Citizen comment period change, financial audit review on Fort Smith Board agenda

Action on possibly moving a citizen comment period from a regular meeting to a study session, and approving the city’s 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) are part of Tuesday’s (July 21) Fort Smith Board of Director’s agenda.

The board on April 21 approved including a citizen comment period prior to the two regular voting meetings each month. Initially, citizen’s were to receive three minutes, but the board voted on a five-minute period for each citizen to comment. Also, the board did not limit how many citizens could comment prior to each regular meeting.

Since implementation, the comment period consumes more than an hour of the meeting time, and has at times approached two hours before the board considers the first agenda item. Also, the comment period often includes the same people who reiterate similar issues, complaints, and suggestions.

At the board’s July 14 study session, Director Kevin Settle asked the board to vote at its next regular meeting to move the comment period to study sessions. Director Jarred Rego seconded. It only takes two board members to place an item on a future board voting agenda.

“I did make the motion to move the citizen forum from the beginning of the board meeting to the beginning of the study session,” Settle said. “(We are) not changing the location or length of time to speak. I have heard from citizens in the community along with other citizens that come to the board meeting. They want the business of the city to not have a delay and start on time. This simple change still allows for citizens to address their concerns of the city to the board at the study session, while allowing the board to conduct the city’s business.”

Citizens will still be able to comment on each item presented during the regular meeting agenda.

The resolution before the board Tuesday notes that “on July 9, 2026, the Audit Advisory Committee (“Committee”) met, reviewed, accepted, and recommended that the Board accept and file the External Auditor’s Audit Report either in draft or final;”

Springfield, Mo.-based Forvis Mazars is the city’s independent auditor. A July 14 memo from Fort Smith Chief Financial Officer Andrew Richards to Acting City Administrator Jeff Dingman indicates that a quality of the review of the audit will soon be available.

“The audit firm is currently finalizing its engagement quality review of the audit,” Richards noted. “A final version will be distributed to the Board once available.”

Forvis provided the city a “clean” 2024 audit report in July 2025.

Talk Business & Politics first requested from the city of Fort Smith a copy of the Forvis audit letter on July 9. As of 5 p.m., July 20, the city had not provided the letter. The city also did not respond to questions from Talk Business & Politics as to if a Forvis audit letter was presented to the audit advisory committee during its July 9 meeting.