[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[0:03] Agenda item, if you'll sign in for us or if you would like to speak on an item after our agenda, you can sign in for that as well.
[0:24] I don't see anybody running to get signed in.
[0:29] Or anybody signed in, certainly. Okay. All right. Well, with that, we'll follow it, follow our meeting. Welcome to the three of the whole NC council meeting for March 10th, the Bentonville City Council.
[0:43] And I don't think we have a scout here with us to leave the pledge.
[0:48] So please stand with me for the pledge and then remain standing for a moment of silence
[0:53] for our military.
[0:55] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for
[1:02] which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
[1:08] Thank
[1:23] you.
[1:30] Roll call, please.
[1:31] Hey, Jeff.
[1:32] Here.
[1:32] Patterson.
[1:33] Here.
[1:33] A-3.
[1:34] Here.
[1:35] Seba.
[1:35] Here.
[1:36] Souter.
[1:36] Here.
[1:37] Richardson.
[1:41] Burkhardt.
[1:42] Here.
[1:46] I get a motion to approve the minutes of the February 24, 2026 Bettenville City Council.
[1:50] Second.
[1:51] Second.
[1:52] Second.
[1:53] Roll call, please.
[1:54] Pearson.
[1:55] Yes.
[1:56] Yes.
[1:56] Seba.
[1:57] Yes.
[1:58] Souter.
[1:58] Yes.
[1:58] Yes.
[1:59] Yes.
[2:00] Yes.
[2:02] Mr. Suter, do you have any preliminary motions to make?
[2:05] I make the notion that we suspend the rules requiring ordinances be read on three separate
[2:09] days and further move all ordinances and resolutions be read with their title only.
[2:13] Second.
[2:15] Yes.
[2:16] Yes.
[2:17] Suter.
[2:18] Yes.
[2:19] Yes.
[2:20] Yes.
[2:21] Patterson.
[2:22] Yes.
[2:23] And that will start from the full alternative, but the rest is your chair for community support.
[2:28] The quarterly financial update came out in your email. So if you have any questions on that, you can email the finance department and they will reply back to all of us with the answers to the questions.
[2:39] So any questions will be answered unless you have anything at the moment you want to ask, but the full report was sent to your email.
[2:49] Any questions on that at the moment?
[2:52] Okay.
[2:53] We'll now have the city property update on the request for proposals.
[2:58] And that'll be the mayor and Tyler maybe.
[3:04] Yeah, this was more of an FYI than anything just to know it's something we're working on.
[3:10] So if you remember, it's been a committee of the whole probably six months to a year ago.
[3:15] So now we talked about for some of our excess properties actually starting to put them out
[3:20] through the RFP process so that we could start either selling or redeveloping some of our
[3:26] excess properties.
[3:27] So Mayor, myself, legal purchasing are working on what that RFP might look like, but just
[3:36] it's more of an FYI to let you know it's something we're working on.
[3:39] We're wanting to really prioritize the AT&T site across the street first.
[3:43] Since over the years we've had a number of parties interested in it, but just know it's something we're working on and that you'll be seeing in the near future.
[3:54] Any property sales, of course, go back to you guys for final approval.
[3:59] Some of the things we're looking at within that are the sales price of the property, any potential community benefit,
[4:08] you know what it you know and really on these sites especially AT&T we want
[4:13] them to be fiscally positive for the city so we want them to generate sales
[4:17] tax be retail or whatever it might be so that's all information we kind of be
[4:22] inquiring about within that RFP is what is the actual ROI to the city
[4:27] going to be should we sell or redevelop this piece of property in
[4:31] addition to the AT&T building other properties are we considering for this
[4:36] Yeah, so right now AT&T building, but with the Bold Bentonville Economic Development
[4:43] Strategy they looked at, they included a handful of others. So those would be, we own property
[4:49] at Highway 12 and Bright Road just south of Creekside Park. We own property located
[4:57] at 41st and I Street, roughly across the street from the community center just north
[5:03] of the Animal Services Building.
[5:06] We also have some, let's see, what other,
[5:09] BIDC would be one that we're,
[5:12] we actually are currently pursuing a grant
[5:14] through the state Arkansas Economic Development Commission
[5:18] to do some site development in that area.
[5:20] If we receive that grant and if that,
[5:23] you know, once we have that site work complete
[5:25] so that it's more pad or shovel ready,
[5:27] that would be another one we'd be looking to activate
[5:30] in the near future as well.
[5:31] Thank you.
[5:32] Yep.
[5:34] With regard to the downtown property here, I suspect we're open to some type of private
[5:40] partnership if it were presented in a manner that we thought was a good proposition.
[5:47] Yeah, and that's, we're trying to write the RFP broad enough so that it's, you know,
[5:53] we would want to know, well, one, we actually know the appraised value for the property,
[5:57] but that's to my whole point about ROI and community benefit.
[6:01] I think there could be some amount of openness to something like that.
[6:06] And then the property by the community center would be any emphasis on housing components or mixed use or would we.
[6:13] So that property, yeah.
[6:14] Here at toward what we're looking at.
[6:15] Yeah, the two I've talked about both the AT&T building site and the 41st and I site.
[6:22] Both of those are located in, in the case of AT&T, the place type of city center, the zoning is downtown core.
[6:31] So lends itself to mixed use redevelopment and then 41st and I the place type is regional center
[6:37] And it's actually currently zone C3, which would be our mixed use commercial district
[6:42] So both of them would lend themselves well to to mix use redevelopment
[6:47] Yeah, back on the AT&T building. Mm-hmm. It has or it had a lot of fiber communications
[6:57] facilities over there?
[7:01] Have they been replaced or have they been?
[7:04] I don't know that for certain. I do know though that anything that, you know, let's say we
[7:09] wanted to redevelop AT&T building, we want to make sure that it also works in regard
[7:15] to our electric water sewer and our streets as well. So that would all be part of that
[7:21] development process? Yep. Mr. I appreciate all the work that's being done on this. I I've looked at
[7:32] several pieces as in my business privately and it's been challenging to know where to start
[7:41] because you don't know where the price is. I've watched not just just last several years but
[7:48] decade of the property on the community center that has been available for sale
[7:54] not for sale no price is given there's nothing available for anybody to say you
[8:00] know that price I can at least back into a project concept if our zoning's are
[8:06] what we want and our master plan is what we want and we don't vary from
[8:12] that, why don't we just sell it set a price and sell it and take the money that we have
[8:19] and put it to our infrastructure instead of people that aren't in the business trying
[8:27] to set parameters when we've already done that through land use.
