Board of Directors

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY OF SILOAM SPRINGS, BENTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS, HELD SEPTEMBER 2, 2025 The City of Siloam Springs, Arkansas, met in regular session at the City of Siloam Springs Administration Building on September 2, 2025. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Judy Nation. Roll Call: Hunt, Wiles, Blair, Rissler, Carroll, Burns, Allen— present. City Representatives Present: Christina Petriches, Interim City Administrator; Jene Fain, City Clerk; Scott Miller, Police Chief; Dustin Kindell, Fire Chief; Joshua Napier, Public Works Director; Kris Paxton, Administrative Services Director; Ben Rhoads, Senior Planner; and Kyle Belts, Planner I. Director Allen led the opening prayer. Mayor Nation led the Pledge of Allegiance. At this time, Mayor Nation asked if there were any comments from the audience regarding an item not on the City' s agenda. Tony Brown, Wastewater Superintendent, brought back Challenge Coins from the Wastewater Treatment Plant Conference, for the Board of Directors and the Interim City Administrator. Rebekah Wyatt, 1109 E. Jewell, presented flowers for Maegan Thomas. The mayor asked if there were any comments on an item on the Consent Agenda. There were none. Consent Agenda A. Regular Meeting Minutes/ August 19, 2025 B. Memorandum of Understanding/ Siloam Springs School District/ School Resource Officers Police Department/$ 322, 093. 12 C. Budget Amendment/ Fire Department/ Station 3 Bay Doors/$ 15, 895 D. Budget Amendment/ Public Works/ Water Treatment Plant/ SCADA Repair/$ 10, 000 E. Resolution 35- 25 / Authorize the Rate of Property Tax/ 2025 to be Collected in 2026 A motion to approve the consent agenda was made by Allen and seconded by Rissler. Motion passed unanimously. Item F: May Financials Petriches shared that the May financials are in the meeting packet, and she is available for any questions. Board of Directors Meeting Minutes Page 12 September 2, 2025 ularl Y Scheduled 1 Itto ms ems Item G: Ordinance 25- 27/ 2nd Reading/ Amending Section 102- 21 of the City Municipal Code/ Rezoning from R- 2 to C- 2/ 1200 Block of East Lake Francis Drive. Kyle Belts briefed this item. A motion was made byRissler and seconded byCarroll to place Ordinance 25- 27 on its third reading, suspending the rules and ready by title only. Motion passed unanimously. An ordinance entitled: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 102- 21 OF THE SILOAM SPRINGS MUNICIPAL CODE ( CITY ZONING MAP); REZONING( FROM R- 2 TO G- I) PROPERTY LOCATED AT 900 BLOCK OF CHERI WHITLOCK DRIVE; was read on its third reading. A motion to adopt Ordinance 25- 27 was made by Rissler and seconded by Burns. Motion passed unanimously. Item H: Ordinance 25- 28/ 1st Reading/ Amending Section 102- 21 of the City Municipal Code/ Rezoning from R- 2 to G- I / 103 South Holly Street. Ben Rhoads briefed this item. Mary Hatson, 1607 W. Alpine Street, her home backs up to the property and is concerned about parking and noise. Dave and Cathy Flank, 1611 W. Alpine Street, their property also abuts this property. They do not want the rezone. They are concerned with privacy and traffic. Kim Hadley, JBU Executive Director states they had higher enrollment than the amount of facilities they had available to house students. She states they have many properties in the area that are used in a similar manner. Hunt states she will abstain from the vote in that she is employed at JBU. A motion was made by Carroll and seconded by Rissler to place Ordinance 25- 287 on its first reading, suspending the rules and ready by title only. After lengthy discussion, motion passed 6- 0. An ordinance entitled: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 102- 21 OF THE SILOAM SPRINGS MUNICIPAL CODE( CITY ZONING MAP); REZONING( FROM R- 2 TO G-I) PROPERTY LOCATED AT 103 SOUTH HOLLY STREET; was read on its first reading. Item I: Ordinance 25- 29/ 1st Reading / Amending