CITY OF HOT SPRINGS March 2024 City of Hot Springs Finance Department FINANCE DEPARTMENT EARNS ACFR CERTIFICATE FOR 30 CONSECUTIVE YEARS Pictured (L-R): Karey Lookadoo, Maggie Nunez, Vicki Stauder, BJ White, Mindy Collins, Karen Scott, James Weatherford, Olivia Thomason, Renee Brewer, Mary Rice, Kevin Loy, Romeka Hughes, Brooke Callicoat and Whitney Bradeen. For the 30th consecutive year, the City of Hot Springs’ Finance Department has been awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the City’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2022, by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA). “The award is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its Management,” said the GFOA in its award notification letter to the city. “I appreciate the GFOA for recognizing the City’s Finance Department with the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2022. This is a huge accomplishment that involves several key staff members, and they all should be very proud of this honor,” said Hot Springs City Manager Bill Burrough. To receive this certificate, an entity's ACFR is reviewed to determine compliance with both generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and program policy established by the GFOA's Special Review Executive Committee and Executive Board. A certificate is awarded only if there is consensus among the reviewers that an ACFR substantially complies with the GAAP and program policy. The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources and practical research for more than 21,000 members and the communities they serve.
The City of Hot Springs, in collaboration with Crist Engineers, Inc., is thrilled to announce their recent achievement at the 2024 Engineering Excellence Awards. The Lake Ouachita Lake Tap and Intake Project was honored with the esteemed Engineering Excellence Award in the water and wastewater large project category by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Arkansas (ACEC Arkansas). Additionally, this groundbreaking project earned the admiration of peers and the public alike, securing the People’s Choice Award for the Lake Ouachita Water Supply Project. The Engineering Excellence Awards, hosted annually by ACEC Arkansas, spotlight the state's most innovative and impactful engineering projects. These awards are a testament to the dedication, ingenuity, and technical expertise that Arkansas engineers bring to their work. A panel of distinguished industry professionals from across the state assessed this year's entries, evaluating them based on the uniqueness and complexity of the client’s needs, as well as, the value and ingenuity they bring to the community. The Lake Ouachita Lake Tap and Intake Project stands as a beacon of engineering achievement, addressing critical water infrastructure needs for the City of Hot Springs. This project not only ensures the long-term sustainability of the city's water supply but also exemplifies the commitment to excellence and innovation that Crist Engineers, Inc. and city officials bring to the community. "The awards we received are a reflection of our unwavering commitment to enhancing the quality of life for the residents of Hot Springs through innovative engineering solutions," said City Manager Bill Burrough. "We are immensely proud of our partnership with Crist Engineers, Inc. and the recognition our joint efforts have received from ACEC Arkansas and the community." The awards were presented during a ceremony held on March 7 in Little Rock, where industry professionals gathered to celebrate the outstanding contributions of Arkansas engineers to the field. The City of Hot Springs extends its gratitude to ACEC Arkansas for this honor and to everyone who supported the Lake Ouachita Water Supply Project. Together, we continue to forge a path toward a brighter, more sustainable future for all. Snapshot Page 2 ACEC AWARD Pictured: Javier anIntracity Transit RHot Springs Engineering/Utilities Departments Pictured (L-R): Kelly Vanlandingham, Crist Engineers, Inc; Hailey Edlebeck, MICHELS Trenchless, Inc.; Craig Vandaelle, MICHELS Trenchless, Inc.; Craig Johnson, Crist Engineers, Inc.; Bobby Oliver, Crist Engineers, Inc.; Matt Dunn, Crist Engineers, Inc.; Chase Helton, City of Hot Springs; Monty Ledbetter, City of Hot Springs; Cody Howell, City of Hot Springs; Todd Piller, City of Hot Springs; and Brian Wintle, Crist Engineers, Inc.