[8:31] And we've already done that if we set it sells, but if if we have a set land use
[8:36] for that commercial property over there on 41.
[8:38] That's what they're going to build.
[8:40] So we've already told everybody this is what we want this building over here. We've already told everybody. This is what we want
[8:47] But without a sales price
[8:51] And you can we I'd like to visit on the council about this, but I can't I can't even
[8:58] attempt to put a project
[9:02] Together conceptually until I know what price I'm looking at now there if I come to one and you see the project concept
[9:10] and you say, no, if you'll do this, we might concede on this, or we might provide infrastructure
[9:17] for X if you'll do this instead.
[9:21] That's when that begins, but unless we're willing to stick a sign up there and say,
[9:25] this is for sale for X, I've never been able to reach the ability to come up with
[9:33] the concept to know what it is.
[9:35] And so, that slam down there at the community center has been set for a long, long time.
[9:42] And we seem to do that with ourselves, we parallelize ourselves into thinking that we
[9:48] know what to do with the market when if we could just get an offer on the property and
[9:54] get a concept in the hand, that's when we start negotiating what we could do to get
[9:58] what we want.
[9:59] But to try to do an RFI, or an RFP, and to try to tell people we're negotiating around
[10:07] the sales price, we don't, you know, depending on what you're going to do, we're not in the
[10:11] business, or most people in the business, the city is not in the business of real estate
[10:15] development.
[10:16] And so I'm just, I would look at it a little differently from my standpoint, and I've said
[10:21] the same thing for years, during, when it first came on for sale, why don't you
[10:26] just list it?
[10:28] And the marketing agent for that, get the best commercial agent you can possibly find
[10:33] that has done this just like they do Pinnacle or anything else.
[10:37] They will put the whole sales deck together.
[10:39] They will help you promote exactly what you want.
[10:41] Let the professionals do this.
[10:44] Set your price and tell them this is what you want.
[10:48] And let's get out of the business of trying to dictate our zoning already does it.
[10:54] We shouldn't have to get in the middle of that.
[10:55] just set your price. Bill I kind of disagree in that it's more than just the
[11:01] sales price of the property that we're looking for. The point is like I'm
[11:05] personally not convinced that we even want to sell this piece of property and
[11:10] doing the RFP like we can kind of decide like if we get X, Y, and Z then
[11:15] maybe it is worth it. Otherwise it might not be. It's not just about selling a
[11:21] of land. It's about like does it accomplish everything we want to accomplish and if it
[11:27] doesn't maybe we wait until it does. That's kind of my thought for reasonable answer.
[11:32] I'm just concerned that when you're out of money on infrastructure and we have an asset
[11:37] that we're making no sales tax on whatsoever that we need to get the highest and best
[11:42] used cash out of that property and we know we're going to get something since it's
[11:46] commercial, we're going to get something out of that that's in the zone that we've already
[11:51] put in our land use that we approved that that's what we want there.
[11:55] So we can sit with the property with no value on it yet to sell, and we're not making any
[12:00] tax revenue from it.
[12:01] We're in a definite period of time until we decide what we're going to ask of somebody.
[12:06] I just think it's going to complicate it, especially on your big parcels.
[12:10] I just, but I mean, I appreciate what you're saying, but we've already done that
[12:15] in our land use.
[12:15] There's no, somebody can give us a still bid on something now, right?
[12:19] So we can consider that.
[12:21] So if somebody knows the property, they can, they can give us a still bid and
[12:25] we can consider that.
[12:26] So that basically can happen right now for anybody interested in our properties.
[12:31] So nobody's going to give you until they know what you're really going to.
[12:34] They, they're going to know, so that the property is going to be like our
[12:41] thought process is to do the RFP, see what we get so that we can consider, especially
[12:46] on this building, that because we've got considerations around parking and a lot of
[12:52] other things that tie into this particular piece. And so we would like to try the RFP
[12:59] process to see what we got get and generate some interest in that. And then if we end
[13:05] up going down the route where we need to get it, go down and just strictly do it
[13:09] So I think that's option installment table, but we would like to be able to go down the RFP process first.
[13:17] Is that going to be on the bomb building on the property, community by the community center and all the all property?
[13:22] We're going to do the same process for all property.
[13:24] We'd like to start here and then learn from this and see what we do moving forward.
[13:30] That's why we're not doing a fire sale of like six properties all at once.
[13:34] I don't have you talk to you know we're 15 years since the community
[13:38] probably yes we actually have a couple of different proposals brought to us
[13:43] they're not we need the RFP to set kind of put some more parameters around it so
[13:50] it's not just a concept on an act and that they're saying so I think if I
[13:55] think we would ask for you guys to let us let the RFP see what we get and kind
[14:00] of learn from that process if we decide that's not a great process and we
[14:03] want to do something different with the other properties,
[14:07] then we can certainly go down the road.
[14:09] And again, right now, there is nothing hindering anybody
[14:12] from giving us a still bid on any of those properties.
[14:15] We are also going to be putting all of this on our website.
[14:18] We're actually, we're condensing any websites
[14:21] because we have to also make all of our websites.
[14:25] ADA compliant.
[14:26] ADA compliant, all these things who are actually.
[14:28] So we have like an investment in the site
[14:30] and different things we're going
[14:31] put for putting that all onto our site and combining all of that so people will have very
[14:36] easy access to all of it. We have not done a good even just internally pushing those properties
[14:43] out in any way to know that they're even for sale. That is our thought process
[14:50] and so we would like to be able to do an RPRC with that. What if we did a professional services
[14:56] is from a marketing and real estate agent.
[14:59] I mean, we're going to.
[15:00] We're going to spend all this money to duplicate what a professional commercial real estate agent
[15:04] does, and we're duplicating their services, and their professionals already have everything,
[15:09] all their websites, everything ready to go. That land for sale at the community center
[15:14] has been over 16 years. Off and on, signs going up, signs going down. And I can't tell
[15:21] you today what its price is. What's the time limit on the RFB, Taylor?
[15:28] There isn't necessarily a set one.
