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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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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…
by - October 25, 2017 3:25 pm
Fort Smith City Administrator Carl Geffken confirmed on Tuesday (Oct. 24) that without changes to the city’s estimated $480 million consent decree, water and sewer rates will continue to go…
by - September 20, 2017 9:59 am
The Fort Smith Board of Directors on Tuesday (Sept. 19) approved a request from the city’s utilities department to proceed with the acquisition of properties related to a federal consent…