VELOCITY PARK UPDATES Snapshot Page 3 Hot Springs Parks and Trails Department On Tuesday, March 19, 2024, several individuals stopped to watch and cheer as the new Hot Springs Creek Greenway restroom, near Velocity Park, was installed. This restroom is the carbon copy of the one located at the David F. Watkins Memorial Park. This restroom is estimated to be in operation by the middle of April. Individuals who frequent the Velocity Park pump track are noticing that the asphalt pump track is just a little more colorful. Recently, Parks and Trails staff painted the concrete track medians. Overlooking the Hot Springs Creek, the newly installed 40x60 shade kite will soon provide a place of rest for park visitors as it will cover multiple picnic tables. In addition, the Outdoor Recreation Grants Program, Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism award an $80K matching grant to the City of Hot Springs to build Phase 2 of the park, which will consist of a youth playground pump track area. Construction of Phase 2 will begin soon. On Tuesday, March 19, 2024, the annual Spring Tikes, Trikes and Trails event had a great turnout with more than 30 bicycle riders. In addition, Parks and Trails staff drew two lucky event participants to receive a free bike and helmet (seen at right).
Snapshot Page 4 HSPD OUTREACH EVENTS Hot Springs Police Department The Hot Springs Police Department's Overdose Response Team and Community Policing Response Team got the opportunity to participate in Fountain Lake Charter High School’s Career Fair Day. The students got the opportunity to ask our officers about how to start a career in law enforcement and what they are most passionate about in their own careers. HSPD Peer Recovery Specialist Carrie Montgomery got to talk to them about life choices and how the influences in their lives could affect their pathways in the future HSPD was invited to attend RAAD Region 8 Community Night at Jessieville School. Peer Recovery Specialist, Carrie Montgomery, was one of the speakers for the night. Several different resource providers gathered together to support the parents of children in the Garland County school districts. HSPD gave a big shout out to RAAD Region 8 for a successful event. "Thank you for letting us have a small part in it." Hot Springs Fire and Police departments had a great time participating at the Teen Driving Roadeo on March 9 at the First Lutheran Church. The HSFD showcased Engine 6 and Rescue 2 along with the extraction tools that is carried on Rescue 2. Among the tools that were showcased, Captain Elliott and Driver Edie showed everyone how the spreaders (jaws of life), cutters and ram operate. Police Chief Billy Hrvatin and Assistant Chief Shaun Roach grilled burgers and hot dogs for all the teen drivers and parents who attended this amazing event. HSPD had two stations, in one station officers had a mocked traffic stop to teach young drivers what they need to know when or if they ever get pulled over and in the other station officers talked about distracted and impaired driving. Cpl. Billy Perkins Cpl. Tyler Cox Cpl. Thomas Plummer Sgt. Jjesus Anaya Lt. Kenny May Lt. Zac Rostan Cpt. Larry Patrick HSPD RECENT PROMOTIONS
FIREFIGHTER STORYTIME Hot Springs Fire Department Snapshot Page 5 On Wednesday, March 20, members of the Hot Springs Fire Department (HSFD) participated in Firefighter Storytime at the Garland County Library. HSFD Medical Training Officer Gray, Lieutenant Burch, Drivers Hall, Pricop, and Koller, and Probationary Firefighter McCullough read stories, showed off their turnout gear and showed the families a couple of the HSFD apparatus. CODE FORWARD HOT SPRINGS Hot Springs Planning and Development Department In mid-March, the Planning and Development Department held three separate public open houses to present the proposed changes to the Zoning Code. For more information on Code Forward, visit www.codeforwardhs.com. Public comments are still welcome, via www.codeforwardhs.com, until Monday, April 15, 2024.
Snapshot Page 6 Snapshot highlights some of the recent projects from the various City of Hot Springs departments and is part of the City’s efforts to broaden its communications with the public. [email protected] • City of Hot Springs Public Information Department • 501-321-6806 www.cityhs.net In early November 2023, Kimery Painting, Inc. began the task of overhauling the 1968 double ellipsoidal elevated backwash tank at the Ouachita Water Treatment Plant. The renovations include installing a new cat-walk, dry ladder, and wet ladder, in addition to modern safety considerations. This tank also received a new coat (inside and outside) of 6.5 – 9.5 mils of White and Cadet Blue Tnemec series Hydroflon paint that has an expected service life of 15 – 20 years. This project was completed on March 11, 2024. The Health Department has cleared the tank to return to service. BACKWASH TANK UPDATES Hot Springs Utilities Department