Hot Springs Board of Directors

April 15, 2025 Civic Briefing

Hot Springs Board Approves $9,496K Sewer Construction Contract, Awards $381K in Additional Contracts; Short-Term Rental Amendment Fails 3-3

The Board of Directors awarded three contracts totaling $9,878,122 — a $9,496,272 construction contract for the Lower Gulpha sewer capacity project, a $279,000 construction management contract for the Ouachita Water Treatment Plant, and a $102,850 bid for a walk-in cooler and freezer at the Community Resource Center — while a proposed amendment to short-term rental regulations failed on a 3-3 tie vote.

Hot Springs Board of Directors Regular Meeting April 15, 2025 Confidence: High Independent — not affiliated with the City of Hot Springs

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

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The short version

The Board awarded a $9,496,272 contract to Coakley Company, Inc. to begin Phase 1 construction on a sewer capacity improvement project along the Lower Gulpha corridor, the largest single spending action of the night.
A proposed ordinance change to short-term residential rental regulations failed 3-3 with one director recused, leaving the current rules in place.
Three items originally placed on the routine consent agenda — airport committee appointments, a civil service commission appointment, and the Community Resource Center cooler/freezer bid — were pulled for separate votes, two of which passed 5-2.
The Board declared four structures nuisances and condemned them under city code: 104 Fred Place, 1100 Park Avenue, 1102 Park Avenue, and 320 Vine Street, all by 7-0 votes.
The City Manager reported that the 2025 paving program has reached 30% completion (4.81 of 15.8 planned miles) and that $68 million in bonds for water infrastructure closed the same day as the meeting.

By the numbers

Total identified spending

$9,878,122

Votes taken

includes procedural votes

Unanimous votes

Largest single item

$9,496,272

Lower Gulpha Gravity Sewer Capacity Improvement Project – Phase 1 Construction

Emergency / ratification items

Resident questions unanswered

Money approved

Item	Amount	Vendor	Vote	Source
Lower Gulpha Gravity Sewer Capacity Improvement – Phase 1 Construction	$9,496,272	Coakley Company, Inc.	7-0	`item:34`
Ouachita Water Treatment Plant Construction Management and Inspection	$279,000	Crist Engineers, Inc.	7-0	`item:23`
Community Resource Center Walk-In Cooler and Freezer	$102,850	Daniell Air & Electric, Inc.	5-2	`item:28`
Total identified spending	$9,878,122

Major decisions

Lower Gulpha Gravity Sewer Capacity Improvement Project — Phase 1 Construction Contract

Item: Bid award — the Board awarded a contract for construction of Phase 1 of the Lower Gulpha Gravity Sewer Capacity Improvement Project.
Vote: 7-0
Cost: $9,496,272
Vendor / responsible: Coakley Company, Inc.
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: Phase 1 construction will begin on a sewer capacity improvement project in the Lower Gulpha corridor. The project is linked to $68 million in bond financing reported by the City Manager as having closed the same day.
What the Board said or did: Approved without separate discussion beyond the vote.
What remains unclear: The record does not specify the project timeline, exact construction footprint, or which neighborhoods will be most directly affected during construction.
Source: item:34

Community Resource Center Walk-In Cooler and Freezer — Bid Award

Item: Bid award — the Board awarded a bid for installation of a walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer at the Community Resource Center.
Vote: 5-2
Cost: $102,850
Vendor / responsible: Daniell Air & Electric, Inc.
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: The Community Resource Center will receive new cold storage equipment.
What the Board said or did: This item was moved from the consent agenda to new business for a separate vote; the record does not explain why.
What remains unclear: The record does not explain which directors voted against, the reason for opposition, or the intended use of the new cold storage capacity.
Source: item:28

Short-Term Residential Rental Ordinance Amendment — Failed

Item: Proposed ordinance amending existing short-term residential rental regulations to add an exception for veterans with a service-connected permanent and total disability rating.
Vote: 3-3
Cost: No cost specified in the record.
Vendor / responsible: n/a
Discussion level: Extended Significant debate, public comment, or multiple speakers
Resident impact: The existing short-term rental regulations remain in effect. The proposed veteran disability exception will not take effect unless the ordinance is brought back and passed at a future meeting.
What the Board said or did: The City Attorney explained the ordinance. Director Garcia moved to delete a specific paragraph (Section 1, Paragraph E2); that motion failed 2-4. Director Trusty proposed reducing the number of permitted licenses from 25 to 5; that motion received no second and died. The original ordinance then failed on a 3-3 vote. One resident also spoke on the item.
What remains unclear: The record does not explain why Director Dobbs-Smith recused, nor does it detail what the content of the public comment was beyond that it addressed the ordinance.
Source: item:25

Airport Advisory Committee Appointments

Item: Resolution appointing Alex Mouton, Trent Foreman, and Scott Lauck to the Hot Springs Airport Advisory Committee.
Vote: 5-2
Cost: No cost specified in the record.
Vendor / responsible: n/a
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: Three individuals will serve on the advisory committee for Hot Springs Memorial Airport.
What the Board said or did: This item was moved from the consent agenda to new business; the record does not explain why. Approved 5-2.
What remains unclear: The record does not explain the reason for the split vote or which directors voted against.
Source: item:26

