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DECEMBER 8,2025 SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL City of Van Buren, Arkansas Minutes of the Special Meeting of the City Council Monday, December 8, 2025 Van Buren Municipal Complex CALL TO ORDER 5:32PM The special meeting of the Van Buren City Council was called to order by Mayor Joseph P. Hurst at 5:32PM. City Attorney and Reverend Jacob Howell led the invocation. Mayor Joseph P. Hurst led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL 5:33PM Present: Council Member Mike Kneeland, Council Member Shannon Newerth-Henson, Council Member Tyler Wood, Council Member Madison Simmons, Council Member Tonia Fry, Mayor Joseph P. Hurst, City Attorney Jacob Howell, City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds Absent: Council Member Matt Dodson NEW BUSINESS 5:34PM Ordinance 22-2025 Providing for the Levy of One-Half of One Percent Sales and Use Tax City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds read the ordinance in its entirety. Council Member Madison Simmons moved that the rules be suspended, and the ordinance be placed on its second reading. The motion was seconded by Council Member Tonia Fry, followed by a unanimous vote by the council. The clerk read the ordinance the second time by title only. Council Member Madison Simmons moved that the rules be further suspended, and the ordinance placed on the third and final reading. The motion was seconded by Council Member Tonia Fry, followed by a unanimous vote by the council. The clerk then read the ordinance for the third and final time by title only. After a short power point presentation of the steps the city has taken to get to the point of moving forward with a proposed special election to request funding for (a) Capital Improvements (b) Parks and Recreation and (c) Emergency Services, Mayor Joseph P. Hurst invited Kevin Faught, Senior Vice President with Stephens Inc. and Ryan Bowman, Attorney, with Friday, Eldredge & Clark to address the council. This ordinance is to provide for the levy of a one-half of one percent (0.5%) Sales and Use Tax within the City of Van Buren. This source of revenue will be used to (a) pay and secure the repayment of bonds approved by the votes and issued by the City from time to time to finance capital improvements, (b) for park and recreational purposes and (s) for fire, policy and other emergency services. This ordinance, if passed, will be posted in the following public locations: Van Buren Municipal Complex, Van Buren Library, Van Buren Police Department, Van Buren Senior Center and Crawford County District Court. Motion to adopt Ordinance 22-2025 was made by Council Member Tyler Wood. Seconded by Council Member Mike Kneeland. Roll call. All in favor. None opposed. Ordinance 22-2025 Providing for the Levy of One-Half of One Percent Sales & Use Tax is adopted with five yeas and zero nays. Mayor Joseph Hurst declared the ordinance passed and signed same in open council, duly attested by City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds. Ordinance 23-2025 Calling a Special Election in the City of Van Buren City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds read the ordinance in its entirety. Council Member Shannon Newerth-Henson moved that the rules be suspended, and the ordinance be placed on its second reading. The motion was seconded by Council Member Mike Kneeland, followed by a unanimous vote by the council. The clerk read the ordinance the second time by title only. Council Member Shannon Newerth-Henson moved that the rules be further suspended, and the ordinance placed on the third and final reading. The motion was seconded by Council Member Mike Kneeland, 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 Kevin Faught, Senior Vice President with Stephens Inc. and Ryan Bowman, Attorney, with Friday, Eldredge & Clark to address the council. This ordinance is calling for a Special Election to be held on March 3, 2026, for a decision of the voters on the question of levying a city-wide one-half of one percent (0.5%) Sales and Use Tax. This ordinance defined how the ballot will be worded and mentioned the steps that must be taken by the Mayor and City Clerk-Treasurer. The results of the election will be proclaimed by the mayor and published one time in a newspaper that circulates in the City of Van Buren, and the results will be conclusive unless there is a dispute in the court within thirty days after publication. A copy of this ordinance will be filed with the Crawford County Clerk at least 70 days prior to the election date and a copy given to the Crawford County Board of Election Commissioners so that supplies can be provided. A certified copy of this ordinance shall also be provided to the Commissioner of Revenues of the State of Arkansas. Motion to adopt Ordinance 23-2025 was made by Council Member Shannon Newerth-Henson. Seconded by Council Member Mike Kneeland. Roll call. All in favor. None opposed. Ordinance 23-2025 Calling a Special Election in the City of Van Buren is adopted with five yeas and zero nays. Mayor Joseph Hurst declared the ordinance passed and signed same in open council, duly attested by City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds. Ordinance 24-2025 Calling a Special Election on the Questions of Issuing Bonds Motion was made by Council Member Tyler Wood to suspend the rules and read the ordinance by title only. Seconded by Council Member Tonia Fry. City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds read the ordinance