At last night’s Hope City Board meeting, the first of 2026, Gary Johnson, Pastor of Cavalry Baptist Church and a Hope resident of long standing, took the oath of office to assume membership of the board in the Ward 6 seat.  Former Mayor and retired McDonald’s franchisee Steve Montgomery had occupied the seat since 2007.

Video of the meeting can be seen below the photos accompanying this article.

After a five-minute executive session, the board returned to the City Hall Boardroom where Mayor Don Still announced appointments to standing committees.  

·       Jerry Pruden was appointed to another five-year term as one of the Hope Water & Light Commissioners and then approved by unanimous vote.

·       Connie Jefferson’s reappointment to a five-year term by the Hope Housing Authority Commission was approved by the city board unanimously.

·       Milko Smith was reappointed to serve on the Tourism Commission.

·       Three vacancies that exist now due to Vice-mayor Kiffinea Talley, Judy Watson and Cynthia Ford’s three-year appointments the Planning and Zoning Committee expiring will be filled in the next meeting, Mayor Still said.

A two-year contract with Hempstead County Economic Development Corporation, now led by President Anna Powell, was approved by the board unanimously.  Total fees, the contract says, are “not to exceed $63,666.50 per annum.”  The amount represents about a $3,000 increase from the previous contract.

The contract specifies performance measures which the HCEDC must provide scores on in the categories of economic development infrastructure, business retention and expansion, business attraction, strengthened relationship with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and regional economic development organizations and market statistics and demographics.

The HCEDC is also to provide written reports and presentations to the Hope City Board on a biannual pace.

Three items followed that pertained to financing of city needs.  

·       The board passed a resolution approving the use of State Aid Street Funds for work that would proceed down Sixth Street from Edgewood toward South Main Street. About $500,000 maximum would be provided for construction and $160,000 for engineering on a project that would likely begin next year and total about $900,000 in costs, City Manager J.R. Wilson said.

·       The board passed a motion of acceptance as the city was approved by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture for emerging contaminants financial assistance, specifically a loan with principal forgiveness, up to $521,830.  

·       The board passed another motion of acceptance of a $148,500 Arkansas Department of Emergency Management grant to buy a landfill wastewater standby pump for the city’s West Treatment Plant.  A bidding process will follow.

In the City Manager’s Report, Wilson allowed Hope Municipal Airport Superintendent Darrell Allan to report on the progress of work to rehab runway 4-22 which he said is nearing completion.   He said the other runway is also being studied in preparation for rehab work.

Wilson also reported on efforts to improve the current city landfill.  A new baling system is needed and Wilson said plans will be brought to the board to finance the near $1 million price tag.  A new Class 4 landfill will need to be built in the next few years for which cost estimates will be sought.  

Wilson said in meetings pertaining to the landfill Tuesday upgrades of buildings were discussed.  With equipment upgrades added, $2.5 million will be needed, but Wilson said this would put Hope in a good position for the next ten years.  “If we do this this year, just about everything out there will be new.”

The next city board meeting would be important, Wilson said, because he will be reporting on discussions with the low bidder on the contract to build it.  In addition, plans for the Fair Park pickleball court, which received higher cost bids than was anticipated at the end of last year, will likely need to be changed.  After the meeting, Wilson said complications in working with the soil in Fair Park had led to higher-than-anticipated expenses.

HCEDC, Wilson said, is putting together an ad hoc committee to consider plans regarding making Southwest Arkansas Regional Hospital the best it can be.  He said the recent decision by the Hempstead County Quorum Court to consider a sales tax to help stabilize the hospital’s finances was encouraging.

In Citizens Comments, Marsha White announced Martin Luther King Jr. Day activities.  On January 18th a service at Rising Star on 1002 Beech Street will take place beginning at 5 p.m. A parade will proceed from Yerger Middle School at 10 a.m. on Monday, January 19th.   A commemoration will follow at Greater Hope at 909 Rosston Road. For more information Sylvia Brown is available at 1-870-826-8774 and White is available at 1-870-703-8534.

Correction: An earlier version of this story had Gary Johnson being appointed to the Tourism and Promotions Commission.  Since this was published it was revealed this appointment has not taken place.