Hot Springs Board of Directors Agenda Meeting

February 11, 2025 Civic Briefing

Hot Springs Board Reviews $908K in Equipment and Infrastructure Items, Including $390K Garbage Truck and 15.9-Mile Paving Program

At its February 11 agenda meeting, the Hot Springs Board of Directors previewed nine items totaling $907,570.75 in identified spending — covering a $389,507.87 front-load garbage truck, a $265,400 roll-off truck, a $99,465 sewer pump, an $86,252.88 fire-station generator replacement, and a $66,945 compact excavator — along with a budget carryover resolution, a solid waste financial assurance agreement, and a 15.9-mile street paving program; no votes were taken.

Hot Springs Board of Directors Agenda Meeting Agenda Meeting February 11, 2025 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

City Manager Bill Burrell delivered the annual State of the City report, as required within 60 days of the new year.
The Board reviewed five equipment and infrastructure purchases totaling $907,570.75, the largest of which is a $389,507.87 front-load garbage truck to replace a 10-year-old unit.
A budget carryover resolution would set aside city funds for 2024 items not completed before the December 31 budget deadline — a routine step required under Arkansas law.
The city is seeking to formalize a financial assurance agreement with the Arkansas DEQ to demonstrate it can cover the $60,750 estimated closure cost for the Hot Springs Transfer Station.
Staff plan to provide a three-year district-by-district comparison of paving mileage and costs before the formal vote on the 2025 street paving program, which covers 15.9 miles citywide.

By the numbers

Total identified spending

$907,571

Votes taken

includes procedural votes

Unanimous votes

Largest single item

$389,508

Purchase of Front Load Collection Vehicle

Emergency / ratification items

Resident questions unanswered

Money approved

Item	Amount	Vendor	Vote	Source
Purchase of Front-Load Garbage Truck	$389,508	River City Hydraulics, Inc.	—	`item:4`
Purchase of Roll-Off Truck	$265,400	River City Hydraulics, Inc.	—	`item:5`
Replacement Pump for Molly Creek Sewer Pump Station	$99,465	Instrument Supply	—	`item:6`
Generator Replacement at Central Fire Station	$86,253	Welco Electric Service Company, LLC	—	`item:8`
Purchase of Compact Excavator — Street Department	$66,945	J.A. Riggs Tractor Company (Riggs Cat)	—	`item:7`
Total identified spending	$907,571

Major decisions

State of the City Report

Item: Annual presentation by City Manager Bill Burrell, required by city policy within 60 days of the new year — no action taken.
Vote: —
Cost: No spending attached to this item.
Vendor / responsible: City Manager Bill Burrell
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: Provides the Board and public an annual overview of city operations and priorities.
What the Board said or did: Received the presentation without recorded separate discussion.
What remains unclear: The specific content and findings of the State of the City report are not detailed in the available record.
Source: item:1

Budget Carryover — Prior Year Expenditures (R-2526)

Item: Resolution to revise the 2025 and 2024 budgets by carrying over funds for items ordered in 2024 but not received or completed until 2025, and to amend the jail expense fines budget — no action taken at this meeting.
Vote: —
Cost: No new city spending committed; this resolution adjusts how existing appropriations are categorized across budget years.
Vendor / responsible: n/a
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: Under Arkansas law, municipal budgets expire December 31; this carryover process allows projects and purchases already ordered to continue without lapsing.
What the Board said or did: Received the staff explanation without recorded separate discussion.
What remains unclear: The specific capital items and open purchase orders subject to re-appropriation are listed in attachments not detailed in the available record.
Source: item:2

Solid Waste Facility Financial Assurance Agreement (R-2527)

Item: Resolution to approve a financial assurance agreement with the Arkansas DEQ confirming the city can cover the estimated $60,750 closure cost for the Hot Springs Transfer Station — no action taken at this meeting.
Vote: —
Cost: The agreement documents closure cost liability at $60,750; the mechanism allows the state to deduct closure costs from any state funds disbursed to the city if needed.
Vendor / responsible: Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment (DEQ)
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: Satisfies a state and federal regulatory requirement; does not represent new spending at this stage.
What the Board said or did: Received the presentation without recorded separate discussion.
What remains unclear: The timeline for execution of the agreement with DEQ is not specified in the available record.
Source: item:3

Purchase of Front-Load Garbage Truck (R-2528)

Item: Purchase of one commercial front-load collection vehicle from River City Hydraulics, Inc. through the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Program — no action taken at this meeting.
Vote: —
Cost: $389,508
Vendor / responsible: River City Hydraulics, Inc.
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: The new truck replaces Unit 9428, a 10-year-old vehicle, and will provide weekly commercial dumpster collection throughout the city.
What the Board said or did: Received the presentation without recorded separate discussion.
What remains unclear: Delivery timeline and fleet replacement schedule are not specified in the available record.
Source: item:4

Purchase of Roll-Off Truck (R-2529)

Item: Purchase of one roll-off truck from River City Hydraulics, Inc. through the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Program — no action taken at this meeting.
Vote: —
Cost: $265,400
Vendor / responsible: River City Hydraulics, Inc.
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: The new truck replaces Unit 9483, a 10-year-old vehicle, and will service 30-yard roll-off dumpsters and compactors throughout the city.
What the Board said or did: Received the presentation without recorded separate discussion.
What remains unclear: Delivery timeline is not specified in the available record.
Source: item:5

Replacement Pump for Molly Creek Sewer Pump Station (R-2530)

