Hot Springs Board of Directors

November 5, 2024 Civic Briefing

Hot Springs Board Awards $197K Kayak Trail Contract, Approves $109K Sewer Equipment, Splits 4-3 on Chapel Street Condemnation

The Board approved $352,508.96 in spending — a $197,250.03 contract to Cate Inc. for the Hot Springs Creek Kayak Launch and Trail Project, a $108,958.93 sewer equipment purchase from River City Hydraulics, and a $46,300 work order to Garver LLC for airport runway rehabilitation design — and passed 15 of 18 votes unanimously, with the one contested decision being a 4-3 vote to condemn a structure at 133 Chapel Street.

Hot Springs Board of Directors Regular Meeting November 5, 2024 Confidence: High Independent — not affiliated with the City of Hot Springs

Published: May 17, 2026 · Last updated: May 17, 2026

View source notes Watch meeting ↗

The short version

The Board awarded a $197,250.03 contract to Cate Inc. to build a kayak launch and trail along Hot Springs Creek, the largest single spending item of the meeting.
The Board approved a $108,958.93 purchase of sewer maintenance equipment through a cooperative purchasing program, and a $46,300 work order for airport runway rehabilitation design services.
The 2025 city budget was pulled from the agenda before the meeting and will be considered at a future date.
The Board voted 4-3 to declare the structure at 133 Chapel Street a public nuisance — the only split vote of the meeting; a motion to delay the decision to December 17 failed 3-4 first.
The Board sent a taxi permit application for Good Times Taxi back to the Transportation Advisory Committee for further review rather than acting on it.

By the numbers

Total identified spending

$352,509

Votes taken

includes procedural votes

Unanimous votes

Largest single item

$197,250

Hot Springs Creek Kayak Launch and Trail Project

Emergency / ratification items

Resident questions unanswered

Money approved

Item	Amount	Vendor	Vote	Source
Hot Springs Creek Kayak Launch and Trail Project	$197,250	Cate Inc.	7-0	`item:15`
Sewer Equipment Procurement	$108,959	River City Hydraulics, Inc.	7-0	`item:14`
Airport Runway 5-23 Rehabilitation Work Order	$46,300	Garver, LLC	7-0	`item:17`
Total identified spending	$352,509

Major decisions

Property Nuisance Condemnation at 133 Chapel Street

Item: Condemnation — structure at 133 Chapel Street declared a public nuisance under Title 17 of the Hot Springs Code.
Vote: 4-3
Cost: No cost specified in the record.
Vendor / responsible: n/a
Discussion level: Extended Significant debate, public comment, or multiple speakers
Resident impact: The structure at 133 Chapel Street is subject to condemnation proceedings under city code.
What the Board said or did: A member of the public spoke regarding the property. A motion to table the item until December 17 was made and failed 3-4 before the condemnation resolution passed 4-3. The record does not specify which directors voted on each side.
What remains unclear: The record does not describe the condition of the structure, the ownership, the reasons for the split vote, or what was raised in public comment.
Source: item:22

Good Times Taxi Service Transportation Permit — Remanded

Item: Permit application — Jason Bennett d/b/a Good Times Taxi applied for a taxicab service transportation permit; the Board sent the application back to the Transportation Advisory Committee for further investigation rather than acting on it.
Vote: 7-0
Cost: No cost specified in the record.
Vendor / responsible: Jason Bennett d/b/a Good Times Taxi
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: No new taxi permit was issued at this meeting. The application will return after Transportation Advisory Committee review.
What the Board said or did: The Board unanimously sent the application to the Transportation Advisory Committee. The record does not explain what specific concerns prompted the referral.
What remains unclear: The grounds for referral, the committee's review timeline, and any deficiencies in the application are not described in the available record.
Source: item:23

Alleyway Vacation — Eldorado Subdivision (Public Hearing and First Reading)

Item: Public hearing held on vacating an unnamed alleyway in Block 14 of Eldorado Subdivision; Ordinance O-24-34 was introduced as a first reading.
Vote: —
Cost: No cost specified in the record.
Vendor / responsible: n/a
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: If the ordinance passes, the unnamed alleyway in Block 14 of Eldorado Subdivision will be permanently closed and removed from public use.
What the Board said or did: A public hearing was conducted. The ordinance was introduced but not voted on at this meeting.
What remains unclear: The record does not identify who requested the vacation, the reason for the closure, or who, if anyone, spoke at the public hearing.
Source: item:19

Approved without separate discussion

These items passed without individual debate as part of the consent agenda.

