Lonoke City Council Budget meeting 1/22/2026

The City of Lonoke held a budget meeting on January 22, 2026, focusing on various departmental budget approvals and capital improvement needs. Key procurement discussions included the necessity to replace the city's copper-based phone system with an internet-based system due to AT&T discontinuing copper lines, with funding anticipated from miscellaneous budget lines. The fire department highlighted the urgent need to order a new fire pump truck, with an estimated budget contingency of approximately $800,000 to cover fire truck purchases over five years. The council approved motions to proceed with the fire department's budget and authorized moving forward with specifications for the new pump truck. Additional budget approvals were made for administration, community development, courts, ballpark, and mosquito control departments. The meeting also touched on potential future capital improvements such as remodeling a fire department trailer and replacing aging equipment like a golf cart for municipal use.