Bentonville reorganizes governance and infrastructure to manage continued growth
Bentonville City Council is set to advance a wide-ranging slate of actions aimed at preparing the city for its next phase of growth, focusing less on new initiatives and more on strengthening the systems that govern how the city operates.
A central item on the agenda is an ordinance consolidating all city boards, commissions, and authorities into a single chapter of the municipal code. City staff say the change is intended to improve clarity, consistency, and long-term administration as Bentonville continues to add advisory bodies and regulatory responsibilities. The reorganization also updates term limits, staff support provisions, and removal procedures for several boards, reflecting what officials describe as current practice. CC + COTW Agenda 12-09-25 - Pac…
Public safety governance is also expanding to match how the city functions in practice. Council will consider a memorandum of understanding allowing Bentonville Police to enforce state and local traffic laws on private roadways within Walmart’s Home Office campus. While the roads remain privately owned, the agreement recognizes the campus’s scale and daily traffic volumes, effectively treating it as part of the city’s transportation network. CC + COTW Agenda 12-09-25 - Pac…
On the operational side, council members are expected to approve 2026 pay plan changes that include adjustments for police and fire personnel, as well as a general increase across pay grades. The changes are already incorporated into the adopted budget and are framed as a retention and competitiveness measure rather than an expansion of spending. CC + COTW Agenda 12-09-25 - Pac…
Infrastructure investments make up a significant portion of the agenda through the Utility Board, including sewer interceptor construction, water service line replacements, and cost-share agreements with developers. Several projects are designed not just to serve immediate needs, but to accommodate future basin-wide development, signaling a strategy of building capacity ahead of demand rather than reacting to it later. CC + COTW Agenda 12-09-25 - Pac…
Planning items continue Bentonville’s gradual shift toward denser and more mixed-use development, with rezonings from agricultural and low-density residential classifications to downtown residential and mixed-use commercial zoning. Planning Commission recommendations on these items were unanimous, reinforcing a consistent direction for growth near major corridors and the city core. CC + COTW Agenda 12-09-25 - Pac…
Taken together, the agenda reflects a city moving beyond rapid expansion and into a phase focused on governance structure, operational stability, and long-term planning — laying groundwork intended to support continued growth without overextending city systems.
