Board to consider support of one-half percent sales tax

The city board will consider a resolution at their meeting on March 4 to support continuing the statewide one-half percent sales tax for road construction and maintenance for another decade.

The tax, which is already in effect, levies one-half of one percent on the sales of tangible personal property, specified digital products, digital codes and services to pay for the construction and maintenance of state highways, county roads and city streets, according to a staff report prepared by city administrator Phillip Patterson on Feb. 25.

The one-half percent sales tax will expire on June 30, 2023, unless a new constitutional amendment is passed, the report states. There is presently a resolution in the Arkansas House of Representatives, Resolution 1018, to add an amendment to the Arkansas Constitution that will extend the sales tax for another 10 years, the report states.

The city of Siloam Springs receives approximately $350,000 annually from the one-half percent sales tax and Benton County receives roughly $2 million from the tax, the report states.

The board will also look at an ordinance concerning the sale of vehicles from residences. Under the proposed ordinance people will only be able to sell up to five vehicles within a 12 month period, according to a staff report prepared by Don Clark, community development director, on Feb. 20.

A previous stipulation prohibiting the sale of vehicles over 14,000 pounds including recreational vehicles and motor homes has been removed from the ordinance, the report states.

The board will also place an ordinance regarding the amendment of Chapter 54 of the City Code, which will send final plat development permits directly to the board on their first reading, bypassing the planning commission, according to a staff report prepared by Clark on Jan. 22.

The proposed ordinance is based on a joint board of directors/planning commission workshop held on Dec. 17, where Patterson proposed that all final plat development permits that are in line with the preliminary and significant plat development permits go directly to the board.

If the final plat development permit has significant differences in it, then it will go back to the planning commission for review, Patterson said during the workshop.

Other business to be addressed includes:

• A purchase agreement for the buying-out of the East Side Rural Water District for $70,948.

• A professional services agreement to update the city’s comprehensive plan in the amount of $235,000.

• The third reading of Ordinance 20-03 regarding the vacation of unnamed right-of-way and easements for the 300 block of Ark. Hwy. 59 N.

• The second reading of Ordinance 20-04 concerning mobile food vending.

• The first reading of Ordinance 20-07 regarding the rezoning of the 700 to 1000 block of Ark. Hwy. 16 S.

• Resolution 14-20 concerning the construction of a new bunkhouse at Camp Siloam.

• Resolution 15-20 to amend certain development fees.