The Fort Smith City Council will review a number of contracts involving insurance and municipal works on Tuesday (October 21st), focusing on a number of significant and focused issues.
The city will consider approving four contracts related to insurance risk coverage and employee benefits, totaling approximately $2,055,000 annually.
Everest Reinsurance plans to renew the city’s excess and aggregate excess (stop-loss) insurance for 2026, with the same $250,000 stop-loss deductible. However, the premium will increase 49% from $953,674 to $1,421,000.
QualChoice, the third-party health insurance provider, is requesting a 3% increase in health insurance premiums for 2026, from $351,160 to $361,750.
Self-insured dental benefits, managed by Delta Dental of Arkansas, will enter a three-year administration contract, with annual administration fees increasing from $43,140 to $49,600. Individual annual dental coverage will also increase from $1,500 to $2,500.
Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company, which continues to provide the city’s life, disability, and supplemental insurance, has proposed a three-year rate freeze, reducing long-term disability insurance premiums from $280,735 to $223,440.
Human Resources Director Eric Garvin stated in a memo that the city’s insurance brokerage, OneDigital Health and Benefits, has been working to secure competitive medical stop-loss and other employee benefit packages for the city.
Regarding construction projects, the council will consider two major expenditures:
Construction of a solid waste vehicle wash station: The city intends to award a $1,649,000 contract to Steve Beam Construction to construct a vehicle wash station at the landfill at 5900 Commerce Road.
The project is part of the Solid Waste Services Department’s 2025 Capital Improvement Plan, and Steve Beam received the lowest bid among three bidders.
Traffic Detection Equipment Replacement Payment: The motion approved $1,559,000 (total contract value $1,812,000) to replace outdated traffic detection equipment at 19 intersections on Rogers Avenue and six intersections on Phoenix Boulevard.
Ben Matz, interim director of the city’s engineering department, stated in a memo that the new equipment will provide enhanced data analysis capabilities, combined with the latest software to improve traffic guidance and problem identification, and improve the performance of the older video equipment in sunlight, fog, shadows, and low light conditions.
The council will vote on the contract and expenditures at the meeting.