Fort Smith starts 2019 with six fewer boards and commissions after purge

If you are not a fan of big government then the most recent decision by the Fort Smith City Board of Directors to do away with six of the numerous city boards and commissions may be right up your alley.

At the December 18 regular session of the BOD, directors voted to do away with the Oak Cemetery Commission, the Parking Authority, the Massard Prairie Civil War Battlefield Park Advisory Commission, the Outside Agency Review Panel, the Residential Housing Facilities Board, and the Riverfront Task Force.

Directors meet in a special study session back on July 12 and came up with the recommendations to do away with the commissions, citing inactivity and the inability to het a quorum together at scheduled monthly meetings to accomplish the stated roles of the commissions.

The BOD voted 7-0 on December 18 to do away with the six entities, leaving thirty other commissions dealing with miscellaneous aspects of life in Fort Smith.

Oak Cemetery Commission

The stated mission of the Oak Cemetery Commission was to act in an advisory capacity to the Board of Directors and the City Administrator in the planning, maintenance, development and operation of the historic cemetery.

Set up to have eleven members, membership had dwindled down to just six individuals, the last two of which that had been appointed in 2017. The membership included Joseph S. Irwin, Teresa R. Hesselberth, Joel Scott Stubblefield, , John Lehnen, Reginald Moore, and Charles Girard.

The duties of the now-defunct commission have now been delegated to the Parks and Recreation Commission.

​ Parking Authority

The stated mission of the Parking Authority was to supervise and control all matters pertaining to the parking of vehicles within the City and consisted of five members appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the Board of Directors for five year terms.

The five members of the Authority now without a position include Luis Andrade, Linda K. Gurlen, Stuart Ghan, Tiffany Parker, and Eldon Vincent Jr.

There is no documentation showing who will now be responsible for those duties.

Massard Prairie Civil War Battlefield Park Advisory Commission

The stated purpose of the Massard Prairie Civil War Battlefield Park Commission was to work to develop the park once it is was developed, and to direct any and all efforts in promoting the historic significance of the park.

The commission supposedly consists of seven persons who were appointed by the mayor but the membership list currently has fiften names listed, including eight Ex- Officio members.

Justin Douglas, Sam Wang, Carol Woods, Larry Puckett, Billy Higgins, Fred Patton and Betty Skokos are listed as current members.

There is no documentation showing who will now be responsible for those duties.

Outside Agency Review Panel

The stated goal of the Outside Agency Review Panel was to review applications for outside agency services and recommending award amounts for approval by the Board of Directors but since the BOD supposedly stopped giving funds to support Arts and Humanities, Recreation, and Social and Community Services (at least directly) in 2015, the Panel was deemed no longer relevant.

Funding for the Panel was halted in 2016. Members at that time were Sharon Barr, Jeannie Cole, William Tyler Lamon, Amy Manley, Daniel Mahar, Scott McClain, Gregory Davis, Janice Sudbrink, and Robert Morgan.

City of Fort Smith Residential Housing Facilities Board

The City of Fort Smith Residential Housing Facilities Board consisted of five members with no stated mission for the board on the Fort Smith city website.

The commissions of the panel had long expired, with the last five listed members being Barry Neal, Ronnie Hawkins, Carolyn Philpot, Craig Rivaldo, and Mont Sagely.

Riverfront Task Force

The posted mission for the Riverfront Task Force was established to develop recommendations including a comprehensive plan and a financing strategy to more fully develop the Arkansas riverfront.

Since riverfront development has ostensibly been limited to the Marshal's Museum, walking trails and a skate park by the powers that be, the need for commission is now null and void.

The nine members of the panel, who were appointed for indefinite terms, included new Fort Smith mayor gGeorge McGill, John McIntosh, Peggy Weidman, Joe Davis, Alan Lewis, David McMahon, Ann Dawson, and Nan Bartlett.

Over the next several weeks, Today in Fort Smith will be looking at the function and membership make-up of the remaining thirty citywide boards and commissions.