Civil Service Commission Appointment

Item: Resolution appointing Bruce Jones to the Hot Springs Civil Service Commission.
Vote: 6-1
Cost: No cost specified in the record.
Vendor / responsible: n/a
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: Bruce Jones will serve on the commission that oversees civil service matters for city employees.
What the Board said or did: This item was moved from the consent agenda to new business; the record does not explain why. Approved 6-1.
What remains unclear: The record does not explain why the item was pulled from consent or which director voted against.
Source: item:27

Approved without separate discussion

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

Ouachita Water Treatment Plant Construction Management Contract

Vote: 7-0 · $279,000 · Crist Engineers, Inc.

item:23
Nuisance Structure Condemnations

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

item:29
Parking Program and Parking Regulations Ordinance Amendments

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

item:35
Grant Applications — Stokes Creek Greenway Trail, Light UpTown Street Lights, and Airport Hangar Roof

Vote: 7-0 · The record does not show a city spending commitment at this step for any of the three grant applications.

item:20

Locations affected

Lower Gulpha corridor

Lower Gulpha

Phase 1 construction of sewer capacity improvement project awarded.

Status: Confirmed
Ouachita Water Treatment Plant

Construction management contract awarded for backwash lagoons project; plant completion expected fall 2025.

Status: Confirmed
Community Resource Center

Walk-in cooler and freezer installation bid awarded.

Status: Confirmed
104 Fred Place

104 Fred Place, Hot Springs

Structure declared a nuisance and condemned.

Status: Confirmed
1100 Park Avenue

1100 Park Avenue, Hot Springs

Structure declared a nuisance and condemned.

Status: Confirmed
1102 Park Avenue

1102 Park Avenue, Hot Springs

Structure declared a nuisance and condemned.

Status: Confirmed
320 Vine Street

320 Vine Street, Hot Springs

Structure declared a nuisance and condemned.

Status: Confirmed
Hot Springs Memorial Airport

Grant application authorized for hangar roof repairs.

Status: Planned
Stokes Creek Greenway Trail

Grant application authorized for Phase 3(A) trail expansion.

Status: Planned
UpTown area

UpTown

Grant application authorized for street lighting project.

Status: Planned
State Street

Hearing date set to consider abandoning, closing, and vacating a portion of right-of-way.

Status: Scheduled
Fire Station #6

131 First Security Way, Hot Springs

Groundbreaking scheduled for April 30 at 4 p.m.

Status: Scheduled

Watch list

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

Short-Term Rental Ordinance Amendment Follow-up

Open

The Short-Term Residential Rental Ordinance Amendment failed 3-3 with one recusal. The proposed amendment would have added an exception for veterans with a service-connected permanent and total disability rating.

Why it matters: The failed vote leaves current short-term rental regulations in place. The record does not indicate whether the item will be brought back or revised at a future meeting.
Next check: Watch for future agenda to see if the amendment is reintroduced, potentially with revisions.

Parking Ordinance Changes Not Detailed

Open

The Board passed two ordinances (Items 35 and 36) amending the city's parking program rules and parking enforcement regulations, but the specific practical changes are not described in the available record.

Why it matters: Residents and businesses need to understand what parking rules actually changed. The specific amendments are not captured in the meeting record.
Next check: Request copy of the amended ordinances from the city or check the city code updates.

Split Vote on Airport and CRC Appointments Not Explained

Open

The Airport Advisory Committee appointments (5-2 vote) and Community Resource Center cooler/freezer bid (5-2 vote) both passed with opposition, but the record does not identify which directors voted against or the reasons for the split votes.

Why it matters: Understanding director positions on these items provides transparency into board decision-making.
Next check: Review video record or contact city clerk for detailed voting record.

Grant Application Outcomes Pending

Open

The Board authorized filing for three state grants: Stokes Creek Greenway Trail Phase 3(A), Light UpTown Street Light Project, and airport hangar roof repairs. No grant amounts, required city matches, or award timelines were specified.

Why it matters: Grant funding will determine whether these projects move forward and what local match the city must provide.
Next check: Monitor future meetings for grant award announcements and any required action on grant funding.

2025 Paving Program Progress Tracking

Open

The City Manager reported that the 2025 paving program has reached 30% completion (4.81 miles of 15.8 planned miles) as of the April 15 meeting.

Why it matters: Tracking paving progress helps residents understand when their streets may be affected and holds the city accountable to its schedule.
Next check: Check May meeting minutes for updated progress percentage and any schedule changes.

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 Recording
transcript: Video Transcript
minutes: Meeting Minutes
agenda: Meeting Agenda

Confidence: High

Complete meeting record with video transcript, agenda, and minutes available. All major votes and decisions documented with clear citation references.

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.