The meeting in its entirety is available in a video placed after the photos.

City Manager J.R. Wilson explained to the board that the utility has transferred the funds to the city of Hope for dispersal to the hospital. With the HW&L decision to use surplus funds in this way, the hospital will have received $1.5 million immediately and will be provided with up to $1.5 million more in funds from the city in the next few months.  

Jacob Eller, Chief Financial Officer of SWARMC, told the board that problems related to the federal government shutdown may delay IRS approval of the hospital’s application for non-profit status, which was expected before the shutdown to take about three more months.  This status would allow the hospital to raise funds from corporate sponsors.  The hospital has already been approved as a critical access hospital, which will allow it to be reimbursed 101 percent by Medicare and Medicaid.  

Eller also said the SWARMC will be approaching the Hempstead County Quorum Court for help for the time prior to receiving the 101 percent reimbursements and nonprofit status.  Asked by Director Trevor Coffee what would happen if the county did not come through with funds, Eller said the hospital would have an additional request for the city board.

Wilson said in this event the city would seek out a loan for an additional $1.5 million, using the property in which the hospital operates, which the city and county jointly own, as collateral and paying it back over a five-year period. 

Shelby Brown, administrator of the hospital, pointed to other potential sources of revenue in creating what are called skilled nursing beds.  She said these are used for patients no longer in acute care (which is limited to 96 hours of occupancy by one patient) but still needing supervision by medical staff.  The hours a patient can be in a skilled nursing bed are unlimited. Recruiting Licensed Practical Nurses needed to supervise these, she said, is difficult. 

Mayor Still said he appreciated the efforts of everyone at the hospital and said hope is still held for state funding to come in.  Both the county and the city have applied for state funding for repairs and equipment. Answers on whether either or both of these grants were awarded were expected in late October, but they have not come yet.

The vote to approve the HW&L grant of $1 million by the board was unanimous.

Other items discussed during the meeting:

·       A presentation by BiLD Architects project manager Clay McGill of the 100 percent plan for the new Recreation and Aquatic Center being funded in part by a one-cent sales tax approved by city voters last year.  McGill adjusted parking and increased the distance of one corner of the building from the Spring Hill Road and 16th Street intersection. Completion is expected in 18 months, with requests for bids to be published over the next month and bids expected to be opened the week after Thanksgiving. Vice-mayor Kiffinea Talley and Hope-Hempstead Economic Development Director Anna Powell both urged that local contractors be used as subcontractors for the project and that they submit bids.

·       Approval of the presenting to city employees of options for dealing with the increase in the cost of insurance premiums on their policies which come from the Arkansas Municipal League.  The cost to the city will rise from $739,395 in 2025 to $877,559 in 2026.  To reduce costs for employees, the city will offer a higher deductible option at its upcoming benefits fair.

·       J.R. Wilson said that in upcoming 2026 budget planning discussions the board would be faced with some hard decisions because revenues appear to be flat compared to last year while the sanitation department and the wastewater system expected to need expenditures. Wilson said a rate increase will likely need to be approved for upgrades needed to the wastewater system, which has been past its life expectancy for a while. A budget proposal will be presented by the next city board meeting.

·       Two employees leaving the Hope Police Department were removed from signatory authority over bank accounts and replaced by two current employees.

·       Assistant City Manager Daniel Shelman announced vacancies on the Planning and Zoning Commission.  Cynthia Ford has left her seat.  Vice-mayor Kiffinea Talley and Judy Watson’s terms are about to expire at the end of the year.  Replacements for these appointed by the mayor.

• Shelman also said Prairieland Community Development was awarded $1.5 million to build 60 apartments in Hope.  Mayor Still said, "That's kind of a statewide project.  Four or five towns in Arkansas got this."

·       Paperwork is being sorted out prior to the city’s purchasing of the land that formerly housed The Village Shopping Center on East Third Street but which now has several vacant buildings and one event center.  The city agreed to purchase the lot for a discounted price of $100,000 from Kathryn Dickinson and Randy Bobo for use as a site for a new Hope Fire Department headquarters to be built with funding from part of the one-cent tax that city votes approved last year.

·       The Northside Splash Pad is in construction phase, expected to be completed by early March.

·       Requests for Proposals for disaster management services have been published. 

·       Bonnie Raff of the John Cain Chapter of the DAR presented a declaration of Native American Heritage month.

·       Director Steve Montgomery, who has served as Hope Mayor as well during a long career in public service, announced his resignation effective at the end of the year, reading a statement citing the reasons for his decision and thanking the many who assisted him in his work for the city.

• Director Mark Ross announced that a parade for Hope Veterans will occur this coming Monday, November 10th at 5:30 p.m. on the same route as the Fair Parade uses.  Then at 11:00 a.m. a Veterans Day Observance will take place at the 1939 Hempstead County Courthouse lawn with a fish lunch provided free for veterans and their spouses. Others can buy their lunches. The event is open to all.