Hot Springs Civic Brief

Hot Springs Board of Directors Agenda Meeting

December 31, 2024 Civic Briefing

Hot Springs Board Approves $469K Animal Control Agreement, Updates Police and Fire Pay Tables

At its December 31, 2024 agenda meeting, the Hot Springs Board of Directors approved six resolutions, the largest being a $468,822 interlocal agreement under which Garland County pays the city annually for animal control services, along with updated pay tables providing uniformed police and fire personnel a 3% increase effective January 9, 2025, a prescription benefit management amendment with no direct city spending commitment at this step, a $100 surplus property sale, a trailhead renaming, and adoption of 2025 organizational rules.

Hot Springs Board of Directors Agenda Meeting Agenda Meeting December 31, 2024 Confidence: Medium 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 approved a $468,822 annual agreement for the city to provide animal control services to Garland County, to be paid in monthly installments of $39,068.50.
  • Updated pay tables for uniformed police and fire personnel will deliver a total 3% increase effective January 9, 2025, matching the 3% already approved for non-uniformed employees in the budget.
  • The Board amended its prescription benefit management contract with Prime Therapeutics; the city pays a pass-through price and received $189,771.79 in rebates in the first half of 2024 alone.
  • A 0.033-acre city-owned parcel with no utility lines was declared surplus and approved for sale to the adjacent property owner for $100.
  • The Board adopted its 2025 organizational rules as required by Arkansas law and renamed a wetlands trailhead to include the Parks and Trails director's maiden name.

By the numbers

Total identified spending
$468,922
Votes taken
6
includes procedural votes
Unanimous votes
0
Largest single item
$468,822
Animal Control Services Agreement with Garland County
Emergency / ratification items
0
Resident questions unanswered
0

Money approved

Item Amount Vendor Vote Source
Animal Control Services Agreement with Garland County
 $468,822 Garland County Passed item:4
Surplus parcel sale to Jimmy Robertson
 $100 Jimmy Robertson Passed item:3
Total identified spending $468,922

Major decisions

Animal Control Services Agreement with Garland County

Item
Authorized an interlocal agreement under which Garland County pays the city $468,822 annually ($39,068.50/month) for animal control services in 2025.
Vote
Passed
Cost
$468,822 paid by Garland County to the city; no city outlay identified.
Vendor / responsible
Garland County
Discussion level
Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact
The city continues to provide animal control services county-wide; the county payment helps fund that program.
What the Board said or did
Staff described the agreement as the annual renewal based on the city's 2025 budget. Both the city and county boards are required to approve the agreement.
What remains unclear
The record does not show the specific service terms, coverage area details, or what happens if either party terminates mid-year.
Source
item:4

Third Amendment to Prescription Benefit Management Agreement

Item
Approved a third amendment to the city's prescription benefit management contract with Prime Therapeutics (formerly Magellan RX Management LLC), updating pricing guarantees and minimum rebate guarantees for 2025.
Vote
Passed
Cost
The record does not show a city spending commitment at this step; the city pays a pass-through price based on the formulary.
Vendor / responsible
Prime Therapeutics
Discussion level
Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact
City employees and dependents on the city's health plan use this contract for prescription drug coverage. The city received $189,771.79 in rebates during the first six months of 2024 under the prior terms.
What the Board said or did
Staff explained that the pharmacy team negotiated improved financial terms, including more favorable pricing guarantees. No board debate was recorded.
What remains unclear
The record does not show the specific new pricing benchmarks or minimum rebate floor negotiated for 2025, nor the total number of employees covered.
Source
item:5

Update Pay Tables for Police and Fire Department

Item
Approved updated pay tables for uniformed police and fire safety personnel providing a 3% increase across active grades, effective January 9, 2025.
Vote
Passed
Cost
No separate appropriation was cited; staff said most increases are expected to be absorbed through salary savings.
Vendor / responsible
City of Hot Springs
Discussion level
Moderate Questions or explanation from board or staff
Resident impact
Uniformed police and fire personnel will see pay increases effective January 9, 2025; personnel at the top of their pay scale receive only the 1.4% cost-of-living portion.
What the Board said or did
A director stated the amendment was appropriate cleanup to implement the 3% raise for all employees that was already approved during the budget vote, noting the detailed pay tables had not been fully understood at that time. Staff noted a plan to harmonize all employees onto a consistent step plan during 2025.
What remains unclear
The record does not show the total estimated cost of the pay table changes, the number of employees affected, or the timeline for the planned step-plan harmonization.
Source
item:6

Approved without separate discussion

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

  • Declare Surplus Property and Approve Sale to Jimmy Robertson
    Vote: Passed · $100 · Jimmy Robertson
    item:3
  • Adopt 2025 Organizational Rules
    Vote: Passed · no cost specified
    item:1
  • Rename Gene Wallace Wetlands Trailhead
    Vote: Passed · no cost specified
    item:2

Locations affected

  • TV Hill Road area, Hot Springs
    TV Hill Road
    0.033-acre surplus parcel (ID 50576) declared surplus and approved for sale to adjacent owner Jimmy Robertson for $100.
    Status: Approved
  • Gene Wallace Wetlands Trailhead
    Greenway at TV Hill Road
    Trailhead renamed to Gene White Wallace Wetlands Trailhead.
    Status: Approved

Watch list

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

Garland County Board approval of Animal Control Agreement

Open

The record does not show the Garland County Board's vote on the animal control agreement. Confirmation that the county has also approved the interlocal agreement would be worth checking.

Why it matters
Both the city and county boards are required to approve the agreement for it to be fully effective.
Next check
Check for Garland County Board approval documentation.
First raised: December 31, 2024 briefing

Budget impact of police and fire pay table changes

Open

The record does not show the total budget impact of the police and fire pay table changes; staff said most costs would be absorbed by salary savings, but no figure was provided.

Why it matters
Understanding the actual fiscal impact is important for budget monitoring and planning.
Next check
Check the city's mid-year budget report to see whether the salary savings projection held.
First raised: December 31, 2024 briefing

Employee step-plan harmonization timeline

Open

The planned harmonization of all city employees onto a consistent step plan is described as a 2025 goal with no committed timeline.

Why it matters
This could affect future pay planning and employee compensation equity across departments.
Next check
Follow up on the implementation timeline and any progress toward consistent step plan adoption.
First raised: December 31, 2024 briefing

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.

Confidence: Medium

Transcript and public-comment capture available; 6 parsed agenda items; exact vote counts not recorded in the available record for individual items.

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.