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Manager announces staff hires, CAPS video rollout, neighborhood clean sweep and upcoming meetings
Summary
City Manager Burrell highlighted new hires and promotions, previewed an AI-avatar video series explaining city programs (including Clean Attractive Property Service), announced a neighborhood clean sweep and Safe Streets participation event, and moved the November agenda meeting to Nov. 10 to allow additional time for the 2026 budget.
City Manager Burrell used his July 15 report to recognize new employees and to preview communications and neighborhood programs the city will roll out this summer.
Burrell named recent hires and a promotion and highlighted new public information work by Courtney Kaiser and Katie Yamaguchi that will convert city code and program text into short explanatory videos using AI-generated avatars. "This is focusing on our CAPS program or clean attractive property service," Burrell said, showing a short demonstration clip and telling the board the library of videos will include topics such as backflow preventers, parking rules and the Clean Attractive Property Service (CAPS).
Burrell announced a neighborhood clean-sweep in Area 2 between West Grand and Hobson Avenue from Third Street to Mason Street. He said about 500 households are affected and that sanitation crews and the CAPS program will collect curbside items during the second week; those collections will not count against the regular two free collections per household each year. City street sweepers and alternative-service workers from district court will support cleanup and neighborhood services staff will return in week three to issue citations for unresolved violations.
Other announcements included: Tip-A-Cop fundraising at Longhorn Steakhouse on July 17 to benefit Special Olympics of Arkansas; a $5,000 donation from Hot Springs 50 for the Future to the Hot Springs Community Resource Center on July 18; a Safe Streets community participation event with consultants on July 24 at the transportation depot (computers will be available to complete the project survey); recognition of Deputy City Manager Lance Spicer with the Arkansas Municipal Leagues Marvin L. Vincent Commitment to Excellence Award; and youth tee-ball and softball sign-ups running through July 31 with games beginning the week of Sept. 2.
Burrell also told directors the November agenda meeting had been moved from Nov. 11 (Veterans Day) to Monday, Nov. 10 at 4 p.m. to allow more time for review of the proposed 2026 budget, the 2024 ACFR, fund-balance projections and the city's unfunded capital list.