[15:30] I don't know that we've established exactly how long we want to leave it open for.
[15:35] Well, I think that is, if there are people on the council that would like to do an RP,
[15:41] which obviously the mayor does too, which, okay, if we have a time period of, okay,
[15:45] we're going to do this, we're going to try it and see what happens.
[15:48] And then if we don't get something that makes sense to us or we don't get anything,
[15:54] which is a possibility, then we move to the next step.
[15:58] But don't just leave it hanging out there
[15:59] for a determinable amount of time.
[16:02] I would agree with that.
[16:04] The property's been appraised, you said.
[16:05] You have an appraisal of those current,
[16:07] or relatively current.
[16:09] Will that be, will that be made known to people?
[16:13] Will that be part of the RFP?
[16:15] Because we don't typically want to take less
[16:17] than appraising value.
[16:19] So it will be transparent and just say that appraisal is
[16:22] and where we entertain offers about the ad or about that but if and if the you
[16:28] could have the appraisal but then if someone comes in and they have to do
[16:32] put a lot of money into it for parking or what you know whatever then appraised value
[16:38] may not be adjusted to the project so you really need to see yeah what people are willing to pay
[16:45] for it there's a lot of facts I mean if somebody were to build to level parking
[16:55] and make it publicly available we might be willing to do a lot of I just think
[17:04] if the appraisal has been made if it's here you could put it out there just
[17:11] establishes a secret make an offer whatever price they want not that
[17:16] that has anything to do with what we're going to be taking, but that's a fact.
[17:20] Okay, so we've talked to others, they've had some success with doing RSDs and
[17:27] you guys will give us, and we can come back with a timeline when we'll put it
[17:31] out and how long.
[17:36] Let's ask to be able to try that on this piece of property.
[17:40] Yeah, I think that makes sense.
[17:45] That's the goal.
[17:48] Yeah, no problem.
[17:50] How long do you think it'll be before we actually put a price on the community property or have something to be able to sell that down there and some other large parcels? I mean, are we here?
[18:00] We have comp. I mean, there's comp people on that. And again, we would take a sale bed right now for people for consideration that they can.
[18:08] Yeah, we can make constables. I mean, I don't think we're wanting, I mean, I think we're wanting market value for all the property is that that's if we're not looking at an RFP piece of it, right? So hopefully, yeah, maybe we can list it and see what offers we get.
[18:27] Yep. Thank you. Thank you.
[18:33] Okay. So with regard to our agenda, we have some items we put on consent.
[18:41] That would be new business number two and then new business number eight, nine,
[18:53] 10,
[18:56] 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and the utility board number one, three,
[19:12] five, six, seven.
[19:13] Setting
[19:18] a public hearing.
[19:20] That was told last time.
[19:21] I'm a good man.
[19:23] That's not.
[19:27] Or repeat that and make sure everybody.
[19:30] Yeah, I got lost.
[19:31] So a new business item number two.
[19:35] Item number eight.
[19:38] Nine 10.
[19:41] Well, 1314 1516.
[19:46] 3, 3, 5, 6, and 7,
[19:53] and move that we put those in the consent agenda.
[19:59] Okay, motion second. All in favor say aye.
[20:02] Okay.
[20:05] Mayor, I'll turn it back over to you.
[20:08] I have something else I want to.
[20:09] Oh, I'm sorry. I apologize.
[20:11] I do have, I noticed that our fund numbers were taken off the website and we were divided.
[20:17] Some of us wanted our numbers looked on some hot, but that's how I communicate with my constituents
[20:23] And I would like to have our phone numbers or at least those of us who want them on the website because I don't want to drive everybody to email
[20:33] There's times when I communicate by email, but I've had people complain because they can't find my phone number on the website
[20:39] The plan was to replace them with our new council members
[20:42] was that the plan? That was the purpose of the new phones, wasn't it? I honestly can't
[20:49] exactly remember, but I think there was agreement for taking them off. But you do have, we wanted
[20:55] our personal numbers taken off. The personal emails we wanted to hear away from people
[21:03] using those but and that was for some security reasons I believe that your
[21:10] phones that we you guys we purchased for you to use I guess it would be up if you
[21:18] guys want the numbers on the website I mean I feel like you also have a response
[21:23] from your email with your phone number on true but I kind of I thought that was
[21:27] a point of the city is paying for us to have using city phone it needs to be of
[21:32] I think it needs to be I don't want to have to market. I'm good with having a number. I don't want my personal. I don't like I did not like my personal first one on there for obvious reasons, but I was communicating that way and like your number on my phone number my city for my city phone.
[21:49] I didn't like it. I didn't like it. No.
[21:53] Well, you gave it back your number. You probably should have it on that. So it stays on that phone.
[21:58] We have a number up. You should probably have it up on the city provides on Thursdays on that phone somebody else. Maybe you're responding.
[22:07] I don't have it. I gave it back to you. I don't need it back in.
[22:11] Okay. Well, I think just let if you want your number for your city phone, but back that we can probably do that. We did. We did want to keep the emails and we are changing all of them to the dot gov.
[22:25] But we did want to keep your emails, the dot gov emails that are I and not personal emails on there. And that was from a cybersecurity recommendations. Yeah, how long do we have? I mean, isn't it just to the end of the year that the old emails are going to be working?
[22:40] I can speak to that. It's still about to the end of January of 2027.
[22:44] end of January, 2027. Okay. Well, we get new business cards with our city phone number.
[22:50] I'm not the one to ask about this. I'm going to head out there to fair counsel. I don't need any business. I don't use business.
[22:58] Because I use mine all the time, so it's not. If you'll contact my office, we'll get you whatever new that you.
[23:05] I mean, if we're trying to gear to the city phones, we need to get the phone number out there for you to use.
[23:12] Okay.
[23:15] All right.
[23:16] Item number one under new business is a resolution to recognize detective Brian.
[23:22] I'm mentor.
[23:23] I always say you're, I don't know why I can't say it right.
[23:25] I'm mentor.
[23:27] Okay.
[23:27] That's my thought.
[23:29] So we always like to read the resolutions to kind of honor.
[23:34] And our and recognize the retirement.
[23:37] And I think it's a good sort of.
[23:42] account of the history of their work in law enforcement.
[23:45] So with that it feels, do you want to come forward as I read it?
