[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6106989,"mediaKeyId","2779132-22bb4b9124a09bf3d1218570a4a16853","parentId",2779132,"title","Hot Springs staff lays out CDBG priorities and recommends partial awards assuming $375,000 allocation","audioSeconds",1240,"startMs",1289000,"endMs",2529000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2779132-22bb4b9124a09bf3d1218570a4a16853&start=1289&end=2529","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2779132-22bb4b9124a09bf3d1218570a4a16853/thumbnail_1289000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6106989/Hot-Springs-City/Garland-County/Arkansas/Hot-Springs-staff-lays-out-CDBG-priorities-and-recommends-partial-awards-assuming-375000-allocation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6106989-7b093babcd01e2d11bc795b648f3e306/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188430&Signature=fKtzdhOA4-bNH7PpRF22KycHfnsGzHJXIjvIHOFxvaNIl4pczzYxEjorOczERlrcN7-09g6PUJNd1TVtOSmaCaBNx2LAVxVlbEgYCaFLMFHftlVrJ1Izs23tnODkhXieL4yAedfJ8dATpBFhFiv5evNapbWA4XFo~zlq2gaYbE5oSv6ilRhO1lk4KNZrbmhNnENjW9M-mISYbMI7CkzwtKtE~jnPs8YRRLUZ9DATZr05nxxMOg4r2kltWzRY7ViohxUaX9125JjVxro2aWsRimZMqGUeeQg6AIGky96vR8CTJA3wIbQ37HCTLpuv64JP6VYGtEN49mn~iZFF94x-qA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Hot Springs, AR","date","2025-03-26T20:11:05.84Z","article","City planning staff presented recommendations from the Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC) for the city’s fiscal‑year 2025 CDBG annual action plan, emphasizing uncertainty in the federal allocation and recommending priorities that favor housing and projects ready to proceed.

Cathy Selman, Planning and Development Director, told the board that total requests received equaled $901,339.30 while CDAC based its prioritization on an expected allocation of $375,000. “The City of Hot Springs is an entitlement grantee of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, Community Development Block Grant, CDBG program,” Selman said, noting annual action plans must be submitted within 60 days of HUD’s allocation notice. She cautioned, however, that actual allocations might differ and that the recommended funding list would be adjusted if HUD provides a larger or smaller award.

Why it matters: CDBG awards fund housing rehabilitation, acquisition, public services and neighborhood infrastructure. CDAC’s recommendations influence which local nonprofits and projects receive federal support and in what amounts.

Key points from the presentation:
- CDAC recommended prioritizing housing projects and applications ready to proceed to meet HUD spending requirements. Habitat for Humanity’s two applications (spotlight abatement and property acquisition) were recommended at 50% of their requests because of budget constraints.
- Public service caps imposed by HUD limit public service activity to 15% of a grant; based on the $375,000 assumption, CDAC allocated half of the available public service funding (about $28,125) to each of two public‑service applicants (C4K and HIM). Selman said staff has asked those agencies for detailed management plans showing scope, deliverables and costs.
- CDAC recommended partial funding for other applications where prior year funds remain unspent or where environmental approvals had lapsed. Some projects were not recommended because applications were conceptual or redundant with existing infrastructure (for example, a north‑side Morrison Street sidewalk application was not recommended).

Public process and timeline: applications were solicited between Nov. 11 and Jan. 31; CDAC held a public hearing on March 6. CDAC’s recommendation was unanimous (5‑0) at its meeting. Staff said the board will consider the prioritized list and, once HUD announces the allocation, staff will return with an annual action plan for the board to approve.

Directors asked for more detail in the packet about how reduced awards would affect project outcomes and whether partial funding would enable projects to proceed. Selman said staff and the CDBG administrator were seeking more detailed implementation plans from applicants and would include those materials in the board packet if they were available before publication.

