Fort Smith asks staff to negotiate sewer rate with Arcoma after town raises past-due, developer offers to cover some costs

The Fort Smith Board of Directors and Town of Arcoma officials used a May 20 study session to open negotiations over wastewater service, past-due charges and a lapsed 2013 service agreement. Board members directed city staff to pursue talks and return with a proposal and asked administration to consider a short temporary stay on implementing new rates for Arcoma while negotiations proceed.

Mayor Joshua Johnson of the Town of Arcoma told the board his town seeks a "fair and equitable" volume-based wastewater rate as a municipal (wholesale) customer rather than being billed at full retail residential rates. Johnson said Arcoma—s wastewater fund is "not self-supporting" and that, after infrastructure challenges and a 2019 flood event, the town has struggled to keep up with past charges. He said Arcoma—s current customer base is about 613 service connections and the town population is roughly 1,900.

Johnson described recent infrastructure work funded in part by grants and loans: a roughly $1.2 million…