Fort Smith’s Form of Government

The Fort Smith municipality is a City of the First Class, and the third most populated city in the state of Arkansas.

Fort Smith’s form of government is a City Administrator form of government and is characterized by the leadership of a professional City Administrator (or Chief Executive Officer), who runs the day-to-day operations of the organization and serves at the pleasure of a seven-member Board of Directors.

Duties of the Fort Smith City Administrator

The City Administrator has authority over all city operations and a long list of responsibilities – including, but not limited to:

• Preparing and presenting the City’s annual budget to The City’s Board of Directors (“The Board”) for its approval;
• Overseeing and administering the budget;
• Preparing and submitting a report on the City’s finances and administrative activities to The Board;
• Advising The Board of the City’s financial condition and future needs by way of recommendation;
• Supervising and controlling all departments, agencies, offices, and employees;
• Contracting and authorizing purchases authorizations for supplies, materials, services, and equipment and authorizing contracts for municipal improvements.

Meet the Fort Smith City Administrator

The Fort Smith Board of Directors

In the City Administrator form of government, there are seven (7) city directors and a mayor elected in non-partisan elections. The Board of Directors constitutes the legislative body of the city. Each Director serves a 4-year term.

Under the City Administrator form of government, the City is divided into four (4) wards “composed of contiguous territory and substantially equal population”. Each of the wards has one designated city director representative on the Board of Directors. The persons elected to fill these positions must reside in the respective ward. The other three positions are elected “at large” by all electors in the city.

Under Arkansas law, the Board of Directors is required to meet twice each calendar month. Special meetings may be called as necessary by a majority of the membership of the board.

The Board of Directors has the responsibility of hiring a professional City Administrator and setting the administrator’s salary. Similarly, the Board of Directors may terminate the City Administrator’s employment at any time, with or without cause by a vote of a majority of its elected membership.

One caveat is that the City Administrator’s employment may not be terminated between the dates of January 1 and March 1 of the year following any general election in which members of the Board of Directors are elected. The Board of Directors also directs the number of police officers to be appointed.

Meet the Fort Smith Board of Directors

The Fort Smith Mayor

The Mayor of the City of Fort Smith is the formal officiate for City-related ceremonies and functions. This elected, non-partisan position presides over meetings of the Board of Directors. The Mayor does not have a vote on any matter that comes before the Board of Directors. However, the Mayor has the authority to veto decisions made by the Board of Directors. Such a veto may be overridden by a super-majority of the Board of Directors, which in Fort Smith requires an affirmative vote of five (5) or more board members.

Administratively and ceremonially, the Mayor may sign official city documents such as written agreements, contracts, bonds, mortgages, pledges, indentures, conveyances, and other written instruments that have been approved by the Board of Directors. The Mayor serves a 4-year term.

Meet the Fort Smith Mayor