On Tuesday, Oct. 22, City Council voted on over 20 items. Here are some of the highlights:

City Council approved the purchase of bat mitigation credits from The Conservation Fund in the amount of $334,931.40 for the removal of 32.1 acres of trees for the J Street Interchange Project.

The land is considered suitable summer foraging habitat for several bat species, including the endangered tricolored bat. The Conservation Fund collects payments from developers who may impact bat habitats and uses the money to purchase other “high-quality conservation lands.”

The Arkansas Department of Transportation proposes a project restriction that tree clearing will only occur during the bats’ inactive season. It does not plan to conduct a survey to check for threatened or endangered bat species because of the project timeline.

The new interchange along Interstate 49 will provide a connection to NE J Street in Bentonville. 

Several new art projects were approved to be installed in various places around Bentonville.

A plant sculpture by Texas-based artist Natasha Bowdoin will be installed in the roundabout at NE J Street and John DeShields Boulevard near the Amazeum and Crystal Bridges. The sculpture will consist of “22 intricately cut forms that reflect native flora of the area, including creeping vines, outsized flowers and roots in an array of colors, plus one large leaf-life element in the center approximately 14 feet tall,” according to items in the agenda packet.

Walmart will fund an installation of an ombre mural by Graham Edwards on the trail tunnel under SE 8th Street on the new Walmart Corporate Campus. The company will also fund a floral mural by Jessica Jones on the trail tunnel under SE J Street.

Council approved an ordinance to adopt revised Water Utilities Department specifications, which detail how infrastructure is designed and what materials are used. The changes are meant to reduce water leaks and prevent excess stormwater from going into the sewer system.

According to a memo in the agenda packet, Water Utilities staff began to gather information for the revisions in 2022, and they were sent to the Arkansas Department of Health for review this summer.

“Bentonville Water Utilities staff is confident the installation practices, materials and testing procedures outlined in the specifications will protect the public health and minimize long-term maintenance cost,” the memo stated.

City Council approved a $1.2 million bid from APAC-Central Inc. to extend a taxiway at the Bentonville airport. The project is funded by a Federal Aviation Administration grant the city received in September, along with a 10% match from the city of the grant’s total value — $134,481 — as required by the grant.

Bentonville City Council meets every second and fourth Tuesday of the month, where they pass local laws and ordinances, approve development projects, establish policies and more. The Council typically covers a dozen or more agenda items each meeting, so we try to pick the items we think residents would be most interested in. City Council meetings are open to the public. Find the most recent agendas and minutes here.