[23:50] No, she makes the phone out.
[23:52] I know, they really love being recognized, but I think you guys should hear their story
[23:58] and how proud we are that they've worked for our police department.
[24:05] Oh, well.
[24:07] So, Corporal Brian Parmenter was born in Meena, Arkansas and graduated from Yantus High School
[24:12] in Yantus, Texas in 1989.
[24:14] And whereas Corporal Brian Parmenter began his law enforcement career with the Benton
[24:18] County Sheriff's Office in 1998, where he served as a jailer, inmate work detail supervisor
[24:23] and field deputy.
[24:25] And whereas Corporal Brian Parmenter joined the Bentonville Police Department as a
[24:29] patrol officer in March 2001, where he became a firearms instructor, field training
[24:34] officer and a member of the special response team where he started for a total of 17 years
[24:38] as mechanical, ballistic and explosive breacher and distinguished himself as one of the team's
[24:43] most dependable and valued members. And whereas Corporal Brian Permanter was assigned to the
[24:49] Criminal Investigations Division in January 2013 and joined the Narcotics Unit in January 2015
[24:55] where he investigated numerous cases at the state and federal level leading to
[25:00] countless arrests while disrupting drug trafficking
[25:02] organizations.
[25:04] And whereas Corporal Brian Parmenter
[25:06] served as a task force officer with Homeland Security
[25:08] Investigations HSI from 2015 until 2022
[25:12] before coming to task force officer with the Drug
[25:14] Enforcement Administration, or DEA.
[25:16] We also served with DEA's Little Rock Regional
[25:19] Special Weapons and Tactics SWAT team,
[25:21] where he continued to hone his skills as a breacher
[25:23] and was allowed to use those skills
[25:25] in multiple areas, multiple other states
[25:27] for operations and arrests.
[25:29] And whereas Corporal Brian Parmenter is involved in it with these federal agencies further demonstrated his commitment to cooperation, the law enforcement efforts and allowed him to conduct complex criminal investigations all over the state of Arkansas, as well as several other states.
[25:43] And whereas Corporal Brian Parmenter through his countless duties and accomplishments delivered to the Bentonville Police Department and the citizens Bentonville and unparalleled level of professionalism and service.
[25:53] And now, therefore, be it resolved that by the adoption of this resolution, the City Council of Bentonville hereby commits and congratulates Corporal Brian Parmenter for his 28-plus years of dedicated law enforcement service with 25 years to the Bentonville Police Department and the citizens of Bentonville.
[26:10] And we wish him much health, happiness, and continued success in future endeavors. Congratulations.
[27:02] Do you want
[27:21] to read our consent agenda items?
[27:25] New business item number two, a resolution accepting a donation from artist Lori Weeks
[27:30] of her original painting Bentonville Community Center
[27:33] 10 years and for other purposes.
[27:35] New business item number eight,
[27:37] a resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk
[27:39] to enter into an agreement with turf and soil management
[27:42] in the amount of $49,361.56 to purchase two robotic mowers
[27:49] for the Bentonville Parks and Recreation Department
[27:51] and for other purposes.
[27:53] New business item number nine,
[27:55] a resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk
[27:57] to enter into an agreement with blue water,
[27:58] CAS in the amount of $43,526.28 for the purchase and installation of a UV system for the Bentonville
[28:08] Community Center Competition Pool and for the purposes.
[28:11] New business item number 10, a resolution authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to accept
[28:16] a grant from the Walton Family Foundation in the amount of $1,408,730 to fund five
[28:24] new positions for the parks and recreation department, amending the 2026 budget and for the
[28:29] purposes. New business item number 12, a resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk to enter
[28:35] into work order 07 with Garver LLC in the amount of $86,800 for the VBT East parking apron at
[28:44] the Bentonville Municipal Airport, amending the 2026 budget and for the purposes. New business
[28:50] business item number 13, a resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk to enter into an
[28:54] agreement with DMC and landscaping DBA David McClarty for finish mowing at city facilities
[29:01] in the amount of $4,895 per mow cycle and for the purposes. New business item number
[29:09] 14, a resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk to enter into an agreement with
[29:13] M&W Outdoors for Mowing of City-Owned Detention Ponds in the amount of $3,816.18 per mow cycle
[29:22] and for the purposes. New Business Item Number 15, A Resolution Authorizing the Mayor and
[29:27] the City Clerk to Amend the Solid Waste and Recycling Services Agreement and for the
[29:31] purposes. New Business Item Number 16, A Resolution Authorizing the Mayor and the
[29:37] City Clerk to Extend the Contract with Bella Vista Village Property Owners Association
[29:41] for wholesale water for a period of one month and for the purposes.
[29:46] Utility Board item number one, a resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk to enter into an agreement with Hendrick Automotive Group to purchase a cab slash chassis using source well co-op in the amount of 58,084 dollars.
[30:05] A resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk to enter into a contract with Northwest
[30:10] Arkansas Wind Water Consolidated Pipe and Supply in Ferguson Enterprises, LLC in the combined
[30:16] total amount of $143.88 and further purposes.
[30:25] Utility board item number five, a resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk to enter
[30:29] into a professional services agreement with Trek Design Group in the amount of $214,726.95
[30:37] and for other purposes. Utility Board Item Number 6, a resolution authorizing the mayor and city
[30:43] clerk to enter into a contract with Crossland Heavy Contractors, Inc. for water transmission
[30:48] main repair in the amount of $141,650 and for other purposes. Utility Board Item Number 7,
[30:55] and a resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk
[30:57] to enter into a contract with Insa to form technologies,
[31:01] LLC, in the amount of $83,500 and for other purposes.
[31:06] So moved.
[31:08] Again, submission in a second.
[31:10] I have a question.
[31:11] Just in procedure.
[31:12] Nick, I have a question.
[31:15] One of the contractors on this list
[31:17] is actually doing work for me on one of my projects.
[31:21] OK.
[31:21] And so only because he does work for me in a subcontractor capacity, I didn't realize it was his firm.
[31:31] How do I just abstain on one item, which is number 13?
[31:37] These his way to do would be a motion to remove it from the consent agenda.
[31:42] Thank you very much. I just want to be since he's doing currently he was out on my job slot today and I just noticed it with his company.
[31:49] No worries. What item number was that?
