Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Fort Smith board rejects measure to give Board hiring/firing authority over department heads
Summary
A proposed ordinance to transfer hiring, disciplinary and firing authority for department heads from the city administrator to the Board of Directors failed after public comment and extended debate about governance and staff morale.
The Fort Smith Board of Directors on June 17 rejected an ordinance that would have shifted hiring, disciplinary and termination authority for department heads (including deputy city administrator, fire chief and police chief) from the city administrator to the seven-member board.
The ordinance was introduced at the board’s request and drew substantial public comment. Three residents urged the board to approve the change, saying it would increase accountability; other speakers, including former Mayor Sandy Sanders, urged defeat and recommended hiring a professional city administrator and restoring managerial authority to that office.
Board discussion ran nearly two hours. Supporters, including Director Christina Gitsavas, said the…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
