Hot Springs Board of Directors

May 6, 2025 Civic Briefing

Hot Springs Board Awards $130K Demolition Contract, Approves $362K in Equipment and Safety Systems

The Hot Springs Board of Directors approved $492,262 in total identified spending, covering a $130,000 demolition bid for 228 Orange Street, $123,958 for two utility trucks, $124,664 for fire safety systems at 900 Whittington Avenue, and $113,640 for a water treatment plant construction change order.

Hot Springs Board of Directors Regular Meeting May 6, 2025 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 $130,000 contract to Melton Excavating, Inc. to demolish the structure at 228 Orange Street — the only non-unanimous vote of the meeting, passing 6-1.
The Board approved $123,958 to purchase two 2025 F-250 utility trucks from Steve Landers Auto Group and simultaneously repealed a prior ordinance that had authorized buying the same trucks from a different vendor.
Fire suppression, alarm, access control, and intrusion detection systems for 900 Whittington Avenue were approved at $124,664 through a cooperative purchasing program.
The Board approved a $113,640 change order for Phase 3 construction of the new water treatment plant, which the City Manager said is on track to be operational in late fall 2025.
The Board voted 7-0 to abandon and close a portion of city right-of-way along State Street following a public hearing where three residents addressed the Board.

By the numbers

Total identified spending

$492,262

Votes taken

includes procedural votes

Unanimous votes

Largest single item

$130,000

Structure Demolition at 228 Orange Street

Emergency / ratification items

Resident questions unanswered

Money approved

Item	Amount	Vendor	Vote	Source
Structure Demolition at 228 Orange Street	$130,000	Melton Excavating, Inc.	6-1	`item:20`
Fire Safety Systems for 900 Whittington Avenue	$124,664	Johnson Controls (via Sourcewell cooperative purchasing)	7-0	`item:15`
Procurement of Two F-250 Trucks	$123,958	Steve Landers Auto Group	7-0	`item:14`
Change Order — Water Treatment Plant Phase 3 Construction	$113,640	TOLM Group, Inc.	7-0	`item:17`
Total identified spending	$492,262

Major decisions

Structure Demolition at 228 Orange Street

Item: Bid award — the Board awarded a contract to Melton Excavating, Inc. to demolish the structure at 228 Orange Street.
Vote: 6-1
Cost: $130,000
Vendor / responsible: Melton Excavating, Inc.
Discussion level: None Approved without separate discussion
Resident impact: A structure at 228 Orange Street will be demolished.
What the Board said or did: Approved without separate discussion.
What remains unclear: The record does not show which director cast the dissenting vote, why the structure is being demolished, who owns it, or what is planned for the site afterward.
Source: item:20

Abandonment and Closure of State Street Right-of-Way

Item: Ordinance — the Board voted to abandon, close, and vacate a portion of city right-of-way along State Street.
Vote: 7-0
Cost: No cost specified in the record.
Vendor / responsible: n/a
Discussion level: Extended Significant debate, public comment, or multiple speakers
Resident impact: The affected portion of State Street right-of-way will no longer be public city property. The change could affect access or use of that street segment, but the record does not describe the specific parcel dimensions or adjacent uses.
What the Board said or did: A public hearing was held before the vote. Three residents addressed the Board on the ordinance itself — Chelsea Everhart, Florence Walker, and Monique Davis. Two additional residents — Chelsea Everhart and Kim Everhart — had also spoken at the earlier public hearing.
What remains unclear: The record does not show which property owner or party requested the abandonment, the specific length and location of the vacated segment, or the positions taken by the public speakers.
Source: item:21

Amendment to Food Truck Parks Ordinance

Item: Ordinance — the Board amended city code sections governing food truck parks, updating both the zoning/land use chapter (Title 16, Chapter 2) and the licensing chapter (Title 4, Chapter 10).
Vote: 7-0
Cost: No cost specified in the record.
Vendor / responsible: n/a
Discussion level: Moderate Questions or explanation from board or staff
Resident impact: The rules governing where food truck parks can operate and how they are licensed in Hot Springs have changed. The record does not specify which requirements were changed.
What the Board said or did: Two members of the public — Seth Lowton and Paul Hayes — addressed the Board before the vote.
What remains unclear: The record does not show what specific changes were made to the food truck park rules, what prompted the amendment, or what positions the public speakers took.
Source: item:23