[31:50] It was number 13 DMC landscaping.
[31:55] I just want to make sure it's safe.
[31:59] Motion seconds to remove 13.
[32:01] Thank y'all very much.
[32:05] Okay.
[32:07] We have a motion.
[32:09] I second.
[32:10] Yeah, we need to remove it and then vote to.
[32:14] Okay, so this is a vote to remove it.
[32:19] Yes.
[32:20] Yes.
[32:22] Yes.
[32:24] Yes.
[32:25] Yes.
[32:26] Thank you.
[32:27] Thank you.
[32:28] And we need a vote to approve the consent agenda.
[32:32] We need to propose that the consent agenda be approved without item number 13.
[32:39] I move that.
[32:40] Second.
[32:41] I have a motion and a second.
[32:44] Yes.
[32:45] Yes.
[32:46] Yes.
[32:46] Yes.
[32:47] Sanchez?
[32:47] Yes.
[32:47] Patterson?
[32:48] Yes.
[32:49] Acree?
[32:49] Yes.
[32:49] Diba?
[32:53] That will take us to item number, item number two was on consent agenda.
[32:56] So item number three is a public hearing and burdens vacating the utility easement
[33:03] located at lot 54 of Kensington subdivision.
[33:06] I am at this time going to open up the public hearing.
[33:10] Is there anyone in person or online to speak on this item?
[33:20] We'll close the public hearing.
[33:23] New business item number three, in ordinance vacating utility easement located at lot 54
[33:28] of Kensington subdivision phase two of the city of Bentonville, Arkansas, Benton County,
[33:32] Arkansas, VAC 26-0001.
[33:38] Motion and a second.
[33:40] Any other discussion?
[33:43] Roll call please.
[33:44] Burkhardt?
[33:45] Yes.
[33:45] Sanchez?
[33:46] Yes.
[33:46] Patterson?
[33:47] Yes.
[33:47] Decree?
[33:48] Yes.
[33:51] I'm number four is a public hearing and ordinance vacating utility easement new business. I'm number four in ordinance vacating utility easement located at lot 209 of original city of Bentonville subdivision of the city of Bentonville, Arkansas, Benton County, Arkansas, VAC 26-003.
[34:10] I'm going to open the public hearing.
[34:17] Hearing none. To speak on this item, I will close the public hearing.
[34:23] Motion and a second in the other discussion.
[34:28] Roe Cawthly.
[34:30] Rick Hart.
[34:30] Yes.
[34:31] Sanchez.
[34:32] Yes.
[34:32] Patterson.
[34:34] Yes.
[34:34] Pink.
[34:35] Yes.
[34:35] Yuba.
[34:36] Yes.
[34:36] Sutter.
[34:37] Yes.
[34:38] Item number five is a public hearing and ordinance vacating an alley right away between Lot 209
[34:44] and Lot 76 of the original City of Bentonville for subdivision plan.
[34:49] New business item number five, an ordinance vacating alley right of way located between Lot 209
[34:54] and Lot 76 of original City of Bentonville subdivision of the City of Bentonville,
[34:59] Arkansas, Benton County, Arkansas, VAC 26-0006.
[35:05] I'll open the public hearing. Anyone in person or online to speak on this item?
[35:14] Seeing and hearing none, I'll close the item.
[35:18] Second.
[35:21] We have a motion and a second. Any other discussion?
[35:24] Okay.
[35:25] Girl Coughly.
[35:26] Sanchez?
[35:27] Yes.
[35:27] Patterson?
[35:28] Yes.
[35:28] Acree?
[35:29] Yes.
[35:30] Duba?
[35:31] Sutter?
[35:31] Yes.
[35:32] Hart?
[35:32] Yes. Item number 6, the public hearing and ordinance vacating and utility easements.
[35:39] New business item number 6, ordinance vacating and utility easement located at parcel number 18-07503-000 to the city of Bentonville, Arkansas, Benton County, Arkansas, BAC26-0008.
[35:56] I will open the public hearing.
[35:59] Anyone online or in person to speak on this item?
[36:06] Seeing and hearing none, we will close the item.
[36:13] The motion and a second. Any other discussion?
[36:17] Real call, please.
[36:18] Patterson?
[36:19] Yes.
[36:19] April?
[36:20] Yes.
[36:20] Eva?
[36:21] Yes.
[36:21] Sutter?
[36:22] Yes.
[36:22] Burkhart?
[36:23] Yes.
[36:23] Yes.
[36:25] And number seven is the resolution of the public hearing for utility easement vacations.
[36:30] If they don't want to block nine of dogs, we'd place subdivisions.
[36:34] And the city council for the city of Billark and Saul.
[36:37] Okay.
[36:39] Any other discussion?
[36:42] All in favor?
[36:43] Aye.
[36:44] Any opposed?
[36:46] Ask the unanimously.
[36:48] An attendant.
[36:49] Item 8, 9, and 10 were on consent agenda. So we will go to item number 11, which is ordinance amending the city pay plan.
[36:57] New business item number 11 in ordinance amending the 2026 pay plan for the city of Bentonville, adding five positions to the parks and recreation department and further purposes.
[37:08] Second.
[37:08] Is that a motion and a second?
[37:10] Any other discussion?
[37:12] I want to say, I mean, now we passed it earlier on the tip,
[37:15] but how amazing it is to get an opportunity like this
[37:19] to help our staff, so thankful for the grant.
[37:23] Is that a motion and a second?
[37:25] Any other discussion?
[37:28] Roll call.
[37:29] Acre.
[37:30] Yes.
[37:31] Yvonne?
[37:31] Yes.
[37:32] Souter?
[37:32] Yes.
[37:33] Hart?
[37:33] Yes.
[37:33] Enchez?
[37:34] Yes.
[37:34] Patterson?
[37:35] Yes.
[37:36] Okay, so we'll go to item 12 is on consent, we'll go to item 13, which is a resolution
[37:42] award bidding IFB-2603 for finished mowing at city facilities.
[37:47] New business item number 13, a resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk to enter
[37:51] into an agreement with DMC and landscaping, DBA David McClarty for finished mowing at
[37:57] city facilities and the amount of $4,895 per motorcycle and for other purposes.
[38:05] Second.
[38:06] Motion in a second. Any other discussion?
[38:09] All in favor?
[38:10] Aye.
