Change-of-government elections, grant requests on Fort Smith Board agenda

History could be made Tuesday (May 19) as the Fort Smith Board of Directors consider ordinances that would place a change-of-government question before city voters. The options are to place the question on the November 2026 ballot, the November 2027 ballot, or reject a ballot item.

A group of citizens began earlier this year to collect signatures to place a change-of-government question on the November 2026 general election ballot. The petitioners seek a mayor-council form of government instead of the council-manager form now followed.

Fort Smith attorney Joey McCutchen, a leader in the signature-gathering effort, recently said the group had about 1,700 signatures as of May 8. A successful petition would need 2,608 valid voter signatures. Initiative petitions must be filed at least 90 days before the next regular election, meaning the signature-gathering effort has until late July/early August to submit signatures.

In Fort Smith’s form of government, the city administrator is the CEO, managing an annual budget of more than $300 million and more than 1,000 city employees who provide safety, sanitation, water, sewer, and other key services to a city with a population of about 90,000.

During a May 12 board study session, Director Jarred Rego called for an ordinance placing the question on the November 2027 general election ballot. Director Christina Catsavis called for an ordinance placing the question on the November 2026 general election ballot.

If voters approve a change of government in November 2026 or in November 2027, elections for the new government would be held in November 2028. If voters reject a change of government, state law prevents the question from returning to voters for four years.

Link here for more details on the change of government process, and link here for Tuesday’s board agenda.

OTHER AGENDA ITEMS
Following are some other items on the Tuesday board agenda.

The board will be asked to approve a “Friendship Pact” with the Polish city of Lask. Polish F-35 fighter pilots trained at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith are stationed at a military facility near Lask. A pact would affirm “each city’s role in a shared commitment to integrating the local community with the military community and establishing bonds between the two communities in the spirit of friendship and peace,” according to city staff.

On the consent agenda, the board is asked to approve the city seeking two grants administered by the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management for Mill Creek bank stabilization and Arkansas River bank stabilization. The city is seeking $2.214 million for the Mill Creek work and $2.6 million for the river bank work.

The board is also asked to approve a grant request from the U.S. Department of Transportation under the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) implementation grant program. The $10 million requested would be to help fund construction of the planned River Valley Communications Center. Funding for the center is the responsibility of the city and Sebastian County.

Also on the consent agenda is an ordinance approving a $124,450 contract with Russell Exterior to replace siding at Miss Laura’s Brothel Museum in downtown Fort Smith.

“The project consists of replacing deteriorated exterior siding at the historic Miss Laura’s Brothel Museum with new Hardie Board siding that better fits the scope and long-term needs of the facility,” according to a city staff memo. “The project will help preserve the structure, reduce ongoing maintenance concerns, and improve the exterior condition of the building.”