Rogers Council Advances Airport Expansion, Street Improvements, and Employee Health Fund Adjustment

The Rogers City Council met on October 28, approving key budget amendments aimed at improving city infrastructure, expanding airport capacity, and stabilizing employee health funding.

Council members voted to allocate $250,000 from the city’s Street Fund reserves for ongoing improvements at the intersection of Walnut Street and 24th Street. The funds will support design work, land acquisition, utility relocation, and construction at the busy corridor—one of the city’s major east-west connections. The project is part of a broader effort to reduce congestion and enhance safety in central Rogers.

Another major item focused on the Rogers Executive Airport, where the council approved a $388,843 appropriation to expand the T-Hangar apron. The project, supported by a $300,000 grant from the Arkansas Department of Aeronautics, will add aircraft parking and improve taxiway circulation. The construction contract was awarded to Grant Garrett Excavating, Inc., with an additional $35,000 contingency for utility relocation in partnership with SWEPCO.

The Council also amended the city’s 2025 budget to account for $1.17 million in excess loss reinsurance funds within the city’s self-funded health insurance program. The adjustment ensures that incoming funds are properly allocated to cover health claims, maintaining the program’s transparency and financial stability for city employees.

In addition to financial measures, council members considered a rezoning request by CCSM Ventures to change property near Pearl and Electric streets from T4.1 (Neighborhood Medium-Intensity) to T4.2 (Neighborhood High-Intensity) under the city’s Unified Development Code. The change aligns with long-term goals for higher-density infill development near downtown.