Fort Smith board to talk economic development, policy direction at January retreat

The Fort Smith board of directors plan a Jan. 10 board retreat to discuss past, present and future issues and events. No official time has been set, but previous retreats began prior to 9 a.m. and continued into the afternoon. The Elm Grove community center at Martin Luther King Park in Fort Smith is the site of the retreat.

Tentative agenda items include:

• A review of the Fort Smith Convention Center, to include the expected deficit when state turnback funds expire and a look at the business model of the center.

• Discuss the city’s role in regional economic development, to include development at Fort Chaffee.

• Identify and prioritize the board’s policy directions.

• Consider further the plan to implement a new procedure in providing funds to area non-profit groups.

• Discuss future water and sewer projects, especially those projects without dedicated funding.

• Review quality of place projects, to include trails, bikeways, greenways, parks and a sports complex.

(If you, Kind Reader, have ideas for agenda items, please note them in a comment to this story.)