Approved without separate discussion

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

Repeal of Prior F-250 Truck Purchase Ordinance

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

item:22
Grant Authorization — Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP)

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

item:11
Procurement of Two F-250 Trucks

Vote: 7-0 · $123,958 · Steve Landers Auto Group

item:14
Fire Safety Systems for 900 Whittington Avenue

Vote: 7-0 · $124,664 · Johnson Controls (via Sourcewell cooperative purchasing)

item:15
Change Order — Water Treatment Plant Phase 3 Construction

Vote: 7-0 · $113,640 · TOLM Group, Inc.

item:17

Locations affected

228 Orange Street

228 Orange Street, Hot Springs, AR

Structure to be demolished under contract with Melton Excavating, Inc.

Status: Confirmed
900 Whittington Avenue

900 Whittington Avenue, Hot Springs, AR

Fire suppression, fire alarm, access control, and intrusion detection systems to be installed by Johnson Controls.

Status: Confirmed
State Street (portion along right-of-way)

City right-of-way abandoned and vacated by ordinance. Specific segment boundaries not stated in the record.

Status: Confirmed
Amity Road ground storage tank

Repairs and repainting awarded to Maguire Iron, Inc.

Status: Confirmed
Water Treatment Plant (Lake Ouachita Water Supply Project)

Phase 3 construction change order approved; plant expected to be operational in late fall 2025.

Status: Confirmed
Taxiway A (Hot Springs Memorial Field Airport)

Professional services work order approved for taxiway repairs.

Status: Confirmed
Honeycutt Street

City submitted a request to ARDOT to reclassify the road as a local street.

Status: Planned
Stokes Creek Greenway Trail

Groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for May 22, 2025.

Status: Scheduled
Velocity Park

Dedication ceremony scheduled for May 8, 2025.

Status: Scheduled

Watch list

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

Dissenting vote on 228 Orange Street demolition

Open

The Board voted 6-1 to approve the $130,000 demolition contract for 228 Orange Street. The record does not show which director cast the dissenting vote or the reasons behind that vote.

Why it matters: Understanding the rationale for the dissenting vote may clarify concerns about the demolition project or identify issues worth monitoring.
Next check: Check at the next meeting or through the detailed minutes when finalized.

F-250 truck vendor change rationale

Open

The Board repealed its prior authorization to purchase two F-250 trucks from Smart Ford and approved a new purchase from Steve Landers Auto Group. The record does not explain why the vendor changed or whether price or specifications differed.

Why it matters: A vendor change may indicate cost savings, bid process issues, or supply chain adjustments worth understanding for future procurement decisions.
Next check: A direct inquiry to the Purchasing Department would clarify whether the change involved a price difference or a bid process issue.

Food truck parks ordinance amendments

Open

The Board amended city code sections governing food truck parks (Title 16, Chapter 2 and Title 4, Chapter 10). The specific changes made are not described in the available record.

Why it matters: Understanding the specific changes to zoning/land use and licensing rules will help residents and businesses know how the rules have changed and what the amendments require.
Next check: Reviewing Ordinance O-25-25 would show the full text and specific changes.

State Street right-of-way abandonment details

Open

The Board voted to abandon and vacate a portion of city right-of-way along State Street. The record does not show which property owner or party requested the abandonment, the specific length and location of the vacated segment, or the positions taken by the public speakers.

Why it matters: Residents and property owners affected by the right-of-way change need to know the precise location and boundaries of the vacated segment.
Next check: Reviewing Ordinance O-25-23 would provide details on the requestor and the specific location and length of the vacated segment.

ARDOT Honeycutt Street reclassification request

Open

The Board authorized a request to ARDOT to reclassify Honeycutt Street as a local road. ARDOT's response is pending and not yet scheduled.

Why it matters: The reclassification could affect road maintenance responsibilities and funding between the city and state.
Next check: Monitor for ARDOT's response to the reclassification request.

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
minutes: Meeting minutes
transcript: Full video transcript

Confidence: High

Minutes, agenda, transcript, and public comment records are available. Twenty-five agenda items were parsed and all substantive votes are documented.

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.