by title only. Council Member Tonia Fry moved that the rules be suspended, and the ordinance be placed on its second reading by title only. The motion was seconded by Council Member Tyler Wood, followed by a unanimous vote by the council. The clerk read the ordinance the second time by title only. Council Member Tonia Fry moved that the rules be further suspended, and the ordinance placed on the third and final reading. The motion was seconded by Council Member Tyler Wood, 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 Kevin Faught, Senior Vice President with Stephens Inc. and Ryan Bowman, Attorney, with Friday, Eldredge & Clark to address the council. This ordinance is calling for a special election on questions of issuing bonds under amendment No. 62 to the Constitution of the State of Arkansas for the purpose of financing all or a portion of the costs of capital improvements; levying a new one-half of one percent (0.5%) Sales and Use Tax for the purpose of retiring such bonds. The issue of bonds will fund $36,800,000 in maximum aggregate principal for Park and Recreational Improvement; and $8,200,000 in maximum aggregate principal amount for the Fire Improvements: (a) new park and recreational facilities, including particularly, without limitation, a community center with swimming facilities, pickleball, basketball and volleyball courts, a walking track and meeting rooms and any furnishings, equipment, parking, landscaping, signage, drainage, lighting, street and utility improvements related thereto. (b) New facilities and apparatus for the fire department, including particularly, without limitation, a fire station and any furnishings, equipment, parking, landscaping, signage, drainage, lighting, street and utility improvements related thereto. The city can pay the principal of and interest on the bonds from the proceeds of a new city- wide one-half of one percent (0.5%) sales and use tax authorized for that purpose. The city may provide additional funds to pay or to further secure repayment of the bonds if a new city-ide one-half of one percent (0.5%) sales and use tax is levied by Ordinance 22-2025, if approved by the voters. This ordinance establishes a called Special Election to be held on March 3, 2026 at which time there shall be submitted to the voters of the City of Van Buren the questions of issuing the Bonds to pay for all or a portion of the costs of the Capital Improvements in the maximum aggregate principal amounts described above to be paid in whole or in part from the net collections of the Sales and Use Tax. Motion to adopt Ordinance 24-2025 was made by Council Member Tyler Wood. Seconded by Council Member Tonia Fry. Roll call. All in favor. None opposed. Ordinance 24-2025 Calling for a Special Election on Questions of Issuing Bonds is adopted with five yeas and zero nays. Mayor Joseph Hurst declared the ordinance passed and signed same in open council, duly attested by City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds. Resolution 12-01-2025 Authorizing Pre-Payment Insurance Premiums 2026 City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds read the resolution in its entirety. Mayor Joseph P. Hurst discussed that the cost of insurance for the City of Van Buren increased $428,326.56 for calendar year 2026 and in an attempt to prevent having to have higher deductions from employees the city would like to pre-pay the difference in 2025 and 2026 premiums so that there would be no increase in 2026. The agreement was approved by the Arkansas Municipal League, and the Clerk-Treasurer will send in a one-time payment of$428,326.56. Motion to approve Resolution 12-01-2025 was made by Council Member Madison Simmons. Seconded by Council Member Tonia Fry. Mayor Joseph P. Hurst asked City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds to call roll. Resolution 12-01-2026 Authorizing Pre-Payment Insurance Premiums 2026 was adopted with five yays and zero nays. Mayor Hurst declared the resolution passed and signed the same in open council, duly attested by City Clerk-Treasurer Reynolds. MISCELLANOUS and GENERAL DISCUSSION 6:02PM Mayor Hurst presented the 2026 budget to the City Council for discussion. He mentioned that our revenue is trending up and he has estimated on the conservative side. He went over all sources of revenue and explained what was expected as well as expenses that the city expects to incur. He mentioned that he believed there would be enough funds for the employees to receive a 3% raise. Council Member Tyler Wood asked the Mayor and City Clerk-Treasurer to prepare an ordinance for the elected officials to receive a 3% increase in 2026 as well. The mayor stated this was a balanced budget and there still could be some changes before the meeting on December 22, 2025, but that this was the good foundation. The mayor also mentioned that he had checked with other cities and with Crawford County and they would be closing their offices on Friday, December 26, 2025. He confirmed with the City Council that they would not have an issue if he closed city offices on Friday, December 26, 2025. There was no vote but a unanimous agreement by the council. ADJOURNMENT 6:32PM Council Member Madison Simmons made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Council Member Tonia Fry. The motion passed 5-0. The Special Meeting of the Van Buren City Council Meeting was adjourned at 6:32PM. �\�oerk Tre0& 0^ 4/bs ATTESTED: City of Van Buren APPROVED: Q fo. �� �ryCounty,F��'a Shawnna M. Re Holds Jos h�P. Hiurst City Clerk-Treasurer Mayo