Fort Smith board approves Segway, rifle purchases

story by Luke Hobbs
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The Fort Smith Board of Directors voted in its Tuesday (July 5) meeting to purchase six new Segway patrollers and 115 new rifles for the city police department.

The patrollers and rifles were approved as part of the Board’s consent agenda, which passed 6-0. Director Don Hutchings, a Fort Smith pastor, was making an emergency hospital visit for one of his church members and did not attend the meeting.

In late May the police department tested two Segway i2 patrollers in the downtown area. Police Chief Kevin Lindsey told the Board that each of the officers who tried the patrollers, including himself, liked them and felt they would help the department.

The six patrollers will cost $44,368.58 and will be paid for out of the State Asset Forfeiture account, the funds of which come from the confiscated valuables of convicted criminals.

According to a police department memo, officers will use the Segway patrollers mainly for “special events, downtown patrols, meter enforcement, and airport patrol.” The patrollers are prized for their visibility and easy maneuverability.

The rifles, manufactured by Rock River Arms, will cost $104,716.12 and will be temporarily paid for out of the Federal Asset Forfeiture (FAF) account. Most of the rifles will be owned by the officers who use them, and they will reimburse the FAF account for the full price over a 12-month period.

Director Phillip Merry asked Lindsey why officers needed to own their rifles. Lindsey said it was because each rifle must be sighted specifically for the person who will use it, meaning that officers sharing rifles would be impractical. Lindsey also stressed that despite officers owning their rifles, they will use them only for police business.

The police department already owns 19 Rock River rifles, but most officers are armed with shotguns. Lindsey told the Board that officers rarely use their shotguns because the weapons are unwieldy and can cause a wide range of damage.

CENTER AGREEMENT
The Board voted 6-0 to approve a short-term agreement with the Advertising & Promotion (A&P) Commission to operate the Fort Smith Convention Center until resolution has been reached on a 1% prepared food tax.

Under the 1% food tax ordinance, which was passed by the Board in February, the A&P Commission would run the Convention Center and use the tax revenue to fund it. The implementation of the tax is on hold because of a petition effort to force a citywide vote on the tax.

On Friday (July 1), the date when the A&P would have begun to operate the center under the ordinance, City Administrator Ray Gosack instead advised the Board that city staff recommended a temporary agreement to allow the A&P to run the center. The A&P held a special meeting at 2 pm on Tuesday (July 5) to approve Gosack’s plan.

Under the amendment, the city will pay the A&P about $61,000 per month from the convention center’s reserve fund of $826,146 (as of May 31). The amended lease agreement will be in effect until a 1% prepared food tax is implemented or until Nov. 30, 2011.

ANIMAL CONTROL
The Board also voted 6-0 to create an animal control task force. The seven-member group will study the city’s animal control policy, determine whether any changes should be made, and make a recommendation to the Board of Directors.

Any Fort Smith citizen may apply to be a member of the group, and the Board will then appoint members based on the pool of applicants. The Board will appoint members at the Aug. 16 regular meeting. Once the committee has met for the first time, it will have 30 days to make a recommendation and will disband after doing so.

In last week’s (June 28) study session, several city directors had expressed different views on animal control policy, leading Director Steve Tyler to ask for an ad hoc committee to study the issue.