[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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",6543454,"mediaKeyId","3541783-8eb92f71483400f9df9001d7f821e521","parentId",3541783,"title","Fort Smith asks staff to negotiate sewer rate with Arcoma after town raises past-due, developer offers to cover some costs","audioSeconds",4250,"startMs",5121000,"endMs",9371000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3541783-8eb92f71483400f9df9001d7f821e521&start=5121&end=9371","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3541783-8eb92f71483400f9df9001d7f821e521/thumbnail_5121000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6543454/Fort-Smith/Sebastian-County/Arkansas/Fort-Smith-asks-staff-to-negotiate-sewer-rate-with-Arcoma-after-town-raises-past-due-developer-offers-to-cover-some-costs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6543454-aad6707bb7eb242731dcb01358e3ef7d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771024697&Signature=D23A8c~PgqRP4DrH8iMPLeBHQAQGWazyrsK27BevmZEKGRYrzoU38lyfKoWtldkaBY0jR5cE0R~cVa0wdSTnSSQHZUMa4VDTlxRJZPPUFLluumGr5IMlXZFpDMY3eJ0z-SbApy9X50d9U~~s0pwNPtbKTwynSPnUj7M0AF5M9GlA0TU-AVqRkO6TbaiIRGcxPabLnfbuD-SSmlNyCtU4AddtvefSEWObAURhEHLSWNbqjmtfs4T7ATGdL4BPjIW1Ncgzjudp5m10OH4eh9toDPDqTznqZ30IadkJcVCbR00UWh42Q5J8ZcP0QXqp5Xgg7e4P~Gwejh7JmqQbhzEFLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Fort Smith","date","2025-05-27T17:47:00Z","article","The Fort Smith Board of Directors and Town of Arcoma officials used a May 20 study session to open negotiations over wastewater service, past-due charges and a lapsed 2013 service agreement. Board members directed city staff to pursue talks and return with a proposal and asked administration to consider a short temporary stay on implementing new rates for Arcoma while negotiations proceed.

Mayor Joshua Johnson of the Town of Arcoma told the board his town seeks a \"fair and equitable\" volume-based wastewater rate as a municipal (wholesale) customer rather than being billed at full retail residential rates. Johnson said Arcomas wastewater fund is \"not self-supporting\" and that, after infrastructure challenges and a 2019 flood event, the town has struggled to keep up with past charges. He said Arcomas current customer base is about 613 service connections and the town population is roughly 1,900.

Johnson described recent infrastructure work funded in part by grants and loans: a roughly $1.2 million forgivable loan that replaced about 5,349 feet of sewer main and refurbished 33 manholes; a prior $3.2 million USDA loan addressing water and sewer infrastructure; and a $500,000 project to remediate manholes. He said the town has roughly an 80% water-loss rate on the water side and continues to pursue additional improvements.

Fort Smith staff and board members disputed applying retail residential sewer rates to Arcoma. Lance (Fort Smith utilities staff) calculated that Arcomas tiered billing (Arcoma's July 2024 rates: $35 base, then $11.40 per 1,000 gallons for the first 2,000 gallons, $12.80 for the next 1,000, $14.20 for the next 2,000, and $15.60 beyond) roughly converts to $8.53, $9.57, $10.62 and $11.67 per CCF for successive tiers. City staff noted Fort Smith's retail sewer framework and argued wholesaler/retailer distinctions and measurement warrant a wholesale rate calculation tied to total metered flow rather than to Arcoma's billed volumes, because Arcoma reports higher outflows than the metered water sold to its customers caused by inflow and infiltration.

Mayor Johnson and Arcoma vice mayor Bobby Weatherford said the town had been operating under the expired 2013 agreement with Fort Smith by mutual understanding but acknowledged they did not submit a formal written extension. Johnson said the town is prepared to reassess its internal rates but requested Fort Smith treat the town as a wholesale customer and seek a negotiated wholesale rate. Arcoma representatives said one nearby developer, Fianna Properties LLC, has proposed a new 75-lot subdivision and offered, through its representative Dalton Persson, to pay up to $120,000 of Arcomas past-due wastewater balance to allow development to proceed.

