Hot Springs Board of Directors Agenda Meeting

August 13, 2024 Civic Briefing

Hot Springs Board Reviews $213K Velocity Park Skate Equipment, Transit Grant Application, and Beatrice Lane Road Closure Hearing

At its August 13 agenda meeting, the Hot Springs Board of Directors discussed five items without recorded votes, covering a $212,624.50 Velocity Park Phase Two equipment purchase (funded by an $80,000 outdoor recreation grant and $132,624.50 from the parks budget), a $60,416 historic preservation contract fully funded by federal and state grants, a $15,169.18 document-management contract extension, a federal transit grant application for $200,000 in operating funds requiring a $200,000 local match from existing budget, and a public hearing date for a proposed Beatrice Lane road vacation.

Hot Springs Board of Directors Agenda Meeting Agenda Meeting August 13, 2024 Confidence: Medium 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 discussed purchasing $212,624.50 worth of equipment from American Ramp Company to build Phase Two of Velocity Park at 325 Valley Street — a bicycle playground aimed at beginner and youth riders — funded partly by an $80,000 outdoor recreation grant and partly from the parks improvements budget.
The Board discussed a $60,416 contract with MK SK Inc. to develop a citywide heritage and historic preservation plan, with the full cost covered by National Park Service and Arkansas Historic Preservation Program funds.
The Board discussed a $200,000 federal transit grant application for Hot Springs Intercity Transit operating assistance; the city would match that amount using existing operating budget funds, for a combined program total of $400,000.
The Board discussed extending its document-management contract with Icompass Technologies (a Diligent Corporation division) at a 5% increase, raising the annual cost from $14,446.85 to approximately $15,169.18.
The Board discussed setting a public hearing — scheduled for the September 3 board meeting — to consider vacating an undeveloped portion of Beatrice Lane in Johnson Subdivision.

By the numbers

Total identified spending

$488,210

Votes taken

includes procedural votes

Unanimous votes

Largest single item

$212,624

Velocity Park Phase Two Equipment Purchase

Emergency / ratification items

Resident questions unanswered

Money approved

Item	Amount	Vendor	Vote	Source
Velocity Park Phase Two equipment	$212,624	American Ramp Company	No vote recorded	`item:5`
FTA Section 5307 transit grant local match from existing budget budget transfer	$200,000	N/A — federal grant	No vote recorded	`item:1`
Historic Preservation Services contract	$60,416	MK SK Inc.	No vote recorded	`item:2`
Icompass Technologies contract extension	$15,169	Icompass Technologies / Diligent Corporation	No vote recorded	`item:3`
Total identified spending	$488,210

Major decisions

Velocity Park Phase Two — Bicycle Playground Equipment Purchase

Item: Purchase of equipment and services to construct a youth-and-beginner bicycle playground as the second phase of Velocity Park at 325 Valley Street, District 2. This is a direct purchase, not a competitive bid award.
Vote: —
Cost: $212,624.50 — $80,000 from an outdoor recreation grant; $132,624.50 from the parks improvements budget
Vendor / responsible: American Ramp Company
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: A new bicycle playground — including a custom train tunnel, misting stations, wooden riding features, slalom poles, and a bicycle repair station — would open adjacent to the Hot Springs Creek Greenway Trail below the Runyon Street restroom. The park is designed to be ADA accessible.
What the Board said or did: Staff presented the scope and funding breakdown. The item was discussed in preparation for a formal vote at a subsequent action meeting.
What remains unclear: The timeline for construction completion and the formal action meeting date are not specified in the available record.
Source: item:5

Federal Transit Grant Application — FTA Section 5307 Operating Assistance

Item: Authorization to apply for and accept $200,000 in federal transit operating funds (FTA Section 5307) for Hot Springs Intercity Transit, with a required 50% local match of $200,000 drawn from the existing operating budget.
Vote: —
Cost: $200,000 local match from existing operating budget; no new city appropriation required at this step
Vendor / responsible: Hot Springs Intercity Transit
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: If approved, these funds would support continued transit operating assistance for Hot Springs Intercity Transit riders.
What the Board said or did: Staff explained that Conway had returned unspent FTA funds, which were made available to other transit systems. The MPO technical committee recommended approval on August 6, 2024; the MPO policy board was scheduled to consider the item on August 15, 2024.
What remains unclear: The available record does not show the outcome of the August 15 MPO policy board consideration or the formal action meeting date for the Board's vote.
Source: item:1

