Fort Smith directors say Washington trip worth the cost

During the 2023 budget-writing process in fall 2022, the Fort Smith Board of Directors decided it would be beneficial for the city if they board members had the opportunity to meet with the city’s congressional delegation in Washington. It budgeted $30,000 for the trip.

The trip, which was from June 6-8 and included four directors, the mayor and Deputy City Administrator Jeff Dingman, cost 62% of that budgeted amount, records indicate.

A media notice posted by the city on June 5 stated that Mayor George McGill; Directors Andrè Good, Lavon Morton, Christina Catsavis and Neal Martin, and the city administrator would be in Washington, D.C. from June 6-8 to meet with U.S. Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, to discuss various issues and opportunities for the city, including the consent decree, the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Project, and potential infrastructure funding opportunities. Because of illness Dingman went in place of City Administrator Carl Geffken, Morton said.

“I believe (the trip) was incredibly productive and valuable,” Morton said.

According to information provided by the city in response to an Arkansas Freedom of Information Act request, the total bill for the trip came in at $18,608.37. Following is a cost breakdown.
• Airfare from Fort Smith to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport for six: $5,991.74
• Stay at the Capitol Hill Hotel in Washington: $4,167.06
• Ground transportation service: $1,950.00
• Ground transportation, Uber (to the EPA meeting & for the mayor’s early flight): $114.25
• Group dinner at Trattoria Alberto on June 6 for six (including sales tax and gratuity): $479.44
• Congressional event/dinner at The Capital Grill on June 7 for 28 people (includes sales tax and 15% gratuity): $5,000
• Per diem and other expected travel per diem reimbursement for six: $905.88

Morton said the trip allowed the group to express to the delegation in Washington for their help in securing the FMS project for the city as well as to learn valuable information that will help the city in many ways.

“We gained some tangible help that will benefit us when it comes to issues we need to work on to better position ourselves to better collaborate with some of the government agencies regarding the consent agenda,” Morton said.

The group was also able to learn about grant opportunities and about government funds that might be available to help the city with future water projects.

“There is a lot of work to get the water line from Lake Fort Smith to Fort Smith under the new (Interstate) 49 bridge,” Morton said, noting right of way purchase, engineering studies and more.

Through various meetings, the group learned of other sources of grants and funding the city might be able to procure, he said.

“There is a lot of money available through the government, but you have to know where it is and what it is available for. We were able to learn a lot,” Morton said.

Director Christina Catsavis also said the trip was worth the cost.

“I feel the trip to Washington, D.C., was tremendously helpful to Fort Smith. Our delegation was able to have face-to-face, sit-down conversations with our representatives, and I feel they were all very excited about the positive things happening in Fort Smith and genuinely very excited for us,” Catsavis said.

She said the group was able to discuss the 48-inch water transmission line from Lake Fort Smith in a way that can only be accomplished through the personal conversations that happen when people are sitting in a room together.

“I think we were able to convey the importance of that project for the city, especially, as we continue to experience this rapid period of growth and think about setting ourselves up for success in the future,” Catsavis said.

The city also spent $3,081.61 for McGill and Gefken to participate in the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce Washington Fly-in April 17-19. That total includes airfare for the two ($1,327.81); stay at the Grand Hyatt Hotel for both ($1,682.80); and per diem and other travel per diem reimbursement ($71), city records show.

According to Geffken, that trip, which included meetings with Boozman, Cotton and Womack, did not focus on the city, but rather on other industries and initiatives.

Along with the occasional trip to meet with Fort Smith’s legislative delegation in Washington, the city has a group in Washington providing federal representation and support to the city including efforts for relief or extensions on the consent decree.

After years of failing to maintain water and sewer infrastructure to federal standards, the city entered into a federal consent decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Justice in late 2014. The consent decree required the city to make an estimated $480 million worth of sewer upgrades over the course of 12 years.

The city has a consultant agreement with the Peter Damon Group, a lobbyist firm in Washington, for $6,225 per month, Dingman said. The group is a strategic public and government affairs business development, event management, and digital marketing consulting firm. The contract states that the consulting services may include representation/monitoring at legislative hearings; advocacy to certain legislators and their staffs on issues of interest or concern to the city; planning and coordinating meetings for the city with legislators; regular contact with the city for direction and specific authority to act on the legislative initiatives and other relevant matter.