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Votes at a glance: Bentonville council passes consent items; several easement and surplus resolutions approved; water-rate ordinance tabled
Summary
The council approved multiple consent and land-use procedural items, declared surplus police property, set hearings for utility easement and alley vacations, and voted to table the proposed water-rate ordinance. Utility board consent items included a funding resolution and a change order.
The Bentonville City Council approved a batch of consent and procedural items and took action on several resolutions and ordinances during the meeting. Separately, the council voted to table a proposed ordinance that would amend water rates.
Key votes
- Suspension of three-reading rule: The council voted to suspend the rules requiring ordinances be read on three separate days and to allow ordinances and resolutions to be read by title only. The council adopted the suspension (the council later amended and voted on the full suspension motion and approved it by roll call).
- Consent agenda (utility board items 2–4): The council placed utility board items 2, 3 and 4 on the consent agenda and approved them unanimously. The items included: • A resolution expressing the willingness of the City of Bentonville to accept financial assistance from the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission for improvements in the amount of $55,000,000 (utility board item 2). • A resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk to execute documents in connection with funding administered by the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission (utility board item 3). • A resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk to enter into Change Order No. 1 with Gulf Coast Underground LLC in an amount not to exceed $52,395 to address groundwater infiltration on the Southeast 14th Street CIPP sewer lining project (utility board item 4).
- Surplus property: A resolution declaring certain property of the Bentonville Police Department as surplus and authorizing disposal passed unanimously.
- Vacating easements and rights-of-way: The council opened and closed a public hearing for an ordinance vacating utility easements at Lot 18 of Crystal Bridges Museum addition (VAC25-0001) and adopted the ordinance by roll call. The council also approved resolutions to set public hearings for other utility easement vacations and for vacating an alley/right-of-way; those procedural resolutions passed unanimously.
- Airport advisory board appointment: The council appointed Hayes Wade to the Airport Advisory Board by unanimous voice vote.
- Water-rate ordinance (utility board item 1): The council voted to table the proposed ordinance amending Section 98-356 (water rates) to the next meeting after public comment and council discussion (see separate article). The motion to table passed on roll call.
What the votes mean
Most items approved at the meeting were procedural or consent matters that advance routine capital and permitting actions, including a large stated willingness to accept $55,000,000 in assistance from the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission for unspecified improvements (the resolution expresses willingness to accept funding; details of project allocations were not specified in the meeting discussion). The water-rate ordinance was not approved and will return for further staff and consultant briefings and public outreach.