Hot Springs Creek Kayak Launch and Trail Project Contract

Vote: 7-0 · $197,250 · Cate Inc.

item:15
Sewer Equipment Procurement

Vote: 7-0 · $108,959 · River City Hydraulics, Inc.

item:14
Airport Runway 5-23 Rehabilitation Work Order

Vote: 7-0 · $46,300 · Garver, LLC

item:17
T-Mobile Placemaking Grant Authorization for Splashpad

Vote: 7-0 · The record does not show a city spending commitment at this step.

item:16
Construction Management Services Agreement with Hill and Cox Corporation

Vote: 7-0 · No cost specified in the record. · Hill and Cox Corporation

item:18
Property Nuisance Condemnation at 107 Barrett Street

Vote: 7-0 · No cost specified in the record.

item:21

Locations affected

Hot Springs Creek

Kayak launch and trail project contract awarded to Cate Inc.

Status: Planned
107 Barrett Street

107 Barrett Street

Structure declared a public nuisance and condemned under city code.

Status: Scheduled
133 Chapel Street

133 Chapel Street

Structure declared a public nuisance and condemned under city code; voted 4-3.

Status: Scheduled
David F. Watkins Memorial Park

Grant application authorized for a splashpad.

Status: Planned
Hot Springs Memorial Airport, Runway 5-23

Professional services work order approved for runway rehabilitation design.

Status: Planned
Eldorado Subdivision, Block 14

Eldorado Subdivision

Public hearing held on unnamed alleyway vacation; ordinance at first reading.

Status: Scheduled

Watch list

Open follow-up issues we'll check on in future briefings.

Chapel Street Condemnation Split Vote

Open

The Board voted 4-3 to condemn the structure at 133 Chapel Street. A prior motion to delay the decision to December 17 failed 3-4. The record does not explain the specific points of disagreement or what a December 17 delay would have accomplished.

Why it matters: This was the only contested vote of the meeting and split the Board nearly evenly. Understanding the reasons for the split is important for public transparency regarding property condemnation decisions.
Next check: Direct inquiry to city staff or review of the full video transcript could clarify the grounds for the split vote and which directors voted each way.

Construction Management Services Agreement Scope Unknown

Open

The Board approved a construction management services agreement with Hill and Cox Corporation without identifying the project it covers. The record does not show a contract value or scope.

Why it matters: Public accountability requires clarity on which city project this agreement supports, its cost, and the scope of work. Residents cannot assess the decision without this information.
Next check: The responsible city department should clarify which city project this agreement supports and provide contract details.

2025 City Budget Not Yet Adopted

Open

The 2025 city budget (R-24-201) was removed from the November 5 agenda and deferred to a future meeting. No rescheduled date was provided in the available record.

Why it matters: The city's fiscal year begins January 1, 2025. The budget must be adopted before or shortly after that date to ensure lawful spending and compliance with municipal finance requirements.
Next check: Monitor the Board's next agenda for the 2025 budget resolution. Contact city staff to confirm the rescheduled meeting date.

Federal Airport Terminal Funding Not Yet Formalized

Open

The City Manager reported that Hot Springs Memorial Airport was awarded up to $1.4 million in federal funds for terminal improvements. This was mentioned in the City Manager's report but was not a Board action item. The record does not show when this grant will come before the Board for formal acceptance or how it interacts with the Runway 5-23 rehabilitation work order approved on November 5.

Why it matters: Substantial federal funding for airport improvements is a significant fiscal event that requires Board action and oversight. Clarity on the timeline and relationship between the terminal grant and the runway rehabilitation is important.
Next check: Check the next Board agenda for a resolution accepting or formalizing the federal terminal improvement grant. Inquire whether the grant funds can be used for runway rehabilitation.

Source notes

This briefing is based on the public records below. Every claim above can be traced back to one or more of these sources.

video: Meeting Video
minutes: Minutes
agenda: Agenda

Confidence: High

Minutes, agenda, transcript, and public comment records are all available. Twenty-six parsed agenda items and comprehensive discussion notes support high confidence in the accuracy of decisions and voting outcomes.

How we know this

We do not invent facts.
We cite source records.
We distinguish what happened from what remains unclear.
We use neutral language.
We correct errors when found. See corrections.