Fort Smith Board rejects effort to create utility advisory committee

In the face of ongoing tough decisions about spending on and user rates for water and sewer systems, the Fort Smith Board of Directors on Tuesday (Oct. 8) rejected a push to create a Utility Advisory Committee to seek a “more thorough discussion” with citizens.

Responses to a federal consent decree enacted in 2015 to fix the city’s sewer system, and efforts to adequately maintain and expand the city’s water system have resulted in controversial and sometimes heated discussions among board members and citizens.

Fort Smith officials are set to begin negotiating with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to modify the consent decree. Total consent decree costs are estimated to range between $600 million and $800 million.

On the water side, there are numerous ongoing and future projects that will require water rate increases. For example, a 48-inch water transmission line and upgrades to the Lake Fort Smith Water Treatment Plant is estimated to cost more than $220 million. The Fort Smith Board on July 11 voted to increase water rates for all city residents and businesses, and contract water customers. It was the first water rate increase since 2011. Customers using 3ccf of water in a month, the majority of customer bills, rates would go up about $2 a month.

City Director Lavon Morton has repeatedly called for creation of a utility advisory committee to be another level of review and oversight, and to provide more citizen input and trust with utility system finances. One mystery Morton hopes the committee will help resolve is an estimated 30% loss between the volume pumped from water sources and the volume of water that is billed. A common loss for water systems is around 15%, according to Morton.

He also believes the commission could help the city with the consent decree, including finding alternative approaches to meeting federal mandates for sewer system work.

“This effort would have to involve outside experts, perhaps large specialty sewer construction engineering firms with experience in large city consent decree or similar work,” Morton said in an interview prior to Tuesday’s meeting.

According to the proposed resolution, the committee would be structured like the city’s Audit Advisory committee, with one citizen from each of the city’s four Wards and three Fort Smith Board members.

Following are other aspects of the committee, according to the city.
• Meet at least monthly in an informal setting allowing free discussion of concepts, projects,
and ideas related to water or wastewater issues.
• Research and investigate issues that aren’t yet ready for Board of Directors discussion or
action.
• Specifically address issues as they arise, including ideas for upcoming projects or
communications with the public.
• Make recommendations to the Board of Directors on water and wastewater issues.

However, several directors suggested that the board should be the group to spend the time to address water and sewer system issues. Director Christina Catsavis said instead of a new committee, the board “needs to be accountable” directly when it comes to addressing utility issues. She said the advisory group may not be effective unless it’s a “committee of experts.” Director Kevin Settle said the first study session of every month should be focused only on water and sewer issues.

After pushback from other directors, Morton moved to table indefinitely his motion to create the advisory committee.

Settle then submitted a motion for the board to consider approving a plan to begin in November using the first study session of each month to focus on utility issues. That motion will be considered at the next regular meeting.