Fort Smith official outlines ‘Key’ actions in 2010

Helping Mitsubishi break ground on a $100 million wind turbine assembly plant to Fort Smith being named an Arkansas Volunteer Community of 2010 were cited by Acting City Administrator Ray Gosack as accomplishments in 2010.

“2010 has been a productive year for the City of Fort Smith. Although we experienced economic uncertainties from the national recession, the city government has many accomplishments in its service to the citizens and businesses of Fort Smith,” Gosack noted in his Dec. 14 report to the board.

Continuing, Gosack noted: “2011 looks to be another challenging year. With the board’s guidance and the staff’s professionalism, we can make 2011 a successful, we can make 2011 a successful year on behalf of the citizens we serve.”

Gosack also praised the work of department heads who work toward “the board’s goals.”

Key points of the four pages of accomplishments were the Mitsubishi groundbreaking, the beginning of $13.4 million in road widening on Arkansas 45 between Phoenix Avenue and Zero Street, cutting $800,000 from the city budget to respond to revenue shortfalls, and annexation of 437 acres into the city limits.

Other highlights in the list of 44 “Key Accomplishments” during 2010 include:
• Redesign of the city’s website;
• Successfully lobbying for Interstate 49 funding for work on the road through Chaffee Crossing;
• Continued work on $180 million in sewer system improvements to meet federal mandates;
• Continued work on the $35 million upgrade of the Lake Fort Smith water treatment plant that was built in the mid-1930s; and,
• Completed construction of a landfill cell that will handle solid waste needs for another five years.