[38:11] Any opposed?
[38:12] Abstain.
[38:14] Motion passes. One abstention.
[38:18] Items 14, 15 and 16 and utility board number one were on consent agenda.
[38:24] So we'll go to item number two under utility board which is an ordinance
[38:28] approving a waiver of bid to purchase various electric enclosures utility board
[38:32] item number two in ordinance authorizing the mayor and city clerk to enter into
[38:36] an agreement with AECI in the estimated amount of fifty seven thousand four
[38:41] hundred thirty five dollars waving competitive bidding providing for the
[38:44] emergency clause and for the purposes second motion in a second any other
[38:49] discussion.
[38:51] We'll call please.
[38:54] Yes.
[38:55] Yes.
[38:56] Yes.
[39:00] Yes.
[39:03] I don't remember.
[39:04] Three was on consent agenda.
[39:06] Sorry.
[39:07] Section three emergency clause, the need to make this purchase is immediate and emergency
[39:11] is hereby declared to exist and this ordinance shall be in full force and effect from the
[39:15] date of its passage and approval.
[39:16] So I'll move.
[39:17] Okay.
[39:18] Motion is second.
[39:19] Any other discussion?
[39:19] Good question.
[39:22] Little cross please.
[39:23] Suter?
[39:23] Yes.
[39:24] Burkhart?
[39:25] Yes.
[39:25] Sanchez?
[39:26] Yes.
[39:26] Patterson?
[39:27] Yes.
[39:27] Acree?
[39:28] Yes.
[39:29] Siva?
[39:30] Yes.
[39:31] Item number three was on consensus agenda so item number four which is the ordinance
[39:35] approving a waiver bid to order 750 underground water wire.
[39:40] Utility Board item number four an ordinance authorizing the mayor and city clerk to waive
[39:44] competitive bidding and enter into an agreement with Stewart Kirby for the purchase of 750
[39:49] 50 underground wire per unit prices and the estimated amount of
[39:54] $177,809.40
[39:57] Providing for the emergency clause and for their purposes
[40:13] Section 3 emergency clause the need to make this purchase is immediate and an emergency is here by declared to exist
[40:19] and this ordinance shall be in full force and effect from the date of its passage and
[40:22] approval.
[40:23] So moved.
[40:24] Second.
[40:25] Motion and a second.
[40:26] Any other discussion?
[40:28] Bill Paul, please.
[40:30] Mark Hart?
[40:30] Yes.
[40:31] Sanchez?
[40:31] Yes.
[40:32] Patterson?
[40:32] Yes.
[40:33] Acre?
[40:33] Yes.
[40:33] Ebutz?
[40:34] Yes.
[40:34] Sutter?
[40:35] Yes.
[40:36] Items five, six, and seven were on consent agenda.
[40:40] So we'll go to planning item number one, which is the property line adjustment of
[40:43] block 13, block 16 of Deming Second Edition.
[40:46] Planning item number one.
[40:48] in ordinance accepting a property line adjustment of lot 10 block 16 of Demings
[40:53] addition creating new lot 13 block 16 of Deming's addition to the city of
[40:57] Bentonville, Arkansas and for other purposes project number PLA 25-0038
[41:18] Item number two is a property line adjustment for lots seven through ten of
[41:22] the Morningstar subdivision. Planning item number two in ordinance accepting a
[41:26] property line adjustment of lots three dash six of Morningstar subdivision
[41:30] creating new lots seven dash ten of Morningstar subdivision to the city of
[41:34] Bentonville, Arkansas and for other purposes project number PLA 26 dash
[41:39] 0 0 0 1
[41:44] either makes an evolution in a second in the other discussion
[41:49] Oh, please Adderson. Yes a cream. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes
[41:59] Number three the property line adjustment of block 12 of Deming's second edition
[42:03] Planning item number three in ordinance accepting a property line adjustment of lots to a and to be block 10 of Deming's addition
[42:10] creating new lot 12 block 10 of Deming's addition to the city of Bentonville, Arkansas and for other purposes
[42:15] project number PLA 2 6 dash 0 0 0 3
[42:22] I can't need your discussion
[42:26] Well coffee a Kree. Yes. Yes. Yes, sir. Yes, work hard. Yes. Panches. Yes Patterson. Yes
[42:35] I remember for the final plot of rainbow patio homes patio homes subdivision
[42:39] Planning item number four in order and accepting a final plat of rainbow patio
[42:44] homes subdivision to the city of Bentonville Arkansas and for the
[42:47] purposes project number fp25-0004
[42:55] Any other discussion?
[43:08] I'm number five is a property line adjustment of lots one and two face one of crystal land
[43:12] subdivision.
[43:14] Landing item number five in ordinance accepting a property line adjustment of lots five seven
[43:19] 7, 8, and 10-14, block 1 of Deming's Edition, lots 3A, 3B, 4, and 5 of Curtis Edition, lot
[43:27] 8 of Enfield Park, and parcels 01-00353-000, 01-00354-000, 01-00361-000, 01-00363-000,
[43:49] 01-00364-000, 01-00365-000, and 01-00366-000, creating new lots 1 and 2 of Crystal Lands
[44:05] Subdivision Phase 1 to the City of Bentonville, Arkansas, and for the purposes, Project Number
[44:09] PLA 25-0020.
[44:13] Second.
[44:15] A motion and a second.
[44:16] Any other discussion?
[44:18] Or a false lead?
[44:19] Sutter?
[44:20] Yes.
[44:20] Burkhardt?
[44:21] Yes.
[44:21] Dynchez?
[44:22] Yes.
[44:22] Patterson?
[44:23] Yes.
[44:24] Acre?
[44:24] Yes.
[44:25] Debus?
[44:25] Yes.
[44:27] Number six, is there re-zoning?
[44:30] Depending on item number six, an ordinance changing real estate in the city of Bentonville,
[44:34] Arkansas from its present zoning classification of D&4 downtown mixed use residential to D&E downtown
[44:41] and for the purposes, project number RZ26-0003.
[44:49] Motion and a second. Any other discussion?
[44:54] Roll call, please.
[44:56] Our part?
[44:56] Yes.
[44:57] Sanchez?
[44:57] Yes.
[44:58] Patterson?
[44:58] Yes.
[44:59] Agree?
[44:59] Yes.
