Reimagining the budgeting process, a better focus on riverfront development, and creating a public works department were some of the opportunity actions discussed by the Fort Smith Board of Directors during an Aug. 22 daylong strategy session.
The session was conducted by Kendall Ross, University of Arkansas at Fort Smith (UAFS) associate vice chancellor of Economic and Workforce Development, and included several hours of board members and Acting City Administrator Jeff Dingman discussing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats within the city and region.
“It’s good for us to take the time collectively, together, in an all day open meeting and talk about what our strategic priorities and vision is for the year to come,” said Director and Vice Mayor Jarred Rego. “I think it’s very valuable, it’s very important, and it was very productive today,”
Strengths identified by the board and staff include the increased military presence and investment with the foreign military pilot training center at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education medical school and research operations, the UAFS, the water supply and landfill capacity, and the region’s geographic location in mid-America.
Weaknesses, according to the board, include aging infrastructure, lack of long-range planning, rates of regional poverty, and a lack of infill redevelopment.
“The benefit of any strategic planning session is it highlights the things we believe as a board are critical and important for our city, and it gives us a chance to build some consensus around the important things we need to address immediately,” said Fort Smith Mayor George McGill.
Following are some of the near-term “opportunity” items the board listed Friday.
• Military sector support
Ideas discussed included creating a full-time position to be a liaison with the military and defense sectors.
• Riverfront development
An idea discussed was to hold a riverfront development summit with property owners and interested parties with the goal of identifying how the city may best be a partner for riverfront progress.
• Infrastructure investment
Directors discussed using the 2026 budget cycle to begin developing a long-term infrastructure investment plan.
“We must address our infrastructure, particularly meeting the requirements around the consent decree, as well as making sure we have an adequate water supply to meet the future needs of our city,” McGill said in an interview after the strategy session.
• Marketing/economic development
Board consensus indicated a desire for the city to do more to market the city in support of economic and tourism development. Ideas discussed included expanding the city’s communication department and improving collaboration with the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Fort Smith Convention and Visitors Bureau.
• Change the annual budgeting process
Several directors talked about reimagining the budgeting process to include a quarterly review of the budget, and using a zero-based budgeting approach.
• Public works department
The board also discussed the idea of reorganizing the city’s utilities, engineering, and streets departments under a public works department.
The board also agreed on the following updated mission statement: “The City of Fort Smith is dedicated to offering resident-focused services, maintaining reliable infrastructure, and fostering an environment that promotes economic growth for a thriving community.”
Board members also came to consensus on having the strategy session annually, but having it in the spring, with another daylong session in the fall that is focused on the budget. The previous session was held in 2023.
The Friday discussion will be compiled and organized by the UAFS with a report provided to the city no later than Aug. 26. Ross said it is important to convert the discussion into priority items that are measurable, actionable, relatable, and time-bound – meaning deadlines should be set with action items.