Arkadelphia board to fill vacant position, declare another vacancy

The Arkadelphia City Board of Directors on Tuesday will have a full agenda for its first meeting of 2025. Business to be discussed includes naming a director to fill the Ward 3 vacancy and declaring a vacancy for Ward 4.

The Ward 3 seat technically became vacant when Director Keith Crews, up for re-election in 2024, failed to submit his filing paperwork. The city board will have an opportunity to interview candidates in executive session. The meeting agenda does not include names of any interested candidates; Crews is expected to be a candidate. Once the executive session has concluded, directors will reconvene in public to affirm their decision.

As one vacancy is filled, another will be declared as Ward 4 Director Reo Cummings submitted a resignation letter on Dec. 17. Cummings, who had worked with the TRIO program at Henderson State University, cited his relocation out of the Arkadelphia area for a different job as his reason for resigning from the city board.

Qualified Ward 4 citizens interested in filling the position may submit their interest, in writing, to Town Hall by a Jan. 30 deadline. As with any vacant seat, directors will interview candidates in executive session and make a decision in public. That process is expected to take place during the board’s Feb. 4 meeting.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, directors will hear a presentation of administration’s proposed 2025 budget, which is not included in the agenda packet. The budget resolution will be considered at a Jan. 21 meeting.

In routine annual business, directors will adopt procedural meeting rules, the 2025 holiday calendar and hear reports from the Arkadelphia Council on Aging, Community Family Enrichment Center and Clark County Arkansas Museum; after each presentation the board may renew agreements with the entities.