Fayetteville board approves budget amendment, purchasing agreements, Petersburg water contract and school dome payments

Fayetteville’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved a series of routine business items Jan. 14, including a budget amendment, new cooperative purchasing membership, a contract to provide water service to Petersburg, a new city credit-card program and several invoices tied to the Fayetteville City School dome project.

The board voted to adopt Ordinance 2025-1, described in meeting materials as Budget Amendment No. 6 for the city. The motion to adopt was made by Alderman Small and seconded by Alderman King; the motion passed during the meeting.

Why it matters: the amendments update the city’s budget allocations for FY 2025 and authorize spending and accounting changes that staff said are detailed in the board packet.

Other actions approved

- Cooperative purchasing: The board approved Fayetteville joining OMNIA, a cooperative purchasing organization used for items such as garage and vehicle equipment and other goods. Motion by Alderman Painter; second by Alderman Small; motion passed.

- Flags purchase with Lincoln County: The board approved a cooperative purchase with Lincoln County for 126 flags (63 per entity) in time for Memorial Day and Veterans Day display. The cost specified in the packet was $945 (the board confirmed that figure). Motion approved; motion passed.

- Petersburg water-service agreement: The board approved an agreement between the Fayetteville Board of Public Utilities and the town of Petersburg for Fayetteville to provide water service. The contract includes a consultation/assessment period (described in the meeting as six months) so staff can assess system conditions and meters. Motion made and seconded in open session; motion passed.

- City credit cards: The board authorized applying for a new consolidated city credit-card account to issue up to 10 cards, each with a $5,000 limit, for department-head use only. The administration said the bank partner under consideration was First Bank of Arkansas and that additional controls and approvals will be required for purchases. Motion passed.

- Airport authority appointment: The board approved the appointment of Dan Holt to the Fayetteville-Lincoln County Airport Authority. Motion by Alderman Pena; second by Alderman Keenan; motion carried.

- Fayetteville City School dome project invoices: The board approved eight individual payments to the contractor identified in the school’s project documents. The motions carried for invoice numbers and amounts provided in the packet, listed individually in the meeting as: $19,680 (invoice 18R), $18,204 (20R), $6,322.50 (21R), $9,840 (23R), $11,316 (24R), $4,674 (25R) and $5,412 (26R). Those approvals were recorded as motions and passed in sequence on the agenda.

Items postponed or taken up later

- Several appointments to the Board of Public Utilities were discussed and, where board members requested full membership to be present for consideration, the nominations were moved to next month’s meeting for further discussion and vote.

What the board did not decide: The meeting record shows the board moved some nominations to the next meeting to allow absent members to participate; no new policy changes or rate increases were decided at this session.

Ending: The meeting adjourned after the board completed the listed agenda items.