Board members expressed competing priorities. Director Settle argued for uniform treatment of customers and cautioned against special discounts that would invite other outside customers to demand the same terms; other directors urged negotiation and asked staff to bring back options quickly so the developer and Arcoma can proceed. Several board members emphasized the need for a documented current service agreement rather than continued operation under an expired contract.

Mayor McGill and Administrator Dingman were asked to pursue talks with Arcoma. Directors moved to have administration and staff negotiate and return with a written proposal; several directors proposed a short pause on implementing the June ordinance rate for Arcoma while talks continue. Staff said producing an agreeable written proposal will likely take more than three days; the board asked staff to aim for an expedited follow-up (board members discussed a 14-to-21-day window) and to place any proposed temporary stay or agreement on an upcoming agenda for formal action.

No formal ordinance change or final rate decision was made at the study session. The boards direction was procedural: staff is to negotiate a wholesale-rate approach, test terms with legal and billing staff, and return to the board with a written recommendation within weeks.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Fort Smith - Board of Directors - Study Session - May 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Board of Directors agreed to direct staff to negotiate a revised wholesale wastewater rate with the Town of Arcoma and to return with a proposal; Arcoma's developer offered to pay up to $120,000 of past-due charges while talks proceed.","taxTitle","Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas","taxId",3748,"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},6543459,"Directors debate whether to require development plans with every Planned Zoning District",1159,3954000,5113000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3541783-8eb92f71483400f9df9001d7f821e521&start=3954&end=5113","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3541783-8eb92f71483400f9df9001d7f821e521/thumbnail_3954000.jpg","/articles/6543459/Fort-Smith/Sebastian-County/Arkansas/Directors-debate-whether-to-require-development-plans-with-every-Planned-Zoning-District","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6543459-5828112de6fb7c437510b4085ef6834a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771024697&Signature=mKWx9OUhcI-dceyB7aL4VeEVKm-I18E4lUs~w5nB6xYLnyLKGkHmBtb0WojqmIc0zeW8BLL86d8AmN7etqQhXiDOf9Lnt4SI6wCnRvcamYu0hGsyjbsPlw73mvVIa9KF76jU-8YD-UofXF9iYf8yPP9Z4qT9iTnQxx21SDsq17LWTLKcF0cFNFiElAz9R-LtikicdzHErQxlZU78NHQGnpFWiEfIXGVTXoiH1xRKysskZstupzqDZ~SZGxpySaTmmm06Xv045CV6LlqaCRHc2mQfcYXVRP5NgHtpSFizSgBZBYjCwSfi24WSQ-GywR1o9kKE4lgyni-6IBV0oMR6hw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Deputy City Administrator Maggie Rice opened a May 20 study-session discussion on whether the city should require a development plan to accompany every Planned Zoning District application.

Rice told the board the PZD option was adopted in 2013 to allow developers to secure rezonings \"without undue financial risk,\" noting that other rezoning options already require a full development plan. \"Adding the mandate that a development plan be required with every PZD project booklet would be counterintuitive to the purpose of a PZD, and staff would not be in favor of mandating that requirement,\" Rice said.

Several directors said they wanted a middle ground. Director Cerro said the PZD process has grown to include long lists of desired uses and that neighborhoods are often unsure what a developer is proposing. \"I'm not asking for a full development plan. I'm asking for just sometimes here's what we're thinking,\" Cerro said, asking for a simple sketch or \"back-of-the-napkin\" plan to show likely use and building placement.

Director Rigo and others asked whether other communities require funding commitments or different plan requirements for PZDs. Rice said she had not found that requirement in her experience and recommended options the board already has: deny the rezoning, remand to the planning commission, or add a condition requiring a development plan prior to building permit issuance.

