JULY 28,2025 CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES City of Van Buren, Arkansas
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the City Council
Monday, July 28, 2025
Van Buren Municipal Complex
CALL TO ORDER 5:30PM
The regular meeting of the Van Buren City Council was called to order by Mayor Joseph P.
Hurst at 5:30PM. Reverend and City Attorney Jacob Howell led the invocation. Mayor Joseph
P. Hurst led the Pledge of Allegiance.
PRESENTATIONS - AWARDS
None
ROLL CALL 5:31PM
Present: Council Member Tyler Wood, Council Member Madison Simmons, Council Member
Tonia Fry, Council Member Mike Kneeland, Mayor Joseph P. Hurst, City Clerk-Treasurer
Shawnna Reynolds, City Attorney Jacob Howell
Absent: Council Member Shannon Newerth-Henson, Council Member Matt Dodson
CONSENT AGENDA 5:32PM
After determining there were no reported objections or unfinished business, Council Member
Tyler Wood moved to approve the consent agenda which consisted of:
o Minutes from Regular Meeting of the City Council, June 23, 2025
o Resolution 07-01-2025 Disposal of Fixed Assets
o Resolution 07-02-2025 Crawford County Hazard Mitigation Plan 2025
o Resolution 07-03-2025 Easement Request from AOG
o Financial Statements
o Department Reports
Motion was seconded by Council Member Madison Simmons. Consent Agenda approved with
a vote of 4 yays and zero nays. Mayor Hurst declared the consent agenda passed.
NEW BUSINESS 5:34PM
Resolution 07-04-2025 Accepting Bid for Bekaert Road Improvements
City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds read the resolution in its entirety. Mayor Joseph P.
Hurst stated that this was taken to council earlier this year and it is a cost share agreement with
Southeastern Freight Lines. The city will pay approximately$400,000 and Southeastern Freight
lines paying the difference. The lowest bidder for this road improvement was Crawford
Construction. The total cost of this project is $1,433,667.00.
Motion to approve Resolution 07-04-2025 was made by Council Member Tonia Fry. Seconded
by Council Member Mike Kneeland. Mayor Joseph P. Hurst asked City Clerk-Treasurer
Shawnna Reynolds to call roll. Four yays and zero nays. Mayor Joseph P. Hurst declared the
motion carried.
Resolution 07-04-2025 Accepting Bid for Bekaert Road Improvements is adopted with four yays
and zero nays. Mayor Hurst declared the resolution passed and signed the same in open
council, duly attested by City Clerk-Treasurer Reynolds.
Resolution 07-05-2025 Approve Purchase of Street Department Equipment
City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds read the resolution in its entirety. Mayor Joseph P.
Hurst stated that the money to purchase this equipment was approved in the 2025 budget,
originally. This is a machine that will search under the earth for various service lines. This was
bid through Sourcewell. The total cost is $97,417.51.
Motion to approve Resolution 07-05-2025 was made by Council Member Tyler Wood.
Seconded by Council Member Madison Simmons. Mayor Joseph P. Hurst asked City Clerk-
Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds to call roll. Four yays and zero nays. Mayor Joseph P. Hurst
declared the motion carried.
Resolution 07-05-2025 Approve Purchase of Street Department Equipment is adopted with four
yays and zero nays. Mayor Hurst declared the resolution passed and signed the same in open
council, duly attested by City Clerk-Treasurer Reynolds.
Ordinance 09-2025 Rezone Valley Springs Rehab
City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds read the ordinance in its entirety. Council Member
Tyler Wood moved that the rules be suspended, and the ordinance be placed on its second
reading. The motion was seconded by Council Member Madison Simmons, followed by a
unanimous vote by the council. The clerk read the ordinance the second time by title only.
Council Member Tyler Wood moved that the rules be further suspended, and the ordinance
placed on the third and final reading. The motion was seconded by Council Member Madison
Simmons, followed by a unanimous vote by the council. The clerk then read the ordinance for
the third and final time by title only.
Mayor Joseph P. Hurst invited the Planning Director, Wally Bailey, to speak to the council. Mr.
Bailey showed slides to the council of the location of the rezone. He mentioned that this is a
rezone from R3 to C2. This was taken to the Planning Commission and advertised in the
newspaper with no objections.
Motion to adopt Ordinance 09-2025 was made by Council Member Madison Simmons.
Seconded by Council Member Tonia Fry. Roll call. All in favor. None opposed.
Ordinance 09-2025 Rezone of Valley Springs Rehab is adopted with four yeas and zero nays.
Mayor Hurst declared the ordinance passed and signed same in open council, duly attested by
Chief Deputy City Clerk-Treasurer Mowder.
MISCELLANOUS and GENERAL DISCUSSION 5:52PM
Crawford County Library—Charlene McDonnough addressed the council regarding the current
and future activities for the library. She stated there will be a touch a truck activity in
September that there will be a health and wellness fair. Additionally, she mentioned that the
Summer Reading Program has been a huge success with 11,563 people from Crawford County
in attendance since the kickoff on May 30, 2025.
Connie Martin from Almost Home Shelter addressed the council with her quarterly report. She
stated that she has been working with Wally Bailey regarding spay/neuter ordinance and it is
coming along successfully. In the future, there will be a need for a resolution from the council
for a 494 grant to assist in spaying/neutering.
She mentioned there was a tragic situation with 24 dogs that were found in one home that
resulted in a cost of$4000 to the shelter, unexpectedly. She thanked the city for contributing
$2000 to this cost.
Mayor Hurst mentioned that we had a former retiree that was overpaid approximately $332.00
on her final pay out. He asked the council if they would like to request that she pay it back to
the city or acknowledge that it was an error in part of the city and forgive it. Council Member
Tyler Wood made a motion to forgive the balance; acknowledge it was an error on part of the
city and not request if from the former employee. This was seconded by Council Member Mike
Kneeland. Roll call. All in favor. None opposed. The former employee will not be required to
pay back the city the amount of$332.87 overpayment.
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ADJOURNMENT 5:52PM
Council Member Madison Simmons made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Council Member
Mike Kneeland. The motion passed 4-0. The Regular Meeting of the Van Buren City Council
Meeting was adjourned at 5:52PM.
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