Fort Smith Metro News Briefs: Leadership Crawford County applications, a UAFS workforce event

Following are news brief items from the Fort Smith metro.

Leadership Crawford County
Applications for the 2027 Class of Leadership Crawford County are now open, and the application deadline is May 29.

Leadership Crawford County is designed to equip emerging leaders with the knowledge, relationships, and confidence needed to serve our community effectively.

Through hands-on experiences, community engagement, and leadership development, participants gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing our communities. Participants have the opportunity tol build a network of resources through connections with their classmates, community leaders, and elected officials at the local and state level.

Leadership Crawford County is a 10-month program that consists of one overnight trip, 10 one-day sessions, and one closing session. The new class reception is set for Aug. 6, the opening retreat will be held Aug. 20-21, and the closing session is scheduled for May 20, 2027.

Link here for more information about the session dates, and to apply for the program. Leadership Crawford County is a program of the Van Buren Chamber of Commerce.

UAFS Workforce Centers
The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith will hold an open house on May 4 to highlight the workforce development and advanced manufacturing centers and their role in supporting workforce initiatives in the Fort Smith metro.

The event will be held 10:30 a.m. to noon, May 4, at the UAFS Recreation and Wellness Center.

University and industry leaders will make remarks about the programs, with the event focusing on how the centers expand opportunity, strengthen partnerships, and create pathways to high-demand careers in the region.

The UAFS Recreation and Wellness Center is adjacent to the Workforce Development and Advanced Manufacturing Centers, which are located within the Baldor Technology Center, 5100 Kinkead Ave., in Fort Smith.

Attendees can take part in guided tours, meet students and faculty, and learn more about the UAFS workforce programs. Link here to RSVP.

Consent Decree Work
The city of Fort Smith has announced completion of a sewer system project related to the federal consent decree, and the start of a consent decree project.

The completed project included installation of approximately 110 linear feet of 24-inch diameter casing, the installation of 110 linear feet of 8-inch diameter pipe in the casing, 400 linear feet of 8-inch diameter pipe, 180 linear feet of 8-inch pipe, and two manholes. The work was completed in an area around Grand Avenue near the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith campus, and an area to the southeast of the Fort Smith Regional Airport.

RJN Group was the design engineer, and Patriot Utilities was the contractor. The project was completed Jan. 16, with a cost of $1.011 million.

A project that began Jan. 31 includes the rehabilitation or replacement of approximately 160 sanitary sewer manholes and 17,950 linear feet of 8-inch and 12-inch diameter sanitary sewer line. The work is in an area west of the Fort Smith Regional Airport between Towson Avenue and Jenny Lind Road.

Halff Associates is the design engineer, and Krapff-Reynolds Construction Co. is the contractor. The project is estimated to cost $9.096 million.

After decades of failing to maintain the sewer system, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice filed a consent decree in 2014 with the city of Fort Smith that required sewer system improvements.

Emotional Health Conference
The OASIS Emotional Health Conference for Caring Professionals will be held March 11–12, at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education Research Institute Health & Wellness Center in Fort Smith.

The conference is hosted by the Monarch 61 Project and brings together healthcare workers, counselors, advocates, educators, social workers, and business leaders for two days of discussion about emotional well-being, career sustainability in health care professions, and other issues.

According to the Monarch 61 Project, the conference is the first to focus on support for the emotional health of professionals who serve others. The inaugural conference in 2025 had more than 150 attendees.

“The conference will take place at the ACHE  Research Institute Health & Wellness Center, offering an immersive experience designed to help attendees reconnect with purpose while gaining practical tools to prevent burnout and compassion fatigue,” according to a press release.

The 2026 theme is “Emotional Authenticity: The New Standard for Strength.” The conference will include opening keynote speakers, 16 breakout sessions, and a vendor expo. Link here for more info about the conference, and to register.