[45:00] And number seven is a rezoning. Planning item number seven, an ordinance changing real estate
[45:08] in the city of Bentonville, Arkansas from its present zoning classification of R2 medium
[45:13] density to family and townhouse residential and of R3 medium high density multifamily residential
[45:20] to PRD planned residential development and further purposes. Project number PRD25-0004.
[45:30] Motion in the second. Any other discussion?
[45:35] Bill Coughlead.
[45:36] Burkhart?
[45:38] Yes.
[45:39] Sanchez?
[45:39] Yes.
[45:40] Patterson?
[45:40] Yes.
[45:41] Acree?
[45:41] Yes.
[45:42] Deba?
[45:42] Yes.
[45:43] Sutter?
[45:43] Yes.
[45:45] I think that if I can get a motion to adjourn from our formal voting agenda.
[45:49] Thank you.
[45:50] I hear it.
[45:51] Can I ask a question?
[45:51] Bill Coughlead.
[45:52] Earth?
[45:53] All in favor of adjourning and then we'll.
[45:56] I don't know if it's somebody they've signed in late and I don't know if it's
[46:00] based on an agenda item or off the agenda item.
[46:05] It's non-agenda, so we can then we'll make sure.
[46:11] So we get a motion and a second to adjourn from our formal voting.
[46:17] All in favor?
[46:18] Aye.
[46:19] Any opposed?
[46:20] And then we do have Isaac Stevens that is signed in to speak public comment on a non-agenda item.
[46:27] Thank you.
[46:28] Hello, Isaac Stevens, 2704 West Parkwood and Rogers.
[46:34] On June 27, 2023, Bentonville adopted the following, whereas street crashes are one of
[46:40] the leading causes of death in the United States, whereas the life and health of all
[46:45] persons living and traveling within the city of Bentonville are our utmost priority
[46:49] and no one should die or be seriously injured while traveling on our streets, whereas
[46:54] as Vision Zero prioritizes the safety of those most at risk to death and serious injury.
[47:00] Now therefore let it be resolved by the Bentonville City Council.
[47:04] The City of Bentonville adopts a Vision Zero policy, which includes the goal of eliminating
[47:09] traffic deaths and serious injuries to zero by 2040 and endorses Vision Zero as
[47:16] a comprehensive and holistic approach to achieving this goal.
[47:20] Here's a list of goals in the Vision Zero policy that was adopted by you, which are
[47:27] not met by the rainbow curve redesign currently being bid to the public.
[47:32] A target design speed for Walton Boulevard of 25 miles per hour.
[47:38] Truck routes say that slip planes may be used, though they should reduce vehicle
[47:43] speeds, disallow right turns on red, and provide for safe pedestrian movements with
[47:49] arrays pedestrian crossing. Medians are high priority. Bike lanes are high priority. Roundabouts
[47:56] are high priority. Median refuge islands are high priority. Green infrastructure and street
[48:02] trees are high priority. Transit considerations are high priority. Bikeways at intersections
[48:08] are high priority. Pedestrian priority signals are high priority. None of these goals are
[48:14] by the new design. This is in an area adopted by you in the future land use map
[48:20] to be the second most intense place type urban corridor with high speed slip
[48:25] lanes, no pedestrian priority, no separated bike lanes, no trees, and an
[48:30] antiquated design that does not reflect current understanding of traffic
[48:33] safety and flow. The money spent on designing this death trap has been
[48:39] lost, the human lives of Bentonville residents have not yet been lost. Moving forward, as
[48:45] a council and mayor, I urge you to ensure Bentonville has a city engineer who will listen
[48:50] to the safe design policies you have adopted and not put future Bentonville residents
[48:55] at risk. Thank you.
[49:01] With that, we will go to the committee review.
[49:04] The library had discussed in a previous meeting to add more representatives of different organizations
[49:14] in the city to be member, ex-official members of the advisory board.
[49:21] In this past meeting, we had the introduction of several of those new ex-official members,
[49:31] including one from the Community College and other organizations that are going to
[49:37] enrich with their opinions and their comments, the work of the advisory board.
[49:44] That is the main situation that we had on the library. As for the utility board,
[49:49] we discussed everything that was approved a little while ago. That's it.
[49:53] I don't have anything.
[49:55] Graphic and signage met.
[49:57] We did approve a crosswalk on John Shields in front of Crystal Flats in Legacy Village
[50:06] so that we can help them get to the dog park safely.
[50:10] We also approved the removal of signs at the crosswalk.
[50:18] stop signs, the crosswalk at Freestown Way on 3rd Street and Cross Creek, but it
[50:26] will be replaced, the crosswalk's not being removed, it will be replaced with
[50:30] the lighted sign, you know the crosswalk sign so that it helps traffic flow
[50:35] better and keeps kids safer. We also take the discussion on a roundabout
[50:41] Northwest Fifth and Bella Vista Road. We heard a lot of residents come talk to us
[50:48] about the hazards coming out of Fox Fire subdivision on to Walton and agreed to
[50:54] do a new traffic study there and look into completing the bike trail or at
[51:00] least access to that subdivision so the bikes can use the tunnel that goes
[51:04] under Walton as the safer route in crossing that street. The Oz kids bike and book fest
[51:12] library was approved and that'll happen on June 27th and we'll have our next meeting on
[51:21] April 6th.
[51:25] This was from the public art advisory board meeting from last month but
[51:30] Oh, two weeks ago, we didn't do reviews last, the last meeting after the state of the I've had to leave right away. So anyway, I'm updating from the last meeting. Yeah.
[51:47] Um, this is a really cool thing.
[51:49] the Tom Hohen who is our one of our chairs went around and cataloged all of the public
[51:57] artworks in the city. We had been saying 117 or something like that for a long time and
[52:06] as of the first week of March there were 323 public artworks. So March 30th is opening
[52:14] day for practicing at Phillips Park and that weekend, the first weekend of games will be
[52:21] in mid-April and they'll be have the grand opening of Bentville Bat, which is a public
[52:25] art that was commissioned for Phillips Park. And as far as the Jay and John De Shields
[52:33] roundabout, Crystal Bridges is working on the plan for formatting right now. The city
[52:40] had to make some changes and it was sort of an immediate need and everyone on the art
[52:47] board and Crystal Bridges wanted to congratulate the city staff on getting that all of those
[52:52] changes done very quickly. So let's give a shout out to them. Crystal Bridges are working
[52:58] on the skirting that will hold up to driving. It will be installed the first week of May.
