Hot Springs Board to Consider $700,000 Wastewater Transfer, $2.3M Planning Grant and Multiple Contracts on April 7

The Hot Springs Board of Directors on March 31 reviewed a slate of resolutions and ordinances that will be formally considered at the board’s April 7 meeting at 6 p.m. at City Hall.

Finance Director Karen Scott outlined a recommended budget amendment (Resolution R‑26‑60) that would transfer $700,000 from the wastewater impact fee fund into the city’s wastewater fund to provide funding for debt service on bonds that financed system capacity upgrades. Scott told the board the impact fee is collected as part of a customer’s application for wastewater service and that staff recommends the transfer to cover debt payments.

The packet also includes a resolution acknowledging receipt of the February 2026 financial statements (R‑26‑59), which Scott said were provided as an attachment to the board.

Solid Waste Director Samantha Jones asked the board to approve two equipment purchases. One request (R‑26‑62) would buy 93 front‑load dumpsters in various sizes from Wastequip via the Sourcewell cooperative for $99,954.88 to replace units that are no longer repairable. Jones also said staff received two bids for a recycling collection truck (procurement HS26‑021) and recommended awarding the purchase to Rush Truck Centers of Arkansas for the low responsive bid of $261,872.32; the truck would replace unit 9444 and the old unit would be sold at auction.

Deputy City Manager Denny McPhate described a $111,376 contract (R‑26‑64) to replace the failed hydronic/chiller system at the Community Resource Center, citing repeated system failures and stating funds are available in the adopted 2026 budget. McPhate said staff would use an existing term contract approved in Resolution 9852 (08/17/2021) with Comfort Systems USA Arkansas Inc. to perform the work.

Assistant Engineer Michael Hill reviewed a change order (R‑26‑65) for the federally funded Safe Streets for All (SS4A) demonstration pavement‑markings project with Time Striping Inc. Hill said the change adds sidewalks and a wider stop bar at a high‑injury location, increases the work by $24,009.89 and brings the total contract amount reported in the packet to $72,007.92; he said the project is fully funded by the SS4A grant and the local match and requires no additional local funding.

Deputy/Staff reported that a large federal planning grant the city had been awaiting was signed by the federal agency and returned to the city; Michael Hill confirmed the grant amount as $2,300,000.

Court Administrator Chris Burrow presented a term contract (R‑26‑66) to provide an armed, licensed uniform security officer for the Garland County District Court. Burrow said four bids were received and a three‑person evaluation produced a recommended vendor; he told the board the vendor could be on site in 30 days and that the increased cost will require a budget amendment with a city share of about $6,500 (the cost is split roughly 50/50 with the county).

Deputy City Manager Lance Spicer described a proposed contract with Friends of the Hot Springs Community Resource Center (R‑26‑675) for litter abatement and employment services. Spicer said the solicitation received a single proposal and that the Friends’ model focuses on wraparound services: six cohorts of five participants each (30 people over the contract term) working up to five hours per day, four days per week, on eight‑week cycles and paid at minimum wage. Spicer said the program will include a resource navigator and van driver and that participants will be on payroll or otherwise processed with required tax forms; routes will focus on state highways while the solid waste crew will continue work on city arterials. The total budgeted amount in solid waste funds for the contract is up to $100,000.

Airport Director Don Rollup said the airport’s aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) vehicle had been in maintenance for an extended period and requires a foam conversion plus a third‑party annual inspection before returning to service. Siddons Martin Emergency Group proposed a change order extending the lease through July for $32,250 (about $8,062.50 per month for four months); Rollup said staff requests a budget adjustment of $35,063 to cover the lease extension and tax on earlier months. The leased vehicle remains on site until the airport’s unit completes required work and inspection.

On code enforcement matters, the board heard a presentation about a vacant single‑family structure at 115 Magnolia Street (District 1). James Hartage/Hardage (neighborhood services) said inspectors issued seven vacant‑structure notices between 2008 and December 2025, documented severe exterior and structural damage and unsuccessful repairs after a July 2024 permit; he recommended the structure be declared a public nuisance and removed to mitigate health and safety risks (R‑26‑77).

Planning staff presented three zoning ordinances recommended by the Planning Commission (each approved by Planning Commission 7‑0): a rezoning for 415 Quapaw Avenue from Neighborhood Commercial (CN) to Residential Neighborhood 5 to allow the owner, Robert Kemkus, to renovate a circa‑1900 building into two townhouses using historic rehab tax credits (O‑26‑12); a rezoning at Fairmont and Delaware Streets from RN‑5 to RN‑3 for an applicant, Lance Levy, proposing single‑family rental homes (O‑26‑13); and a rezoning of 1.54 acres at Stover, Blair and Kent Streets from RN‑5 to RN‑3 for new single‑family houses (O‑26‑14); planning staff noted one public comment (Pam Noble, 316 Stover) asked about Stover Street width.

All items discussed on March 31 were presented for the board’s formal consideration at the April 7 meeting; no final votes were taken during the March 31 review.

Next step: the board will consider the resolutions and ordinances at its April 7, 2026 meeting at 6 p.m. at City Hall.