Ozark Council Approves Land Swap; City Will Utilize Property For Shooting Range
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by Robbi Roberts
Ozark City Council members approved a land swap with the North Franklin County Fair Board for a new shooting range during their monthly meeting Monday, March 9.
Rose McKinnon, president of the fair board, presented the proposal, which involved the trade of approximately 12 acres across from the fairgrounds for property adjacent to the fairgrounds.
The property the city will receive will be used for a new shooting range for the Ozark Police Department, while the land the fair board will obtain contains the driveway to the fair building, around the ball field fence, and east of the fair building to the arena.
McKinnon said the fair board has a 99-year lease with the city on the 12-acre property, which the fair board does not use; however, because of the lease agreement, the city also cannot currently utilize it. The land swap, she said, will benefit both the county and the city.
OAYO Ball Field Partnership
The Council also heard a proposal concerning a partnership between the city and the Ozark Area Youth Organization (OAYO) for softball fields off Walden Drive. Taylor Kenney of the OAYO said the organization will be responsible for clean-up during the season, which begins immediately following Spring Break and concludes at the end of May. The OAYO will also be responsible for clean-up during the postseason and any hosted tournaments. A written agreement was put before the Council and will be voted on at the April meeting.
Reed Mountain Park Sub-Lease
Council members approved a letter to the Corps of Engineers presented by Artemus McElhaney, Cubmaster for Cub Scout Pack 74, regarding a sub-lease of property at Reed Mountain Park which is currently leased to the city from the Corps. In the letter, McElhaney stated he would like to construct a road to an area northeast of the existing road in the park; to clear an area for the development of a campground; and to erect a pavilion/pole barn with a partial concrete floor and an enclosed end for a storage, cooking and eating area.
Other Matters
–City Attorney Christopher Brockett presented an update on the Kimbrough Building. All work has been completed, he said, and the city owns 75 percent of the building, with one owner unable to be located. A quiet title will be sought at the end of April, and further discussion will be held as to whether the building will be sold, auctioned or leased.
–It was announced a meeting of department heads and the City Council will be held on March 30, with the meetings to be held on a quarterly basis.
–Summer Miner joined the Advertising and Promotion Commission with an open position for a paid appointment to the board.
–A $750 Christmas bonus was approved from the City Council to the Ozark resource officer.
–The spring clean-up will begin Monday, April 6, and end Saturday, April 11. Residents will need a copy of an Ozark water bill to take one regular truckload to the transfer station at no charge. Trash must fit inside the receptacles, and no mattresses, chairs or extra trash on the ground will be allowed.
–The city ordinance regarding posting of visible addresses will begin to be enforced for homes and businesses. It was reported numerous properties, both residential and commercial, lack numbering which is visible from the road.
–New signs have been placed throughout the city regarding the road construction on Highways 23 and 219.
–A kickoff for the Run For the Fallen was held at the Ozark Community Center on Friday morning, March 13. It was also reported the center received a deep cleaning at the beginning of March, and center director Brooke Rosson and her team were commended for their work.
–It was reported there are 11 unpaid business licenses and nine unpaid food truck licenses. Another reminder will be mailed on Tuesday, March 31.
–Quarterly committee meetings were announced for March 30, June 1, Aug. 24 and Nov. 16. All meetings will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Council chambers.
–Ian McElhaney, visiting Cub Scout, led the Pledge of Allegiance to open the meeting, which all Council members attended.
State of the City
Mayor Roxie Hall gave a state of the city address, which included the following highlights.
Financial
As of February 2026, the city has five CDs totaling $2,735,386.57. The general fund checking account at the end of February was $1,454,927.79.
Personnel
The city staff currently includes 36 full-time employees, 27 part-time employees, six Council members and 11 volunteer firefighters.
Hall served on the Arkansas Municipal League Executive Board, the Arkansas State Tire Board, the River Valley Solid Waste Board, Fort Smith Regional Alliance and the Western Arkansas Planning and Development Board. She also serves as an ex-offico board member of the Franklin County Senior Citizens Center, Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Ozark.
Department Reports
The volunteer fire department answered 726 calls and added a new reporting system that saves time for filing run reports. All firefighters have completed the required number of training hours and had no injuries to report.
The street department completed seven paving projects, purchased new playground equipment, constructed a new bathroom for the splash pad area as well as new bathrooms in the Anderson building.
The water department repaired lines and continued work on the ongoing upgrades for the Helberg and Butterball vaults. The department is also relocating a line for the highway department.
The police department took 808 incident reports and 102 accident reports; conducted 19 motorist assists; served nine search warrants, 47 ordinance warnings and 1,457 subpoenas; issued 37 ordinance tickets, 12 juvenile tickets, 825 tickets, and 229 warnings; made 552 arrests; and wrote 83 affidavits. Investigations in 2025 included one homicide and 17 internet crimes against children investigations, as well as 68 private property accident investigations. A total of 114 stray cats and dogs were picked up by the animal control officers. The OPD also hosted 14 training classes. The department also received a 100% compliance grade on the 2025 Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training audit. Last year’s haunted jail event raised almost $5,000 for the Shop With A Cop program.
The Ozark Community Center hosted a variety of community programs and events that brought families together. They have continued improvements to make the community Center a welcoming space for everyone. The center facilitated 453 facility rentals and private events. The rentals are the largest source of income, and the facility stays booked throughout the year.
Community Updates
In 2026 the city will utilize new ways to keep the community informed, including a monthly newsletter that will contain important updates, upcoming events, and information about the community. Each newsletter will feature a “From the Desk of the Mayor” section. Also being implemented is a community alert system through which residents can sign up to receive text messages, phone calls or emails with important updates and notifications.
The City was given the old Model Cafe building, which was subsequently auctioned for $20,000 and is currently under renovation.
The state highway department is repaving Highway 219 (3rd Street), and new fencing on the bluff side of Highland Cemetery will be completed within the month. Shades have been added to the pavilion at the cemetery, and the installation of stone signage is also planned.
Read this story and others in the March 18 issue of The Graphic, available online and at businesses throughout Franklin and Johnson counties. Subscribe or donate here to support more hometown journalism.
