Springdale council adopts 2026 budget measures, wage increases and firefighter memorandum

Council President called a Dec. 17 Springdale City Council meeting to order and the council moved through several budget and labor items that the finance committee had recommended earlier this month.

Finance Committee Chair Webster reported the committee met Dec. 10 and "voted unanimously to recommend the budget to the city council." Webster provided general fund figures through Nov. 30: a beginning balance of $7,150,982; October revenues of $1,479,244; October expenditures of $1,669,580; and an ending balance of $6,000,966.46.

Front and center were a cluster of ordinances that the council adopted by roll call vote.

Ordinance 47‑20‑25 authorizes the city to contract with Plattenburg & Associates, Inc. for annual professional accounting and audit services for the fiscal years ending 2025–2029 at $27,100 per year, a $135,500 contract total. Council voted to accept the proposal and authorized the mayor and city administrator to execute the agreement.

Ordinance 49‑20‑25 amends the city's compensation ordinance to provide wage increases for certain city employees and was adopted with an emergency clause. The ordinance states the revised compensation will be effective Dec. 28, 2025.

Ordinance 50‑20‑25 formalizes a memorandum of understanding with the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 4027 that clarifies and modifies terms of the existing collective bargaining agreement. The ordinance included an emergency clause so the modified terms are in place by Jan. 1, 2026; council approved the measure unanimously.

Council also approved amendments with engineering consultant Verdantas (Ordinance 51‑20‑25) to update rates effective Jan. 1, 2026, a supplemental appropriation and estimated receipts ordinance (Ordinance 52‑20‑25) adjusting multiple TIF and fund balances for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2025, and a temporary appropriation for early 2026 spending (Ordinance 53‑20‑25). Each of those passed by the council's affirmative votes.

Mayor Hawkins praised staff and department heads for the budget work, saying it reflected months of preparation and "we've got just about all of our department heads present" for questions. Finance Chair Webster and Mayor Hawkins both thanked the administration and department leadership for their work on the budget.

What happens next: the wage ordinance lists an effective date of Dec. 28, 2025, and the IAFF memorandum is described as effective Jan. 1, 2026; the council approved the agreements and appropriations and directed administration to carry out the implementation steps authorized by the ordinances.

Votes at a glance: all major fiscal and labor ordinances reported here passed by affirmative council votes (recorded as seven in favor where noted in the meeting transcript).