Director Kemp and others asked staff to research best practices from peer communities and return with potential policy options. No formal action was taken; the board asked staff to provide examples and consider a consistent, citywide approach rather than ad hoc conditions.","Deputy city administrator Maggie Rice told the board that requiring a full development plan with every Planned Zoning District (PZD) would run counter to the original purpose of PZDs; several directors asked staff to research middle-ground options and best practices.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6543465,"Fort Smith Fire Department reports 96% property saved rate, notes equipment and training investments",583,2895000,3478000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3541783-8eb92f71483400f9df9001d7f821e521&start=2895&end=3478","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3541783-8eb92f71483400f9df9001d7f821e521/thumbnail_2895000.jpg","/articles/6543465/Fort-Smith/Sebastian-County/Arkansas/Fort-Smith-Fire-Department-reports-96-property-saved-rate-notes-equipment-and-training-investments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6543465-892ed0d93096ac3ee4dec14124fc460d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771024697&Signature=ohf075Wl9AWMsd-KNYDq7w~JHDoze1aXNCf7fgs-H9al0~dtaeirdO9~eruPHfI1OSbGeqfTbmU2ibO-m~jgnsXy9JuCeXkUYfAXqFo0RJQ63HUT11P0NYo6NBDTnLV59L2VWc2F4~~r1nW4Ur1MBYT36-fYrFDmJk9WJWaLE9vMi2QcFmyH2~JsJDict4clDI5RI85wr3Fjrpa-9LdnpTyOOPHBMatYqhunXablbQLKwt13~h1wKI42QNn~ImwpCuzRxmLXNBK5nkmMDO1l0ezxShPTrHatmydPfKK9XO7Cf~BQ08YZ0PxFmGW3NbPyvj-YciARgxDwxCcth1CBJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Fire Chief Boyd Waters presented the Fort Smith Fire Departments 2024 annual report to the Board of Directors on May 20, giving incident totals and describing recent investments in facilities, equipment and training.

Waters said the department responded to 15,772 incidents in 2024, including 136 building fires and 69 vehicle fires. He estimated the total value of property involved at about $104 million and reported property loss from fires at about $4 million, representing roughly 96% of property saved during responses.

The chief outlined personnel changes, promotions and training. Waters said the department promoted multiple staff members to battalion chief, captain and driver ranks and added seven new hires in 2024. New firefighters complete a two-week induction program \"fire attack,\" followed by 10 weeks of fire-academy training and six weeks of EMT training.

Waters described infrastructure work including replacement of a 30-year-old boiler and cooling tower at headquarters, LED lighting upgrades, and work to complete a significant firing range at the city landfill. He said 19 new vehicles were purchased and that refurbished pumpers will delay replacement costs. He also described a newly acquired mid-mount 100-foot tower (Ladder 3) assigned to Station 3 that was placed in service in 2024.

The department opened a six-bay maintenance facility purchased in December 2023, which Waters said has allowed more repairs in-house, parts storage and improved fleet availability. He said that facility also gave the fire marshals improved office and plan-review capabilities.

Waters said the department continues to pursue training improvements and noted plans for additional training props and a reinforced concrete pad for hose testing and driver training. He said the department remains active in community events including station tours, safety talks and \"touch-a-truck\" events.

Directors thanked the chief and staff and asked questions about apparatus replacement funding, the training tower and the status of planned Tahoe medical response units. Waters said the Tahoe replacements were cut in a prior budget round and that a total apparatus replacement sinking fund remains under pressure; he said refurbishment has postponed the need for full replacements but is not a permanent solution.

