City directors hold hearing for ’22 budget

FORT SMITH — City revenue and expenditures for fiscal 2022’s drafted budget have slightly decreased from the previous year, with plans to increase the reserve by 5% by the end of the year.

The city Board of Directors held a hearing Thursday to review the budget and propose any changes before it gets approved next month.

The proposed operating budget, and prior city budgets, can be reviewed on the city’s website at fortsmithar. gov .

City Administrator Carl Geffken said the budget doesn’t provide new, major projects. He said it’s purposefully similar to the 2021 budget, but updated to address new needs.

“It’s a large budget, so it’s prudent and proper for the board to review it. And it helps them come and provide input on the direction that they want the city to go in,” he said.

The board approved amending the roughly $260,000 budget to hire an architect to recommend improvements at the city meeting space at 101 N. Second St. downtown. Possibilities discussed include board offices in the lower level, enhancing the second conference room or building an elevator to transport furniture.

The board reviewed the District Court budget for Sebastian County, as Fort Smith is the county seat, and the city pays a portion of judges’ salaries.

Judge Wendy Sharum said for 2022, the court wants to add a probation officer for the DWI court, which started this year.

“It’s an alternative that can place people on probation rather than putting them in jail,” she explained. “We have about 15 people in our DWI court. It really is making a difference. If we can get in there and help our citizens become better, more productive, and not spend time in jail, help them with their addictions, then we’re in a much better place. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

While discussing the Fire Department budget, Fire Chief Phil Christensen said Station No. 11 at 8900 Massard Road has made a huge impact on growth of the south and east sides of town. He said had it not been for the station and the additional personnel and equipment for it, the city wouldn’t have received an Insurance Services

Office classification rating of 1.

“As we start seeing additional growth in those areas, more incidents in those areas, as our response times continue to increase, we will have to be looking at an additional fire station,” he said.

Christensen said a location has already been secured for Fire Station No. 12, and he expects to bring that project to the board in the next few years.

Geffken said the station and personnel can be paid for through a one-eighth-percent sales tax, which the city also enacted when funding Station No. 11.

Police Chief Danny Baker said there are no major changes in his 2021 budget, either. He said the department’s co- response team with the crisis intervention unit can be removed from the proposal, because that program’s grant was extended due to its success.

“So we anticipate not having to have the city fund those positions, but that’s certainly something we want to keep on everyone’s mind as we move forward. This is an important thing for our community, and it has provided some incredible success stories,” he said.

Baker said the department also anticipates a grant to pay for two additional officers in the crisis intervention unit, something the city will likely add to its budget in future years.

He also explained the budget is there for new hires and equipment needs, but the department will likely have challenges acquiring new vehicles due to national supply chain issues.

Parks and Recreation Director Doug Reinert said his department had supply chain issues this year, in addition to effects of covid-19 impacting its 2020 budget.

Reinert explained Creekmore Pool was closed twice a week for required deep cleanings, something the department plans to only do once a week next year. He said having the pool open six days a week will be a positive impact on the 2022 budget.

Interim Director Jeff Dingman said the Solid Waste Department’s commercial and industrial collection budgets have increased to cover estimated equipment costs. He said the department is evaluating efforts and cost benefits of collecting commercial trash weekly versus bi-weekly, which could impact a future city budget.

During a study session Oct. 26, Dingman went into more detail about the department’s Capital Improvement Plan for 2022.

The plan includes a subsection project for cell A-6, the last subsection for phase A of the landfill. The first cell for phase B is scheduled to be developed adjacent to the area before the landfill closes phase A, with the department developing a subsection around every five years afterward, which coincides with the cell’s operating life.

“The cell installation is something I keep in my mind, in terms of the landfill,” Dingman said. “As far as the daily operations, everything seems to be doing fine.”

The board will not approve the Advertising and Promotions Commission budget, but still heard its 2022 estimations.

The commission is authorized to administer and oversee money received from the city’s 3% lodging tax.

A large city tourism attraction are the events at the Fort Smith Convention Center, a place General Manager Marc Mulherin said is still feeling lingering effects of the pandemic. He said the budget is hard to compare to previous years, with the center changing food and beverage to be completely in-house.

The center has 146 events planned for 2022, with a net operating income of $684,818 after returning investments.

“I could realistically see us starting out from scratch with this budget that we’re presenting here to you today, and then moving forward to 2023, 2024, we’re going to really be able to get our bearings down,” he said.

Monica Brich may be reached by email at mbrich@nwadg.com.