Section 102- 21 of the City Municipal Code / Rezoning from A- 1 to C- 2/ 400 to 500 Block of North Simon Sager Avenue. Ben Rhoads briefed Board of Directors Meeting Minutes Page 13 September 2, 2025 this item. Rebekah Wyatt, 1109 E. Jewell, requested clarification on what businesses would be allowed with this zoning. Allen abstained from the vote due to family reasons. A motion was made by Rissler and seconded by Hunt to place Ordinance 25- 28 on its first reading, suspending the rules and ready by title only. Motion passed 6- 0. An ordinance entitled: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 102- 21 OF THE SILOAM SPRINGS MUNICIPAL CODE ( CITY ZONING MAP); REZONING ( FROM A- 1 TO C- 2) PROPERTY LOCATED AT 400 TO 500 BLOCK OF NORTH SIMMON SAGER AVENUE; AND AMENDING THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP OF THE SILOAM SPRINGS 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN; was read on its first reading. Item J: Ordinance 25- 30/ 1s` Reading / Annexation of 176 acres / 14000 to 15000 Block of AR 59 and the 20600 Block of Bill Young Road. Ben Rhoads briefed this item. Steve Devoe, 15040 Airport Road, believes annexation is premature. There are flooding problems that need to be addressed before more development. Ron Homeyer, Civil Engineering, clarifies discussion regarding streetlights. A motion was made by Rissler and seconded by Hunt to place Ordinance 25- 30 on its first reading, suspending the rules and ready by title only. Motion passed unanimously. An ordinance entitled: AN ORDINANCE ACCEPTING THE ANNEXATION OF CERTAIN TERRITORY DESCRIBED 14000 TO 15000 BLOCK OF ARKANSAS HIGHWAY 59 AND THE 20600 BLOCK OF BILL YOUNG ROAD TO THE CITY OF SILOAM SPRINGS, ARKANSAS; ASSIGNING THE SAME TO A WARD; AND AMENDING THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP OF THE SILOAM SPRINGS 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN was read on its first reading. Item K: Ordinance 25- 31 / 1s` Reading / Vacation of a Drainage Easement / 1113 East Ashley Street. Ben Rhodes briefed this item. A motion was made by Allen and seconded by Rissler to place Ordinance 25- 31 on its first reading, suspending the rules and ready by title only. Motion passed unanimously. Board of Directors Meeting Minutes Page 14 September 2, 2025 An ordinance entitled: AN ORDINANCE VACATING AND ABANDONING DRAINAGE EASEMENTS AT 1113 EAST ASHLEY STREET; was read on its first reading. Item L: Ordinance 25- 32 / 1 sc Reading/ Amending Section 102- 21 of the City Municipal Code / Rezone from A- 1 to C- 2 / 400 Block of North Progress Avenue. Kyle Belts briefed this item. A motion was made by Rissler and seconded by Carroll to place Ordinance 25- 32 on its first reading, suspending the rules and ready by title only. Motion passed unanimously. An ordinance entitled: AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 102- 21 OF THE SILOAM SPRINGS MUNICIPAL CODE ( CITY ZONING MAP); REZONING ( FROM A- 1 TO C- 2) PROPERTY LOCATED AT 400 BLOCK OF NORTH PROGRESS AVENUE; AND AMENDING THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP OF THE SILOAM SPRINGS 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN; was read on its first reading. Item M: Resolution 36- 25/ Special Use Development Permit/ 350 North Progress Avenue( Stock Tank Liquor). Ben Rhoads briefed this item. Jeff Stokes, owner of Stock Tank Liquor, states the company is only moving 75 feet away from its current location. A motion was made by Rissler and seconded by Burns to approve Resolution 36- 25. Motion passed unanimously. Item N: Resolution 37- 25 / Waive Competitive Bidding/ Hail Damages. Araminta Cripps briefed this item. A motion was made by Rissler and seconded by Hunt to approve Resolution 37- 25. Motion passed unanimously. Administrator' s Report— Administrator' s Report is attached. Directors Reports— Hunt — Thank you to the street crews for repaving Benton Street. She enjoys watching the Pickleball courts on her way to the meetings. Wiles— No