Item: Purchase of a 125-horsepower hydromatic pump from Instrument Supply for the Molly Creek Sewer Pump Station — no action taken at this meeting.
Vote: —
Cost: includes tax
Vendor / responsible: Instrument Supply
Discussion level: Moderate Questions or explanation from board or staff
Resident impact: The original pump, installed in 2008, has a failed stator that makes rebuilding uneconomical; replacing it restores primary pumping capacity at the station.
What the Board said or did: A director asked for clarification on the price, inquired about the pump station's location relative to Molly Springs Road, and asked about the age of the backup pump and whether it would also need replacement. A trustee asked about pump availability and delivery lead time. Staff indicated expected delivery within four to eight weeks and noted the replacement is an exact-fit model requiring no major modifications.
What remains unclear: The age and condition of the backup pump — and whether it will require separate replacement — was raised but not fully resolved in the available record.
Source: item:6

Purchase of Compact Excavator — Street Department (R-2531)

Item: Purchase of a Caterpillar Model 304 compact excavator with accessories from J.A. Riggs Tractor Company (Riggs Cat) through the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Program — no action taken at this meeting.
Vote: —
Cost: plus sales tax
Vendor / responsible: J.A. Riggs Tractor Company (Riggs Cat)
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: Replaces a 2007 Mini X excavator used by the Street Department; the newer model is expected to improve street maintenance capacity.
What the Board said or did: Received the presentation without recorded separate discussion.
What remains unclear: Final cost including sales tax and disposition of the 2007 unit are not specified in the available record.
Source: item:7

Generator Replacement at Central Fire Station (R-2532)

Item: Bid award to Welco Electric Service Company, LLC for replacement of a 1996 backup generator at the Central Fire Station — no action taken at this meeting.
Vote: —
Cost: $86,253
Vendor / responsible: Welco Electric Service Company, LLC
Discussion level: Moderate Questions or explanation from board or staff
Resident impact: The Central Fire Station at 310 Broadway Street also houses the Emergency Operations Center; restoring reliable backup power there affects emergency response continuity citywide.
What the Board said or did: A director asked whether the old generator could be sold for scrap or reused elsewhere, and whether the new unit has greater capacity than the one being replaced. Staff indicated the old 1996 Caterpillar unit may be rebuilt for potential use at another fire station if repair costs prove reasonable; the new unit is a 100,000-watt natural gas Generac. The bid covers demolition, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical work, crane installation, and an automatic transfer switch.
What remains unclear: Whether the old generator will in fact be rebuilt and where it might be installed has not been decided; how many bids were received is not specified in the available record.
Source: item:8

2025 Annual Street Paving and Preservation Program (R-2533)

Item: Resolution to approve the 2025 list of streets to be paved — covering 15.9 miles citywide — no action taken at this meeting.
Vote: —
Cost: No contract amount is specified in the available record at this stage.
Vendor / responsible: n/a
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: Streets across the city are included; a district-by-district breakdown has not yet been published in the available record.
What the Board said or did: The City Manager stated that a three-year comparison of paving mileage and cost by district would be provided to the Board and public before the formal packet, to help explain paving patterns and priorities across districts.
What remains unclear: The specific street list, district allocations, total program cost, and construction timeline are not detailed in the available record.
Source: item:9

Locations affected

310 Broadway Street (Central Fire Station / Emergency Operations Center)

310 Broadway Street, Hot Springs

Generator replacement under R-2532; 1996 unit to be replaced with a new 100,000-watt natural gas generator.

Status: Planned
Molly Creek Sewer Pump Station

Near Molly Springs Road

125-horsepower pump replacement under R-2530; original pump dates to 2008.

Status: Planned
Citywide — commercial dumpster routes

Hot Springs

Front-load garbage truck replacement under R-2528 will service commercial dumpsters throughout the city.

Status: Planned
Citywide — roll-off dumpster and compactor routes

Hot Springs

Roll-off truck replacement under R-2529 will service 30-yard containers and compactors throughout the city.

Status: Planned
Citywide — 15.9 miles of streets

Hot Springs

2025 Annual Street Paving and Preservation Program under R-2533; specific streets not yet published in the available record.

Status: Planned

Watch list

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

2025 Street Paving Program — District Breakdown

Open

The specific street list for the 2025 paving program has not been published in the available record; residents should check the formal Board packet for the district-by-district breakdown and whether their street is included.

Why it matters: Residents need to know which streets are scheduled for paving and when work will occur in their neighborhoods.
Next check: Formal Board packet for R-2533; staff have committed to providing a three-year district-by-district paving comparison before that vote.

Molly Creek Sewer Pump Station — Backup Pump Condition

Open

The condition of the backup pump at Molly Creek Sewer Pump Station was raised but not resolved; it may surface as a separate purchase request at a future meeting.

Why it matters: If the backup pump also requires replacement, it could represent additional unbudgeted spending and service risk.
Next check: Monitor future Board agendas for any related pump purchase requests; review formal vote on R-2530 for any conditions or follow-up commitments.

Central Fire Station 1996 Generator — Disposition

Open

The fate of the 1996 generator from the Central Fire Station — whether it will be rebuilt and installed at another fire station — was identified as a possibility but left open.

Why it matters: If the old unit is rebuilt and installed elsewhere, it represents potential cost recovery and additional infrastructure improvement; if scrapped, it represents waste.
Next check: Monitor future Board agendas and fire/public works staff communications for any follow-up on generator rebuild project.

Compact Excavator Purchase — Final Cost with Sales Tax

Open

Final cost of the compact excavator purchase (R-2531) including sales tax has not been stated in the available record; the card shows $66,945 plus tax.

Why it matters: The actual total spending commitment is not yet clear; the board and public should have the complete cost before the formal vote.
Next check: Formal Board packet for R-2531 should include the final cost with all taxes and fees.

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: Board of Directors Agenda Meeting Video — February 11, 2025
agenda: Agenda Items 1–9

Confidence: Medium

Video transcript, public-comment capture from board director and trustee questions, and nine parsed agenda items available. Minutes not yet published.

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.