FORT SMITH, Ark. — Directors tonight adopted a resolution asking the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority (FCRA) to dissolve itself soon. The board joins the Barling City Council in approving these resolutions.
The Greenwood City Council and Sebastian County Quorum Court still have to do the same, but Fort Smith City Director Christina Catsavis says she's confident that will happen.
“I think it sends a strong message to the FCRA it's time to wrap up when Barling has voted for dissolution for Smith is voted for dissolution, and I'm confident that Greenwood in smashing county goes well," Catsavis said.
And Catsavis also says she believes the FCRA board has become corrupt after deciding to give its executive director a large portion of land sales.
"It's time, the trustee has been there for 27 years. It was designed to protect the beneficiaries, and after the FCRA board voted to give the Executive Director two percent of all land sales it created a recipe for corruption. So what it did was it caused the FCRA to be working against the beneficiaries and not for us," Catsavis said.
Other city directors seek to dismantle the FCRA as well.
“Those people made the comment that they don't answer to the beneficiaries, the executive director and board. We don't answer anybody that needs that, not a slap in your face,” said Christina’s father George Catsavis, another city director.
“Because that FCR board is so focused on money and trying to keep that FCR going instead of dissolving and getting out of the way of private development sitting there right now waiting to be developed to transform that community. We asked for the golf course, and they said no, because they wanted money. To me, this is an easy answer. And the board of directors out there are people from our community. They are the ones who have to answer why this is not getting dissolved," said Kevin Settle, position 6 At-Large Director.
“It's a concern when a public entity takes a position where it's not going to really work for the beneficiaries that were intended at the beginning," said Lavon Morton.
5NEWS did reach out to the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority about Tuesday's decision but have not heard back. The resolution passed tonight is asking the authority to dissolve as soon as possible, or by a deadline of the end of next year.
Watch 5NEWS on YouTube.
Download the 5NEWS app on your smartphone:
Stream 5NEWS 24/7 on the 5+ app: How to watch the 5+ app on your streaming device
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com and detail which story you're referring to.