The presentation concluded with the board expressing support and no formal board action taken.","Fire Chief Boyd Waters told the Board of Directors the Fort Smith Fire Department responded to 15,772 incidents in 2024, saved an estimated 96% of involved property values and completed facility and training upgrades; no board action was taken.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6543470,"Fort Smith Police report drop in Group A crime, expand youth and wellness programs",1152,763000,1915000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3541783-8eb92f71483400f9df9001d7f821e521&start=763&end=1915","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3541783-8eb92f71483400f9df9001d7f821e521/thumbnail_763000.jpg","/articles/6543470/Fort-Smith/Sebastian-County/Arkansas/Fort-Smith-Police-report-drop-in-Group-A-crime-expand-youth-and-wellness-programs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6543470-9681a3bb38ab60e9cb4fce9edb6ccb29/orig.mp4?Expires=1771024697&Signature=mDN2ISl~HKvRvPkaGfJA5RxidkMl9N75x8dVU7TKiFb0JD5F4BemGYhyu9LVlbl93H4yea2m2CsV6qRKtZDBYG~qoEBcNep9X~TIOR~DT3MZe0G0RnzN9eIGSo6OMxCqisbLMvFpQ2cfQ7GPF07LujenNzK80fv1-UE8Z0o-rHxxNxzHoY4l7-gcpKUx--p3mHaZsRsBBA1i36rqg~Cldh5LDA--bOcdItkXZeoIEEn65mStfXR8Fvi9Sl98SltrAIy-XabNa6fyyGjkMZWzUCirX5PeGRehyq73DWiwbV1AJ0TSA9q-SbPX-oiFgfEo-gxPhxaF-TsNo-yN2cQjNg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chief James Baker presented the Fort Smith Police Departments 2024 annual report to the Fort Smith Board of Directors on May 20, saying the city saw an overall drop in reported crime and that the department would pursue pay increases for officers in the 2026 budget.

Baker said the department recorded a 14% decrease in Group A crime in 2024 from 2023 and a 33% decrease since 2019. \"Public transparency continues to be one of my steadfast, unwavering commitments to the people of Fort Smith,\" Baker told the board, highlighting the departments public records and outreach work.

The report outlined staffing, budget and program details. Baker said the department has 226 authorized positions, and that sworn staffing increased from 164 to 167 officers in 2024. He said the department spent $33,887,968 from the city sales-tax fund, including $2.4 million to implement officer raises in 2023, $621,052 for Axon body-worn cameras, a $500,000 partial payment on the Crane Kia property, and capital expenses including a new boiler and a cooling tower at headquarters.

Baker described several community-engagement programs. He said the department attended or hosted 398 outreach events with an estimated total attendance in the tens of thousands, ran 47 crime-prevention classes and distributed thousands of meals through a food patrol program. He described a new or expanded Shield Our Youth initiative, \"based on our core principles of service, honor, integrity, education, legacy and dedication,\" and credited Officer Blake Scott and Restore Hopes Courtney Harlan for program work.

On operational metrics, Baker reported 5,417 arrests in 2024 (1,185 felonies and 3,380 misdemeanors), 15,159 offense reports and 39,114 incident reports. He said the crisis-intervention unit responded to 3,483 crisis calls, referred 1,263 people to mental-health treatment and diverted 251 people from incarceration to alternative treatment. The department also implemented a traffic unit in 2024 that conducted thousands of traffic stops and issued more than 1,100 citations. Baker said detectives seized more than $1.7 million in narcotics.

Directors asked questions about staffing, 911 consolidation and employee wellness. Director Rigo asked whether demand on telecommunicators required more staff; Baker said a planned consolidation of emergency communications should help and that the department is investing in employee wellness. \"One of our primary focuses this year in 2025 is employee wellness,\" Baker said, adding the department has committed a full-time person to wellness and is implementing peer support.

Baker also said he plans to work with administration to present a proposal for raises in the 2026 budget, telling the board, \"I intend to work with administration to present a raise proposal for our police officers in the 2026 budget.\" He said recruiting and retention remain competitive in the region.

The presentation ended with board members thanking personnel for community outreach and training work; no formal board action was taken on the report itself.","Chief James Baker presented the Fort Smith Police Departments 2024 annual report to the Board of Directors, citing a 14% drop in Group A crime, expanded community programs and plans to propose officer pay increases in the 2026 budget.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Fort Smith asks staff to negotiate sewer rate with Arcoma after town raises past-due, developer offers to cover some costs

Directors debate whether to require development plans with every Planned Zoning District

Fort Smith Fire Department reports 96% property saved rate, notes equipment and training investments

Fort Smith Police report drop in Group A crime, expand youth and wellness programs