department’s vehicles, equipment and facilities meets or exceeds minimum Transit Administration standards, but plans to continue investing in infrastructure in order to not fall below operating standards.

Transit Director Ken Savage said in a memo to Geffken the department’s buses travel about 450,000 miles a year, and the plan provides staff a defined method of replacing vehicles.

Savage told the directors he anticipates $8.6 million in investments over the next five years, 80% of which will be reimbursed by the Transit Administration. He said the department has also received eight grants totaling $11 million in available federal money for projects.