Author: Tina Alvey Dale

Tina Alvey Dale

Fort Smith tax revenue flat through April report

Fort Smith sales tax collections were down again in April, keeping the revenue relatively flat for the year. The April sales tax report shows the city’s share of the 1%…

New truck route, glass recycling test approved by Fort Smith Board

The Fort Smith Board of Directors passed resolutions at its regular meeting Tuesday (May 21) that makes a significant truck bypass route in downtown Fort Smith and adds glass recycling…

Sebastian County Quorum Court votes to pursue FCRA dissolution

The fourth of the beneficiaries of the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority (FCRA) has now officially called for its dissolution. The Sebastian County Quorum Court approved a resolution Tuesday (May 21)…

Legal moves underway to refund certain sales taxes collected by Parrot Island Waterpark

The Fort Smith Board of Directors agreed Tuesday (May 21) to table a resolution that would be the first step in reimbursing customers who erroneously were charged sales tax on…

Bond program approved for Mars Petcare expansion in Fort Smith

The Fort Smith Board of Directors on Tuesday (May 21) approved a bond program that allows Mars Petcare to expand its Fort Smith plant, which employs more than 600 people….

New door locks, radios part of Fort Smith Public School District safety grant

Fort Smith Public Schools have met all the requirements suggested by the Arkansas School Safety Commission thanks to a $595,000 school safety grant. Part of the grant money is paying…

Fort Smith officials hear from public about proposed water rate increases

Fort Smith Board of Directors members agreed Monday (May 20) that more citizen involvement might be necessary before they make any decisions on increasing water rates later this year. Because…

Fort Smith mayor, director question recent population estimate

City officials are questioning census data that shows the Fort Smith population declined over the past year. According to U.S. Census Bureau data released May 16, Fort Smith’s population declined…

FCRA rejects dissolution request from four beneficiaries

So much for getting off to a good start. The Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority (FCRA) Board of Trustees passed a resolution Thursday (May 16) that rejects calls for the trust…

Fort Smith Parks and Rec commission discusses priority projects

The Fort Smith Parks and Recreation Commission discussed a $46 million wishlist of projects for the next five years during at Tuesday (May 14) study session with the Fort Smith…

Fort Smith Planning Commission rejects military overlay district ordinance

The Fort Smith Planning Commission voted four to three against unified development ordinance (UDO) amendments that would create a Military Compatibility Area Overlay District some city officials have said are…

Bass Reeves Legacy Loop part of Fort Smith mobility strategy

Fort Smith’s mobility master plan is looking to create nine miles of new greenways, rehabilitate alleyways and improve B Street mobility. The city also is pursuing a $25 million grant…

FCRA: ‘No comment’ yet on conditions set by beneficiaries

The Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority and its board of trustees have received a list of conditions agreed upon by the trust’s four beneficiaries regarding dissolution of the FCRA trust but…

Fort Smith Board candidate packets available

Candidate packets for the City of Fort Smith Board of Directors election are now available in the City Clerk’s Office, 623 Garrison Ave. This year, the four ward positions –…

Board named for Institute for the Creative Arts

Jeannie Cole, former Fort Smith Public Schools school board member, will be the first chair of the board of directors for the Fort Smith-based Institute for the Creative Arts (ICA),…

FCRA beneficiaries outline initial plan to dissolve the authority

Representatives from the four beneficiaries of the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority (FCRA) met privately April 23 to discuss ideas about the dissolution of FCRA and agreed upon 15 conditions to…

Fort Smith Board raises some water system fees, approves parking meter plan

The Fort Smith Board of Directors on Tuesday (May 7) approved raising a broad set of fees for everything from turning on service to insufficient funds charges. The board also…

Greenwood council calls for dissolution of FCRA

The Greenwood City Council passed a resolution during its board meeting Monday (May 6) calling for the dissolution of the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority, making it the third out of…

Fort Smith metro building numbers down almost 60% through April

Building activity in the Fort Smith metro area continued to grow in April, but values are down significantly from 2023. Fort Smith, Greenwood and Van Buren reported combined building permit…

Van Buren tax revenue up almost 5% in 2023, county revenue down in early 2024

Crawford County sales tax revenues restarted for the county and its municipalities in March, with collections down from last year. Van Buren Mayor Joe Hurst said March funds were down…