comment. Board of Directors Meeting Minutes Page 15 September 2, 2025 Blair- Finn - She is looking forward to the board meetings with the new city engineer that was hired. Rissler - Thank you to animal services department. They were able to reunite a dog with it' s owners that reside outside the city limits. Advises the city will be looking to hire a new City Administrator soon. Thank you to Christina for always stepping up and being available when the city needs her. She enjoys working with every director and values what they all bring to the table. Carroll- He is looking forward to fall. He appreciated Stacy Morris and all that she did for Main Street. It is good to be a part of a town that works together. Bums - At 4th Friday the city created a water feature which was great. Getting a lot of concern regarding the 4- way stop at Highway 16 and Kenwood Street. He feels a roundabout in that area would be safer. Allen - Thank you to Tony Brown for the challenge coin and for his representation of the city at his conference. Thank you to Jason Davis and John Chavez on the recycling award. He appreciates John Chavez and his crew. Welcome Planner, Kyle Belts and Josh Napier as Public Works Director. Thank you to Maegan Thomas for her work and dedication to the City. He addressed the issue of abstention versus recusal. " I hear a lot of compliments about our city providing spring cleanup and fall cleanup, and a lot of cities do not do it and it is an important service that we provide. It is not something we have to do it is something that is chosen and has been for decades and I hear a lot of compliments to our city for doing that and I appreciate sanitation and all that they do getting into that. I just want to emphasize that our city board members do not have any authority to negotiate, to pursue purchasing, or even to discuss the city purchasing, separate from board action." A motion was made by Rissler and seconded by Burns to go into the executive session to consider the employment, appointment, promotion, demotion, disciplining or resignation of an employee. The board retired to executive session at 8: 12 pm. The meeting was called back to order at 9: 45 p. m. The mayor announced there was no vote. The Directors are working on RFQ and will provide to all recruiters listed on the ICMA website to fill City Administrator position. With no further business, a motion was made to adjourn by Allen and seconded by Rissler.\.` P'DRA"'"' N 6 57 Meeting adjourned. SILOAM ATTEST: APPROVED: a, SPRINGS co r y es 01. i,*.. —•— .. s--- 77 YuNTY, r#-\,os' Nillininummo J: ' ain, City Clerk E. SEAL J dy ation, a or r 4 iN m iu``. '  POI Siloam Springs Administrator' s Report September 2, 2025 Expenditures: In excess of$ 30, 000: None Per Resolution 11- 25: None Announcements: 1. The City of Siloam Springs has been named the 2025 Government Recycler of the Year by the Arkansas Recycling Coalition. The award will be presented September 9th during the ARC Annual Conference and Trade Show in Hot Springs next week. 2. The annual Fall Cleanup is taking place October 6th- 10`h. This free community service allows residents to set out approved bulky household items for collection on their regular trash day during the cleanup week. We will be picking up each zone on its regular trash day. You can visit the City' s website for more information on what' s accepted for Fall Cleanup. 3. The City- wide trash clean- up in conjunction with Love Siloam will occur October 10`h and 11` h following Fall Cleanup. 4. Our Recycling Crews are swapping out cracked and broken recycling bins for brand-new bins this month! Residents can set their old bin at the curb on the appropriate scheduled Friday, and we' ll replace it. Monday' s normal pick- up route will leave their bins out this Friday. See the City' s website for the entire schedule. 5. Ballet in the Park featuring Ozark Ballet Theater on September 27th at 7 PM at the Chautauqua Amphitheater in Memorial Park.