by - September 14, 2022 3:19 pm
Fort Smith loses appeal on consent decree relief request
An 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling means the city of Fort Smith will have to repair all grade 4 and 5 lines in the city’s sewer system, which could…
Tag: Fort Smith consent decree
by - July 21, 2022 3:21 pm
Director eval of Fort Smith city boss still pending
While a formal mid-year evaluation of the Fort Smith city administrator has not yet occurred, at least some on the Fort Smith Board of Directors are looking at goals for…
by - May 24, 2022 10:34 pm
Fort Smith voters approve sales tax extensions
Fort Smith voters on Tuesday (May 24) extended two sales tax extensions that will pay for federally mandated sewer system improvements, an across-the-board police pay increase of 23.87%, fire department…
by - January 20, 2022 9:03 pm
Fort Smith Board pushes need for sales tax extension at first public discussion
In the first of five scheduled sales tax information and discussion meetings held by Fort Smith City Directors Thursday night (Jan. 20) concerning a possible election to continue two sales…
by - September 8, 2021 4:25 pm
Feds reject Fort Smith’s effort to reduce consent decree requirements
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) responded to an appeal by the city of Fort Smith concerning the consent decree the city…
by - August 24, 2021 7:46 pm
Consent decree costs could rise to $650 million; Fort Smith officials hope for more time
While some members of the Fort Smith Board of Directors believe there is little hope the city can meet demands of the consent decree the city is under for its…
by - August 11, 2021 6:13 pm
$22 million water treatment plan fix presented to Fort Smith Board
A plan to replace part of the Massard Water Reclamation Facility (formerly the Massard Wastewater Treatment Plant) before it fails and severely impacts Fort Smith’s ability to treat water on the…
by - June 22, 2021 10:02 pm
Fort Smith consent decree may result in more rate hikes; one director ready for a legal ‘fight’
Even with a five-year extension for needed sewer improvement work in Fort Smith, completion of the work required by a federal consent decree could lead to significant sewer rate increase…
by - October 27, 2020 7:58 pm
Fort Smith Board reviews $609.5 million 10-year plan for utility work
The Fort Smith Utility Department presented a $609.5 million 10-year capital improvement plan for 2021 through 2030 to the Fort Smith Board of Directors on Tuesday (Oct. 27). The ten-year…
by - May 8, 2020 6:04 pm
Fort Smith receives an extra five years to meet consent decree terms
On Thursday (May 7) the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) agreed that the city has proved that the sewer improvement program…
by - April 21, 2020 7:46 pm
Feds not providing Fort Smith consent decree relief
The feds aren’t giving the city of Fort Smith a break on the estimated $480 million consent decree despite the impact of historic flooding in 2019 and the ongoing COVID-19…
by - March 18, 2020 5:49 pm
Fort Smith extends agreement with law firm in effort to amend federal consent decree
The Fort Smith Board of Directors approved a resolution at its regular board meeting Tuesday (March 17) authorizing an agreement with AquaLaw in the amount of $100,000 as part of…
by - February 4, 2020 7:46 pm
Geffken: EPA meeting ‘went well,’ hoping for word on possible consent decree relief
Fort Smith Administrator Carl Geffken said discussions with the Environmental Protection Agency Jan. 29 went well. Geffken met with Region 6 EPA Administrator Ken McQueen in Dallas to argue the…
by - January 28, 2020 3:09 pm
Federal consent decree relief strategies presented to Fort Smith Board
Members of the Fort Smith Board of Directors were told Tuesday (Jan. 28) the city has made a “tremendous commitment” toward fixing sewer system issues mandated by a federal consent…
by - October 29, 2019 5:07 pm
Federal consent decree ‘something the city just cannot afford’ says Fort Smith city boss
Fort Smith city officials are working on a plan that will put forth an alternative to the consent decree that they can present to federal officials in hopes of seeing…
by - August 21, 2018 4:57 pm
EPA/DOJ offer limited response to questions on Fort Smith consent decree negotiations
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Justice (DOJ) officials have responded to Talk Business & Politics’ requests for comment on the recent (Aug. 10) meeting between their representatives…
by - August 19, 2018 3:38 pm
Fort Smith city administration draws ‘red line’ over federal consent decree
The city of Fort Smith has drawn a “red line” on the federal consent decree, according to a new statement from City Administrator Carl Geffken, who said the city is…
by - July 24, 2018 8:15 pm
Fort Smith Board approves bond ordinance and crisis unit, consent decree appeal update
The Fort Smith Board of Directors approved on Tuesday (July 24) the bond ordinance for $160 million in water and sewer refunding and construction revenue bonds expected to save the…
by - June 24, 2018 3:56 pm
City prepares for Monday conference call with DOJ, EPA, ADEQ about consent decree modifications
Federal, state and Fort Smith officials plan a conference call Monday (June 25) to discuss progress and possible modifications to the estimated $480 million federal consent decree. Fort Smith City…
by - November 8, 2017 3:33 pm
City estimates $153.8 million in spending on Fort Smith consent decree over next five years
The Fort Smith Board of Directors on Tuesday (Nov. 7) approved a five-year capital improvement plan for the city’s wastewater program that will budget $153.8 million in consent decree spending…