Hot Springs Board Considers $253K Recycling Truck Bid, Authorizes Five Federal Grant Applications Totaling $8.9M

At its July 29 agenda meeting, the Hot Springs Board of Directors considered one bid award of $253,355.44 for a recycling truck, five federal grant applications totaling $8,895,137 (a $1,819,952 FTA transit operations grant, a $96,534 FTA bus capital grant, a $5,313,081 FAA taxiway grant, a $1,435,570 FAA aircraft hangar grant, and a $230,000 Emergency Solutions Grant for the Community Resource Center), and one franchise rate amendment — with no votes recorded in the available record, as this was an agenda (preview) meeting rather than a voting session.

Hot Springs Board of Directors Agenda Meeting Agenda Meeting July 29, 2025 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 reviewed seven items at this agenda meeting; the available record does not show votes being cast, as agenda meetings are typically preview sessions before a formal voting meeting.
The largest item was a $5,313,081 FAA grant application for Phase 2 of a taxiway relocation project at Hot Springs Memorial Airport, requiring a city contribution of $15,655.
The city also sought authorization to apply for two additional airport grants — $1,435,570 for a new aircraft storage hangar (city share: $151,882) and companion federal transit grants of $1,819,952 and $96,534 for bus operations and capital replacement.
A $253,355.44 bid award to Rush Truck Centers of Arkansas for a new recycling truck was presented; the purchase is within the 2025 solid waste budget and replaces a 10-year-old vehicle used in the Earth Angel recycling program.
A $230,000 Emergency Solutions Grant application was presented to fund bathroom, shower, and laundry renovations at the Community Resource Center, requiring a 1:1 cash match the city plans to cover from the FY26 operating budget.

By the numbers

Total identified spending

$9,148,497

Votes taken

includes procedural votes

Unanimous votes

Largest single item

$5,313,081

FAA Grant for Airport Taxiway Phase 2

Emergency / ratification items

Resident questions unanswered

Money approved

Item	Amount	Vendor	Vote	Source
FAA Grant — Airport Taxiway Phase 2 (grant application)	$15,655	Federal Aviation Administration	Not recorded	`item:5`
FTA 5307 Grant — Transit Operations (grant application)	—	Federal Transit Administration	Not recorded	`item:3`
FAA Grant — Aircraft Storage Hangar (grant application)	$151,882	Federal Aviation Administration	Not recorded	`item:6`
Emergency Solutions Grant — Community Resource Center (grant application) emergency	$200,000	U.S. HUD	Not recorded	`item:7`
Recycling Truck — Solid Waste Department (bid award)	$253,355	Rush Truck Centers of Arkansas, Inc.	Not recorded	`item:2`
FTA 5339 Grant — Bus Capital Replacement (grant application)	—	Federal Transit Administration	Not recorded	`item:4`
Total identified spending	$620,892

Major decisions

Pettitcab Franchise Rate Increase

Item: Amendment to the pettitcab franchise agreement, increasing the per-person rate from $2 to $5 per three city blocks, effective immediately.
Vote: Not recorded
Cost: No city spending; this is a private fare rate adjustment for a franchised service.
Vendor / responsible: JJ Bennett
Discussion level: Brief Brief presentation
Resident impact: Riders using the pettitcab service downtown will pay $5 per person per three blocks, up from $2. The rate had not changed since the service launched in 2016. Rates are posted on the vehicle. The franchise agreement itself expires at year-end and is scheduled for a full review at that time.
What the Board said or did: Approved without separate discussion beyond staff presentation.
What remains unclear: The record does not show whether the full franchise renewal will come back before the Board before or after year-end.
Source: item:1

Approved without separate discussion

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

Recycling Truck Bid Award — Solid Waste Department

Vote: Not recorded · $253,355 · Rush Truck Centers of Arkansas, Inc.

item:2
FTA Section 5307 Grant Application — Transit Operations

Vote: Not recorded · The program uses a 50-50 local/federal split for operating expenses and 80-20 for capital expenses. The record does not show a city spending commitment at this step. · Federal Transit Administration

item:3
FTA Section 5339 Grant Application — Bus Capital Replacement

Vote: Not recorded · Program uses an 80-20 federal/local match. The record does not show a city spending commitment at this step. · Federal Transit Administration

item:4
FAA Grant Application — Airport Taxiway Shift, Phase 2

Vote: Not recorded · $15,655 · Federal Aviation Administration

item:5
FAA Grant Application — Aircraft Storage Hangar

Vote: Not recorded · $151,882 · Federal Aviation Administration

item:6
Emergency Solutions Grant Application — Community Resource Center Phase 2

Vote: Not recorded · $200,000 · U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

item:7

Locations affected

Hot Springs Memorial Airport

Phase 2 taxiway relocation (taxiways Alpha and Bravo shifted south); new 80-by-70-foot aircraft storage hangar adjacent to the south ramp near runway 30-31.

Status: Planned
Citywide (recycling routes)

New recycling truck for the Earth Angel curbside program.

Status: Planned
Hot Springs transit system (citywide routes and ADA paratransit)

FTA 5307 and 5339 grants supporting bus operations and capital replacement.

Status: Planned
Community Resource Center

Phase 2 renovations (bathrooms, showers, laundry facilities), pending ESG and/or ACGP grant awards.

Status: Planned
Downtown Hot Springs

Downtown

Pettitcab service area; fare increase from $2 to $5 per person per three blocks, effective immediately.

Status: Confirmed

Watch list

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

Formal voting meeting date and recorded votes

Open

The formal voting meeting at which these seven items are scheduled to receive recorded votes has not been dated in the available record.

Why it matters: The next briefing should confirm whether all items passed and note any vote counts or amendments.
Next check: When the formal voting meeting is scheduled and held.

Recycling truck second bid

Open

The second bid received for the recycling truck was not identified in the record.

Why it matters: Review of the bid tabulation document would show the competing vendor and amount.
Next check: Upon availability of bid documentation.

ACGP grant application for Community Resource Center

Open

The ACGP grant application for Community Resource Center renovations was referenced but not described.

Why it matters: The next briefing should determine its amount, funder, and status.
Next check: When ACGP grant application details become available.

Pettitcab franchise renewal

Open

The pettitcab franchise renewal terms — including whether the $5 rate or other conditions will change — are not settled until the year-end review.

Why it matters: This is worth tracking when that item returns to the Board.
Next check: At year-end franchise renewal meeting.

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 (YouTube)
agenda: Agenda items 1-7

Confidence: Medium

Video transcript and seven parsed agenda items available; no minutes available; no votes recorded in the available record for this agenda (preview) 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.