[53:04] and the Crystal Bridges were waiting on their revised contract but the
[53:10] partnership is that the Crystal Bridges is funding the artwork and they'll own and
[53:14] maintain it on loan to the city and the city is responsible for site prep so
[53:18] that's just an example of the public private partnership to get more art
[53:23] and specifically in the roundabouts a lot really nice to see. I don't think I
[53:32] anything? Two things. One is the I concur on rainbow curve and I ever since we got
[53:41] rid of the flyover I'm I'm I still just I'm really concerned that dead ending
[53:47] everything into a tee is not going to handle things that I know we're moving
[53:54] forward I'm just really concerned about have we really are we sure that that
[54:00] That design is going to move traffic well enough and deal with some of the discussions
[54:06] that we heard tonight.
[54:08] I've heard my reasoning before on why I'm concerned about that.
[54:13] I just would like to really get some, if anybody else is concerned about it, just
[54:22] let's talk to about transportation behind the scenes.
[54:24] I just hope that it is the end result that we hope it is.
[54:28] and I'm just still have questions.
[54:32] And it just brought up tonight.
[54:34] My concerns is all.
[54:35] And so here's what I, I don't move a big project like that.
[54:41] We have to have counsel support in it.
[54:43] I'm not going to do these big projects and not have support.
[54:47] So if we need to get you in front of the engineers
[54:49] and you guys want to ask questions, we can do that.
[54:55] but we really need to, we need to, we do need to move projects forward. We have
[55:01] had a design, they did present the new design to you. I don't even know what
[55:06] it's been quite some time. It's taken us this long to acquire all of the land,
[55:12] get that, move the utilities, and be ready to actually go through bed with
[55:17] this project. So there is a ton of pre-work that's already been done in
[55:21] this project but the engineers when they came and told you that the design had
[55:25] switched they stood in front of you and told you why and that has been so if
[55:30] there were concerns I think we I mean I would have hoped that we would have
[55:34] addressed them by now but I am I am not wanting to move projects through that I
[55:40] don't have council support on because these projects are so hard to get done
[55:45] if I don't have your support on them we need to move to the next project
[55:49] to get done. I live in this traffic and this is this intersection is going out into our growth
[55:55] in southwest Bentonville and it is so needed to fix this intersection so please don't don't
[56:03] stop. It was a close body. I expressed my concern at the time that it may be to me
[56:10] who's not moving the traffic well enough. I just I'll visit with the engineering team and
[56:18] But it's already been passed and as council moved on with this it just and we've grown quite a bit since the design and I just I'll visit with the engineer and see what the movement is and what the rating will be after the intersection and discuss me.
[56:32] I'm not going to stop. I'm just.
[56:34] And I'm.
[56:35] We looked at this ad nauseum and traffic and signage and looked at all the studies and when we, they compared the data and the state helped us understand this at the volume of traffic that we would move with the flyover versus straightening up that intersection and putting more turn lanes and traffic control devices was significantly better going with the intersection rather than the flyover.
[57:03] And that's why we made that decision.
[57:06] We recommended that decision.
[57:08] You was also the host of the flyover.
[57:11] Yeah, yeah.
[57:12] That's why it was checked.
[57:13] The investment that we were trying to get
[57:15] in terms of traffic control.
[57:17] This is one of our worst intersections
[57:19] for delays, for crashes, for, I mean, it's...
[57:23] Every day, multiple times.
[57:24] We also insulted state, met design.
[57:28] We did.
[57:29] And we've been working on it for several years.
[57:32] as we're ready to finally picking it to bed.
[57:36] It may not have trees, but it will significantly make it safer.
[57:42] I want you to know how long it's been working on the project to get it to go to bed, right?
[57:47] And so if we have really big concerns with it, I would prefer to address them now
[57:54] before we get the project bid and move forward with the bid.
[57:57] So I have a related question further north at 102 and Walton is the state in charge of the waltz and turn lanes or are we because the I noticed the other night, I'm sure you're aware of this.
[58:12] The traffic backed up to turn left to center was past the post office.
[58:17] That intersection is one that we are.
[58:19] We have several entities interested in that intersection so we.
[58:24] But Walton is our, Walton is ours, but the intersection is, yes, is, I mean, it's a highway that's going through. So we have not taken, so, yes, I hope to have, I will bring something back on that because I've had some questions on, but we, we hope to have some partnership in.
[58:41] Except something.
[58:43] Could we look at maybe making both lines
[58:45] when arrow turns left?
[58:48] Maybe taking both lines with a can turn left
[58:51] if you're in that line and want to turn left
[58:53] or you could go straight during that left hand.
[58:56] So you're turning two lanes if people can.
[58:59] And empty after.
[59:00] The problem is there's only one,
[59:01] it's only one left turn lane.
[59:04] Right, but if you turn,
[59:05] but if you turn the turn lane and the left lane
[59:09] And you had an additional light that could say okay if you're in both those lanes you could you could turn left
[59:15] You could actually empty out. Yeah, because when I went around the trap
[59:18] I don't go that way people do that they go around and I went around it
[59:21] It was like ghost town after you got around that there was nobody in those other two lanes
[59:25] And so maybe if we could adjust that to where people could go straight or left
[59:29] We could take and turn both of them into that intersection without doing any easement changes or anything
[59:36] similarly to where we could we could do
[59:40] Another intersection until anyway, but that was my thoughts on that intersection is maybe we can plan two lanes of them review this conversation and have them look at that and move.
[59:49] I'm sure it's frustrating.
[59:51] Well, it is.
[59:54] We have.
[59:55] It needs to be addressed that intersection needs to be addressed.
[59:58] Thank you.
[1:00:00] Mayor.
[1:00:04] Yes. I'm for Tray and Landscape. We meet on March 19th. So it'll actually be next week.
[1:00:12] But I also wanted to say thank you to David and his parks and rec for the wonderful and amazing tour of the Adult Recreation Center.
[1:00:26] I think we have been around and I don't have anything tomorrow. We do have them. We are hosting municipally here at the whole health. So hopefully you are able to attend at least some of that meeting.
[1:00:44] I'm looking forward to a ton of weight.