The Mountain Home City Council is set to meet Thursday at 5 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Building at 720 Hickory Street. Among the topics on the agenda are a second reading of a proposed electrical code update, the purchase of a $65,000 truck for the Street Department, and the realignment of over $1.2 million in two city funds before the fiscal year ends.
Building Official Clay Strain will reintroduce an ordinance to adopt the 2026 National Electrical Code. The proposal, which aligns the city’s regulations with state requirements, aims to repeal outdated ordinances from 1997 and 2005 while preserving crucial local rules. These include mandates for ground-fault outlets in certain rooms, the requirement for conduit in commercial wiring, and the right for homeowners to do permitted electrical work in their own residences. Inspection fees would remain at the current rates, established in 2005.
Strain delayed the second reading at the October 15 meeting to allow electricians and contractors more time to review the changes. The updated draft lists December 6 as the ordinance’s effective date, replacing the originally proposed date of November 15. City officials noted that the council could move forward with a third reading and final adoption on Thursday, depending on feedback from contractors.
In other business, the council will consider a resolution authorizing the purchase of a 2024 Ford F-550 Super Duty truck for $64,995. T&B Auto Sales of Bryant has agreed to sell the vehicle, which has 185 miles on it, without requiring a bidding process. The proposed resolution cites the truck’s immediate availability as a valid reason for bypassing bids under state law.
City Treasurer Alma Clark will present adjustments to the 2026 city budget, reallocating $636,141.92 in the fund for the Youth Center, parks, and the Mountain Home Community Center. Changes include $394,366.92 moved from projected carryover funds to capital outlay for the community center, $80,000 added for pool supplies, and $72,000 earmarked for part-time salaries. To offset these increases, $90,000 will be removed from a parks maintenance line. Additional adjustments will redistribute $622,700 within the Water and Sewer Department fund, with much of it directed toward debt service. Like previous adjustments made in October, the changes are described as balanced and will not alter next year’s total budget.
Mayor Hillrey Adams is expected to propose reforms to streamline the council’s ordinance approval process. Under current procedures, ordinances require three separate votes to suspend rules for full adoption. Adams’ proposal would combine the second and third readings into a single motion, reducing the process to two votes.
The Street Department is nearing the close of a productive construction season. Completed projects include the Redbud and Windbrook rebuild at a cost of $1,060,927.08, Douglas Circle at $99,054.29, and the Langston rebuild, which stood at $118,823.82 as of October 20. Sidewalks and curbs have been installed for Langston, and an ongoing city overlay program has completed nearly half its work, with $135,292.99 spent through September.
Department updates also include the anticipated reconstruction of the Highway 5 South bridge by the Arkansas Department of Transportation beginning in December. The project is expected to take eight months, followed by improvements on Ninth Street and Highway 5 South from Highway 62 to the bypass.
On the water side, the department reported four active leaks as of October 20. Engineers with Garver are preparing designs for the Lake Norfork water intake project, slated for release in early December, as the city pursues federal funding assistance through a WIFIA loan.
Finally, recent Planning Commission minutes raised attention with the approval of a preliminary plat for 2354 Highway 201 South, noted as a potential future site for Amazon. The city council does not take action on commission minutes, and no additional details on the site are included in Thursday’s materials.
The meeting will be broadcast live on Facebook and YouTube by XL7-TV.