Fort Smith Board makes abrupt trash service switch

What would have been a light agenda for the Fort Smith Board of Directors Thursday night (Aug. 23) turned in to a potential game-changer for supporters of the automated citywide solid waste collection ballot initiative.

“Potential” because it’s still not clear what petitioner Joel Culberson and the Vote for Automated effort will do in light of the board’s 7-0 vote for Fort Smith Sanitation to move forward on the implementation of full citywide automation.

On the same day that the Vote for Automated ballot title was declared insufficient by only 10 signatures, the debate that has raged since November 2011, when the city conducted its first surveys of the Park Hill East area and ultimately determined to abandon full automated implementation for the remaining 4,095 households, did an about-face.

Culberson said he was “very pleased,” but stated that he “will reserve (further) comment until I’ve had time to speak to our legal team and other members of the committee. But I’m optimistic.”

SURPRISE VOTE
Fort Smith Director Kevin Settle said he wasn’t going to speak to what Culberson should do, but told The City Wire following Thursday night’s meeting that, “If the people vote on it, it takes five directors to override. If the board votes on it, four directors can override what the previous board did. In my mind, if the petitioner chooses to do that, that’s his decision, and the petitioner can do what he wishes to do. I think that says enough right there. The will of the people, to me, is far more important than the will of the board.”

Hutchings said he “looked forward” to seeing what the Vote for Automated campaign will do next.

“This (vote) caught me totally by surprise. I would say there’s no need for the November vote. And that’s why I questioned our city attorney, ‘Is this lining up exactly with what the petitioners are siding for?’ And I asked Ray, and that’s what they all agreed (at the meeting): that this would exclude any need for the ballot issue to continue on.”

Hutchings added that he thought “the petitions have spoken loudly, and that the people in our city are thrilled with automation.”

“I did ask the question, ‘Why now?’ because so much work has been done to get this on the ballot,” Hutchings said, voicing surprise that was shared by Fort Smith Director Andre Good.

“I’m still at a loss,” Good said. “Normally, you hear leaks of rumors or something. Especially with David Harris’s comment. He (Harris) was one of the core members that worked with this group (against automation), and he would know more so than we would if this group is ready to throw in the towel or not, and he clearly said that they were not.”

TIME TO MOVE ON
The comment Good refers to came just prior to Thursday’s vote. Harris seemed to contradict the motivations of Catsavis, Merry, Tyler and Weber, who all agreed that they had received input that it was “time to move on.”

“The people I’ve talked to are not ready to move on,” Harris said. “I know this is a done deal, but there is going to be a lot of disappointed people. This was about more than just getting the can to the curb and getting it back. It was also about appearance, streets, trees. We have alleys that were originally made for these services. If you’re ready to move on, good for you. But there are a lot of people not ready to move on.”

Harris’s comments were enough to make Good question the motivations of Merry, who motioned for the vote as a last-minute agenda addition Thursday night (seconded by Catsavis).

“I really wish I knew (the motivations). That’s why I questioned Director Merry about the intention of this. And when he came back later when we voted and said there were underlying circumstances and no conditions — I have to take him at face value. It’s kind of a weird feeling. I did not wish to be so hesitant, but I was trying to be cautious to make sure there was nothing looming around the corner waiting to bite us in the behind.”

‘NOTHING HIDDEN’
Merry’s reasoning was that “an unusual amount of input” had come to him that “these people (non-automation supporters) want to move on.” Merry added that “compromises have been tried, and unfortunately they didn’t work out. I’m a messenger, and it’s not representative. But it’s time to move on. There’s nothing hidden. Please take it at face value.”

Still, even after the meeting, Good sounded hesitant. “If I were Joel (Culberson) and those citizens — I am Joel and those citizens, I helped with those petitions — I don’t know. I think the group (Vote for Automated) would want to pursue the November election. I honestly do. Because that’s what we all worked so hard for.”

Good continued: “This just seemed to be so political in the first place, and now with the abrupt switch like this, it just makes you wonder if there’s more politics at play here—as I said before, if there’s something looming, something that we’re not looking for at this particular time, and it’s going to come back and get us. I really don’t know.”

Settle shared the surprise of Good and Hutchings.

“The board’s actions tonight are surprising considering the four directors (against) were very adamant against the three of us to leave it like it was, and it seems like ever since that decision, we’ve been backpedaling to where we are tonight. I’m happy. The citizens of Fort Smith will eventually see a rate decrease, as they should have already seen, but (I’m) kind of surprised. I was not expecting this tonight.”

PETITION INFLUENCE
Settle continued: “For four directors to change their mind the way they did after the City Clerk’s done her work and the petitioners did their work is great, but why didn’t we do this six months ago, so we could focus on economic development, infrastructure, river ports, rivers — those are things we should have been focusing on. Not on the issues we’ve been focused on for the past six months.”

Settle added that he felt “the petitioners had a major impact on the decision tonight.”

Tyler, the Ward 1 Director not seeking reelection, shared Merry’s reasons for altering his vote.

“The people that elected me — I feel like I represented them on this issue, and that I’ve listened to them, and again, I’m getting comments that they’re ready to move on. I feel like both sides are ready to move on.”

Weber agreed, but said that she still had “some concerns.”

“I have worked hard with neighborhoods trying to find a compromise, and appreciate their efforts. I’m still concerned with our brick streets and preserving the history of those streets. I still have concerns, even though we need to move forward. As all you know, I’m passionate about beautification. And Fort Smith, as a city that’s trying to sell its history for tourism — those brick streets are invaluable. I hope sanitation will keep that in mind.”

Weber continued: “Our neighborhoods and the people in them are our most precious resource, and preserving that is very important to this city and to me.”