Bella Vista meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Bella Vista council to weigh $250,000 radio tower engineering contract, $54,164 road fund shift

Bella Vista's City Council is scheduled to consider a professional engineering contract for a bond-funded radio tower, capped at $250,000.00, and a $54,164.00 reallocation between two road projects when it meets on Oct. 26, according to the posted agenda.

No votes or outcomes appear in the records provided for this roundup. The three meetings listed for the past two weeks — Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Adjustment on Oct. 12, and a City Council work session on Oct. 19 — are recorded as agenda-only, with minutes not yet published. Everything below describes what was scheduled, proposed or listed for discussion, not what was decided.

Radio tower engineering contract

The Oct. 26 agenda lists a contract with Horner & Shifrin for engineering services on the radio tower project, described as bond-funded, at a cost "not to exceed $250,000.00." The same item appeared on the Oct. 19 work session list. The agenda does not state a final contract total, only the ceiling.

$54,164.00 shifted between road projects

The council is also listed as considering a budget amendment of $54,164.00 that would move funds from Oldham Road slope stabilization to the Riordan Road/Highway 71 improvements. The Oct. 19 work session summary described the same figure as a reallocation. The agenda does not specify a construction schedule for either project.

Surveillance technology ordinance

An ordinance concerning the acquisition of automatic license plate readers and facial recognition systems is listed for a second reading. Both the Oct. 19 work session list and the Oct. 26 agenda describe it as a second reading. The agenda text does not state what the ordinance would permit or prohibit beyond the acquisition of those systems.

Audit request for Advertising and Promotion Commission

The Oct. 26 agenda includes a resolution requesting a forensic audit of the Bella Vista Advertising and Promotion Commission. The Oct. 19 work session list described the item as a request for an audit. No scope, cost or timeline for the audit appears in the records provided.

Employee health plan

Council members are listed as considering approval of a city employee health insurance and benefit plan starting Jan. 1, 2027. The agenda does not include premium figures or plan details.

Land use: two lot splits and a property line adjustment

The Planning Commission's Oct. 12 agenda listed three applications: a proposed lot split at 44 Watson Drive (LSP-2026-67100), a proposed property line adjustment at 4 Merritt Drive (PLA-2026-66945), and a proposed lot split near Hiwasse Road and Skye Drive (LSP-2026-67074). Minutes from that meeting have not been published in the records provided, so no action is reported here.

Separately, the Board of Zoning Adjustment scheduled a public hearing on Oct. 12 for variance request ZVR-2026-67240, concerning retaining wall placement at 1 Crathone Lane (Parcel 16-09786-000). The board was also set to review minutes from its Sept. 14, 2026, meeting. No outcome is recorded in the materials provided.

Coming up

City Council — Oct. 26. The agenda lists the Horner & Shifrin radio tower contract (not to exceed $250,000.00), the $54,164.00 road fund amendment, the second reading of the license plate reader and facial recognition ordinance, the resolution requesting a forensic audit of the Advertising and Promotion Commission, and the employee health plan effective Jan. 1, 2027. Residents can attend to hear the readings and any public comment.

No other meetings appear in the upcoming list provided. Agendas and any minutes published later are the authoritative record; this summary reflects only the documents available as of Oct. 26, 2026.

Bella Vista Council to weigh cutting prepared food tax, fire station contract

The Bella Vista City Council is set to consider an ordinance that would cut the prepared food and beverage tax from 1% to 0.5% at its regular meeting on Aug. 24. The meeting also covers a contract amendment for Fire Station No. 1 renovations and a resolution to use federal funds for a bridge replacement. No decisions from recent meetings have been published because minutes are not yet available.

City Council

The Aug. 24 agenda includes an ordinance to reduce the prepared food and beverage tax from 1% to 0.5%. The council will also vote on a resolution for a $3,471,293.38 contract amendment with Clinard Construction Management, Inc. for Fire Station No. 1 renovations (Phases 4A & 4B). A resolution to use federal-aid monies for the Browning Creek Bridge replacement on Cullen Hills Drive is also on the agenda. The council will consider an ordinance establishing an Advisory Green Committee. The consent agenda includes a $101,486 contract with Toole Design Group for active transportation education.

The Aug. 17 City Council meeting agenda included similar items, including a budget amendment for $155,000 in development impact fee revenue for public safety building additions, but no minutes have been published for that meeting.

Planning Commission

The Planning Commission met Aug. 10 with mostly routine items. The only new business was a proposal to move the Oct. 1 work session to Sept. 28 at 4:30 PM. The commission also considered approval of July 13 minutes and heard public input. No decisions are published because minutes are not yet available.

Board of Zoning Adjustment

The Board of Zoning Adjustment held public hearings on Aug. 10 for two variance requests: a retaining wall placement variance at 40 Kintyre Drive (parcel 16-38005-000, applicant Shawn Singleterry) and a side building setback variance for a single-family home at 22 Allison Drive (parcel 16-17149-000, applicant Kevin Nembhard). A previously scheduled variance request for a carport at 41 Walter Drive (parcel 16-35231-000, applicant Thomas Thomas) was withdrawn and required no action. The board also considered minutes from its July 13 meeting. No decisions are published.

Coming up

The City Council regular meeting is scheduled for Aug. 24 at 6:00 PM. The agenda includes the prepared food tax cut, the fire station contract, the bridge replacement resolution, the Green Committee ordinance, and the consent agenda items.