Arkansas City Land Bank approves 2024 report, inventory and officer slate; boards discuss adding city parcels

The Arkansas City Land Bank on Feb. 2025 approved its 2024 annual report, authorized publication of the land bank’s 20-property inventory and confirmed a slate of officers for February 2025, while discussing whether to transfer additional city-owned parcels into the land bank for development.

Board members heard the annual report from staff member Josh, who said the land bank sold two properties last year and did not acquire any parcels at tax sales because bids rose to roughly $1,000–$2,000 for vacant lots, making purchases “unaffordable” for the land bank. Josh reported the land bank received $1,500 from one November sale and $1 from a prior-year purchaser, and that the land bank fund ended the year with about $1,300–$1,400 more than it began with.

The board approved the annual report and voted to publish the required annual inventory in the newspaper. Board members noted the inventory lists 20 properties and that a map showing parcels is posted on the city website; the board agreed the map itself would not be published in the newspaper because of cost.

Members discussed whether to transfer city-owned parcels — including several tracts near Patterson Park and a larger 20–30 acre parcel north of the hospital — into the land bank for potential senior housing or multifamily development. Commissioners said some of those parcels currently are used for parks or are otherwise undeveloped and would require drainage work before building. The board asked staff to bring a list of candidate parcels and to schedule a work session to review them.

The board also reviewed its bylaws and policy directives included in the meeting packet and had no immediate recommendations for change. A brief item-by-item review of inventory floodplain status identified that one or two parcels are inside a FEMA flood zone and a second parcel is partially within the 500-year flood area.

Votes at a glance: - Approve agenda as written — motion carried. (Mover/second not specified; vote recorded as voice vote in favor.) - Approve Nov. 5, 2024 meeting minutes — motion carried. (Mover/second not specified; voice vote in favor.) - Select Mayor Beeson as chair for Feb. 2025 — motion carried. (Nominee: Mayor Beeson; mover/second not specified.) - Select vice chair for Feb. 2025 — motion carried. (Nominee not specified in transcript.) - Appoint Tiffany Parsons as secretary for Feb. 2025 — motion carried. (Nominator/second not specified in transcript.) - Appoint Jennifer Wagner as treasurer for Feb. 2025 — motion carried. (Nominator/second not specified in transcript.) - Approve 2024 annual report — motion carried. (Mover/second not specified.) - Approve land bank property inventory (20 parcels) for publication — motion carried. (Mover/second not specified.)

Discussion vs. decisions: The purchase strategy and past tax-sale behavior were discussed by staff and trustees (discussion). The board formally approved the annual report and the published inventory and confirmed officer appointments (formal actions). Board members directed staff to compile and present a list of additional city-owned parcels for a future work session (direction to staff), but gave no formal instruction to transfer specific parcels at this meeting.

Josh, identified as a staff member in the meeting, summarized receipts and the fund balance changes: “we received $1,500 for that 1 property that we sold in November, and we received $1 from somebody that purchased 1 of the previous year.” The board requested follow-up on deed work for a property on North Eighth and asked staff to double-check outstanding title/deed steps.

The board ended the agenda item on bylaws and policies with no recommended changes and with agreement to continue evaluating potentially transferable city parcels at a future work session.