MARCH 23,2026 REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING City of Van Buren, Arkansas
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the City Council
Monday, March 23, 2026
Van Buren Municipal Complex
CALL TO ORDER 5:32PM
The Regular Meeting of the Van Buren City Council was called to order by Mayor Joseph P.
Hurst at 5:32PM. Council Member Madison Simmons led the invocation. Mayor Joseph P.
Hurst led the Pledge of Allegiance.
PRESENTATIONS - AWARDS
None
ROLL CALL 5:34PM
Present: Council Member Mike Kneeland, Council Member Madison Simmons, Council Member
Tyler Wood, , Council Member Matt Dodson, Council Member Tonia Fry, Mayor Joseph P.
Hurst, City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds
Absent: Council Member Shannon Newerth-Henson, City Attorney Jacob Howell
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
None
CONSENT AGENDA 5:34PM
After determining there were no reported objections or unfinished business, Council Member
Mike Kneeland moved to approve the consent agenda which consisted of:
Minutes from Regular Meeting of the City Council February 23, 2025
Street Closures—VB First Baptist VBS June 1-5
Resolution 03-01-2026 Removal of Fixed Assets
Resolution 03-02-2026 Destruction of Records Duplicate Checks (GF)
Financial Statements
Department Reports:
Police Public Works/Planning
Fire Ambulance
Building Code Enforcement
Motion was seconded by Council Member Tonia Fry. Consent Agenda approved with a vote of
five yeas and zero nays. Mayor Hurst declared the consent agenda passed.
NEW BUSINESS 5:35PM
Resolution 03-03-2026 Amending Resolution 06-05-2025 Boatwright Drainage
Hawkins-Weir
City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds read the resolution in its entirety. Mayor Joseph P.
Hurst asked Blake Peacock with Hawkins Weir to address the council. This resolution would
increase the previously approved amount of$264,525.00 to $303,881.60 and amend Resolution
06-05-2025. Mr. Peacock stated that there were sewer lines that were placed in a manner that
caused the price increase to Phase I of the Boatwright Drainage project. This is reflected in
change order number 4.
Motion to approve Resolution 03-03-2026 was made by Council Member Tonia Fry. Seconded
by Council Member Mike Kneelands. Mayor Joseph P. Hurst asked City Clerk-Treasurer
Shawnna Reynolds to call roll.
Resolution 03-03-2026 Amending Resolution 06-05-2025 Boatwright Drainage Hawkins-Weir
was adopted with five yeas and zero nays. Mayor Hurst declared the resolution passed and
signed the same in open council, duly attested by City Clerk-Treasurer Reynolds.
Resolution 03-04-2026 Accepting the Bid for 26th Street Improvement Project
Steep Creek
City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds read the resolution in its entirety. Mayor Joseph P.
Hurst stated that he was excited to see this project start. Hawkins Weir advertised for bids and
Steep Creek LLC was the lowest bidder. Schedule I of this project is bid at $549,586.05.
Motion to approve Resolution 03-04-2026 was made by Council Member Matt Dodson.
Seconded by Council Member Tonia Fry. Mayor Joseph P. Hurst asked City Clerk-Treasurer
Shawnna Reynolds to call roll.
Resolution 03-04-2026 Accepting the Bid for 26th Street Improvement Project was adopted with
five yeas and zero nays. Mayor Hurst declared the resolution passed and signed the same in
open council, duly attested by City Clerk-Treasurer Reynolds.
Resolution 03-05-2026 Amending Resolution 05-03-2025 N 26th Street
Improvements Hawkins Weir
City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds read the resolution in its entirety. Mayor Joseph P.
Hurst asked Blake Peacock with Hawkins Weir to address the council. Mr. Peacock stated that
the reason for the increase in cost from the previously approved amount of$58,130 to the
current increase to $131,180 is because there needs to be 20 hours of inspection costs added
to this project.
Motion to approve Resolution 03-05-2026 was made by Council Member Mike Kneeland.
Seconded by Council Member Tyler Wood. Mayor Joseph P. Hurst asked City Clerk-Treasurer
Shawnna Reynolds to call roll.
Resolution 03-05-2026 Amending Resolution 05-03-2025 N 26th Street Improvements Hawkins
Weir was adopted with five yeas and zero nays. Mayor Hurst declared the resolution passed
and signed the same in open council, duly attested by City Clerk-Treasurer Reynolds.
Ordinance 17-2026 Home Based Business
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 Mike Kneeland, 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
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 Planning Department Director, Wally Bailey, to speak to the
council. Mr. Bailey explained that the proposed ordinance is in regard to legislative standards
of home-based business. Previously home-based businesses required a conditional use permit
and had to go to the Planning Commission for approval. The Planning Commission could
arbitrarily decide when or when not to approve a home-based business, compared to other
cities. The proposal now is a two-twired system. If there is no traffic at the home-based
business site, the city staff can approve of this without going to the Planning Commission.
However, if the business will more traffic, then there must be approval by the Planning
Commission. The law now states that home-based businesses be allowed in all zones.
Motion to adopt Ordinance 17-2025 was made by Council Member Tyler Wood. Seconded by
Council Member Matt Dodson. Roll call. All in favor. None opposed.
Ordinance 17-2026 Home Based Business 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 18-2026 Spay and Neuter Requirements
City Clerk-Treasurer Shawnna Reynolds read the ordinance in its entirety. Council Member
Mike Kneeland 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 Mike Kneeland 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.
Mayor Joseph P. Hurst invited Planning Department Director, Wally Bailey, to speak to the
council. Mr. Bailey explained that the proposed ordinance is in regard to the previously
approved "dog ordinance" in which this will update the section "Dogs at Large" where stray
dogs are addressed. In an attempt to help manage control of dogs and an increasing
population of unwanted dogs this is to encourage people to control their dogs by getting them
spayed or neutered.
Motion to adopt Ordinance 18-2025 was made by Council Member Madison Simmons.
Seconded by Council Member Mike Kneeland. Roll call. All in favor. None opposed.
Ordinance 18-2026 Spay and Neuter Requirements 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.
MISCELLANOUS and GENERAL DISCUSSION 6:18 PM
Margaret Haddock addressed the council in regards to cats not being required to licensed. She
mentioned the high population of stray cats and the destruction they cause. She believes there
should be more control of them and that this is a problem that will need to be addressed.
ADJOURNMENT 6:23PM
Council Member Madison Simmons made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Council Member
Matt Dodson. The motion passed 5-0. The Regular Meeting of the Van Buren City Council
Meeting was adjourned at 6:23PM.
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