Historic Preservation Services Contract — Citywide Heritage Plan

Item: Award of a $60,416 contract to MK SK Inc. for development of a citywide heritage and historic preservation plan, fully funded by the National Park Service and Arkansas Historic Preservation Program.
Vote: —
Cost: $60,416.00 — fully funded by federal and state program funds
Vendor / responsible: MK SK Inc.
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: The project would produce a citywide plan covering significant historic locations, adaptive use maps, and regulatory policy analysis. A draft plan is expected to be presented at a joint work session of the Board and Historic District Commission in April.
What the Board said or did: Staff noted MK SK was selected through a formal request-for-proposals process and rate-and-rank review as required by Arkansas law. Project runs September 1, 2024 through June 1, 2025 and includes four in-person site visits and stakeholder engagement.
What remains unclear: The specific stakeholder engagement process and how community members can participate are not detailed in the available record.
Source: item:2

Icompass Technologies Contract Extension — Document Management

Item: Extension of the existing contract with Icompass Technologies Inc. (a Diligent Corporation division) for city-wide document management and records services, with a 5% annual rate increase.
Vote: —
Cost: Approximately $15,169.18 per year, up from $14,446.85 — a difference of approximately $722.33
Vendor / responsible: Icompass Technologies Inc. / Diligent Corporation
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: The platform is used across all city departments for document management and records; this extension maintains uninterrupted service.
What the Board said or did: Staff noted the city has used the platform since 2018, that it is administered by Planning and Development with the city clerk's office, and that Arkansas law permits the extension without rebidding.
What remains unclear: The length of the extension period is not specified in the available record.
Source: item:3

Beatrice Lane Vacation — Public Hearing Date Set

Item: Setting a date and time for a public hearing to consider abandoning and closing an undeveloped portion of Beatrice Lane in Johnson Subdivision, petitioned by three adjoining property owners.
Vote: —
Cost: No cost specified in the record
Vendor / responsible: Petitioners: Judith Garcia, Peyton Price, and Anne Hood (property owners)
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: If vacated, affected parcels in Johnson Subdivision would be reconfigured: Garcia would receive the portion adjacent to her property from the center line; Price would receive the middle portion and a deed from Hood; Hood would convey their portion to Price. Affected addresses would change from Beatrice Lane to Cones Road.
What the Board said or did: Staff described the current use of Beatrice Lane as an unpaved private drive and outlined the proposed lot-line adjustments and utility easement conditions that would accompany a vacating ordinance. The public hearing was scheduled for the September 3 Board meeting.
What remains unclear: The outcome of the ongoing utility provider review is not yet in the record.
Source: item:4

Locations affected

325 Valley Street, District 2

325 Valley Street, Hot Springs, AR

Velocity Park Phase Two bicycle playground construction

Status: Planned
Hot Springs Creek Greenway Trail / Runyon Street area

Runyon Street

Velocity Park Phase Two would be located adjacent to the Greenway Trail below the Runyon Street restroom

Status: Planned
Beatrice Lane, Johnson Subdivision

Beatrice Lane, Johnson Subdivision, Hot Springs, AR

Public hearing scheduled to consider vacating an undeveloped right-of-way currently used as an unpaved private drive

Status: Scheduled
Citywide

Hot Springs

Historic preservation and heritage plan to document significant locations and analyze preservation policy across the city

Status: Planned

Watch list

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

Formal votes on five agenda items pending

Open

No formal votes were recorded at this agenda meeting; all five items (Velocity Park Phase Two, FTA transit grant, historic preservation contract, Icompass extension, and Beatrice Lane hearing date) require formal action votes at a subsequent board meeting.

Why it matters: Agenda meetings are discussion-only; formal approvals must occur at an action meeting. Confirm that all five items proceed as expected.
Next check: Check the next board meeting record for formal action votes on all five items.

Utility provider review of Beatrice Lane vacation

Open

The utility provider review of the Beatrice Lane vacation proposal was ongoing as of this meeting.

Why it matters: Any provider objections or conditions could affect the September 3 hearing or require modifications to the vacating ordinance.
Next check: Check whether any utility provider objections or conditions are raised before the September 3 hearing.

FTA Section 5307 grant MPO policy board decision

Open

The FTA Section 5307 application required MPO policy board consideration on August 15, 2024. The outcome is not yet in the record.

Why it matters: MPO policy board approval is a prerequisite for the Board's formal vote on the grant application and local match.
Next check: Confirm the August 15 MPO policy board outcome before the Board's formal vote.

Icompass Technologies contract extension term unclear

Open

The extension period for the Icompass Technologies contract was not stated in the available record.

Why it matters: The contract term affects budget planning and future renewal schedules.
Next check: Direct inquiry to Planning and Development or the city clerk's office would clarify the contract term.

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
agenda: Agenda item 1 — FTA Section 5307 transit grant
agenda: Agenda item 2 — Historic Preservation Services contract
agenda: Agenda item 3 — Icompass Technologies contract extension
agenda: Agenda item 4 — Beatrice Lane vacation hearing
agenda: Agenda item 5 — Velocity Park Phase Two equipment

Confidence: Medium

Transcript and five parsed agenda items available; no formal vote records. All items were in discussion/agenda-meeting status pending formal action at subsequent meeting.

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.