No formal vote was taken at the agenda review; the board will consider the CDBG recommendations and any necessary annual action plan once HUD announces the allocation and staff brings a final plan back for approval.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3-25-25 Board of Directors Agenda Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Planning staff summarized Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding recommendations from the Community Development Advisory Committee (CDAC), noting $901,339 in requests and a working assumption of $375,000 in available funding; CDAC prioritized housing and shovel‑ready projects and recommended partial funding for several applicants.","taxTitle","Hot Springs City, Garland County, Arkansas","taxId",52830,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6106995,"Hot Springs staff recommends awarding EMS franchise to Bridal Flight EMS; final vote set for April 1",1261,4298000,5559000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2779132-22bb4b9124a09bf3d1218570a4a16853&start=4298&end=5559","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2779132-22bb4b9124a09bf3d1218570a4a16853/thumbnail_4298000.jpg","/articles/6106995/Hot-Springs-City/Garland-County/Arkansas/Hot-Springs-staff-recommends-awarding-EMS-franchise-to-Bridal-Flight-EMS-final-vote-set-for-April-1","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6106995-3b0f7256e5e2215f0abb6a1c0ad8d458/orig.mp4?Expires=1771188430&Signature=EXP~4aM3zSXxdNGHpC0LnPD-dvXNkPcXatx4~lyOIyyp3RQqF9wtHbKiL4gmkWw3pHHxB~3fb4HSlqnS-C6ROwVJzbZnwAog6PSRm436GRZT7Jr7W1nmPzqmQhxUpLb4nHYu8c~CljMdVGGS4wZGfXkrq~ic8KbnhIAmTx7YEXmlNUixu9KGl8ULtPcg2TMWdhrhJBrlCumnUHgcpwzxEISqQXYtmBr9fZ2gC2IJ1J9J97XAAgWMl10QaWqQPfduoDTrhfdOA~6A4~EydpkiwwlTBilSGJY3UgJwqHH2UdCS6d8ijROA0PiTv06ipSoU~8IeRSSjhCnKaHEGnz2lew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff at an agenda review recommended that the Board of Directors consider awarding an exclusive emergency medical services franchise to Bridal Flight EMS LLC following a competitive request-for-proposals process, Fire Chief Ed Davis told directors.

The recommendation follows a vendor evaluation in which a review committee ranked Bridal Flight EMS first and LifeNet Inc., the incumbent provider, second. “The EMS franchise holder in Hot Springs is self sustaining and receives no city funding,” Chief Ed Davis said. He added the review committee scored respondents on qualifications, proposed methods, capability and availability, cost and disadvantaged business status.

Why it matters: the franchise determines which private contractor operates ambulance transports and related non‑city EMS functions in Hot Springs. Staff described the decision as consequential for response training, equipment and billing practices and said the board should review transition and contract details before voting.

The review committee members included Deputy City Manager Alliance Spicer, Police Chief Billy Harbinton, Assistant Fire Chief Tom Broughton and Fire Chief Ed Davis. Davis told directors the committee scored four respondents: Bridal Flight EMS (ranked 1), LifeNet Inc. (2), Pafford Medical Services (3) and Southern Paramedic Service (4). Davis said Bridal Flight has a national footprint and higher employee qualification and training standards, and that the company proposed a patient‑centric billing structure that “would alleviate billing confusion and reduce the cost to uninsured patients in Hot Springs.”

Directors asked for additional documentation before making a final decision. Requests included: itemized charge schedules for each bidder, the review committee scoring and notes, a breakdown of assets and staffing Bridal Flight would bring to Hot Springs if awarded the franchise, and records related to a 2022 incident cited by one director (call type, call timeline, response times and outcome). Several directors also asked for the records of a previously established EMT advisory committee and for consideration of reconstituting an oversight/advisory group to monitor franchise performance.

Staff outlined a 90‑day transition period should the board approve a new franchise holder, during which the operator would establish stations, staffing and dispatch operations. Chief Davis said Bridal Flight would be required by contract to operate a specified number of advanced life support (ALS) vehicles and to provide staffing levels aligned with the contract. He noted that new ambulances typically cannot be procured in 90 days and that initial vehicles are likely to be re‑purposed used ambulances purchased on the open market.

No formal vote occurred at the agenda review. The board will consider ordinance O‑25‑20, the proposed franchise agreement, at its April 1 meeting at 6 p.m. in City Hall.","City staff presented a recommendation to award an exclusive ambulance services franchise to Bridal Flight EMS LLC after a competitive review. No final action was taken at the agenda review; the board will consider an ordinance at its April 1 meeting.","actionData","errors"]

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Hot Springs staff lays out CDBG priorities and recommends partial awards assuming $375,000 allocation

Hot Springs staff recommends awarding EMS franchise to Bridal Flight EMS; final vote set for April 1