Welcome to another edition of the Jonesboro City Council Explication Project, a project by a political nerd for political nerds or anyone who wants to learn more about their city government. Remember that municipal (city council), county (quorum court), and state government (state legislature) bodies have a bigger impact on your day to day life than the president. You can watch the meetings live on the city’s Facebook page at City of Jonesboro, AR – Government.
If you would like me to email you when these posts go live message me and share what email I should use (only I will ever see it).
There is also a Public Works Committee meeting at 5:00PM before the City Council meeting. There are two property purchases on the agenda. If you’re interested that agenda is available here.
Agenda: https://jonesboro.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=870352&GUID=D1FC9DBE-9E72-4CD4-B6AD-C19FCE0192DD.
1. Call to Order 5:30PM
2. Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation
3. Roll Call
4. Special Presentations
5. Consent Agenda
MIN-21:056: Minutes for the City Council meeting on June 15, 2021.
Commentary: If all you can do is read the minutes of the last meeting, you should read the minutes of the last meeting.
RES-21:090: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 200 S Allis, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-144181-40800, owned by Michael Duane Darling.
Commentary: Property owner had open entries they needed to be fixed/boarded up and didn’t perform these tasks. The city did it and charged them $315. There are more of these below.
RES-21:091: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 309 N Second, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-144182-17700, owned by Johnny Meadows.
Commentary: Property owner had overgrown grass and didn’t mow it. The city did it and charged them $175. This is a theme with these types of liens.
RES-21:092: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 317 N Second, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-144182-17500, owned by Marshall Mooney.
RES-21:094: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 1112 W Huntington, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-143134-01500, owned by Mabry’s Properties & Holding.
RES-21:095: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 1305 Oakhurst, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-143133-18700, owned by Dian Franklin, LLC.
Commentary: Property owner had a bunch of trash lying around and didn’t clean it up. The city cleaned up, hauled off the garbage, and charged them $515.
RES-21:096: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 1328 w. huntington, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-143133-18100, owned by DKI, LLC.
RES-21:115: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 409 N Fisher, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-144181-10500, owned by Paul D. Gambill.
RES-21:107: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 4304 Race St., Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-144271-19900, owned by Charles Craig Conyers.
RES-21:108: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 2501 Mary Jane, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-144272-24200, owned by Kenneth L. & Dena Broadway.
RES-21:109: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 1313 Pardew, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-144212-20200, owned by Michelle Nutt.
RES-21:110: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 1020 Hope, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-144173-04400, owned by Gary Toombs.
RES-21:111: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 1014 S Culberhouse, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-144192-21300, owned by Charles E Noell, Jr.
RES-21:112: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 816 Hoover, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-144181-14800, owned by Robert Whitaker.
RES-21:113: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 716 W Washington ave, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-143134-17800, owned by HRB Properties, Inc.
RES-21:114: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 500 Allen, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-144181-30100, owned by Kenny Coleman.
RES-21:116: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 405 State, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-144171-03500, owned by Charles E Noell, Jr.
RES-21:117: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 204 Woodrow, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-144073-23400, owned by Newell Coots.
RES-21:118: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 200 S Allis, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-144181-40800, owned by Michael Duane Darling.
Commentary: I thought this was the same as RES-21:090 but it’s for a different issue at the same property. This property owner is having a Bad Time.
RES-21:119: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 200 Mulberry, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-144074-09600, owned by Leon Jones.
RES-21:121: A resolution of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas accepting a donation of land from the Jonesboro Economic Development Corporation.
Commentary: A group wants to donate 9.69 acres of land for the Industrial Park Rail Project. This resolution is Jonesboro accepting said donation.
RES-21:122: A resolution of the city council of Jonesboro, Arkansas, certifying local government endorsement of business to participate in the Tax Back Program (as authorized by Dection 15-4-2706(d) of the Consolidated Incentive Act of 2003).
Commentary: This is going over my head but apparently Nestle wants some kind of tax break through this program but to get it they need the city to endorse them. There’s more about this here if you’re really interested.
RES-21:123: A resolution authorizing the City of Jonesboro Grants and Community Development to apply for the Department of Housing and Urban Development FY21 Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant.
Commentary: Jonesboro is requesting $350,000 for what it calls a “Transformation Plan”: “The plan would include comprehensive studies on adding sidewalks and other transportation features, developing new neighborhood amenities, increasing safety, attracting new business growth, and rehabilitating or constructing affordable housing”. The Department of Housing and Urban Development will fund 95% of the cost and the city has to do a 5% match.
RES-21:124: A resolution expressing the willingness of the City of Jonesboro to submit an application to the Department of Transportation for the FY21 Raise Grant for the upper half of the Jonesboro Connectivity Master Plan.
Commentary: The city would like to apply for federal funds in order to start completing some of the walking/biking trails to connect different parts of the city together. I can’t find the plans now, but I browsed a proposed design and it looked very cool and would make walking around in different parts of town way more enjoyable.
RES-21:125: A resolution by the city council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to place a municipal lien on property located at 1506 Pratt Circle, Jonesboro, AR 72401, Parcel 01-144082-09900, owned by Charles H. Bowman.
Commentary: One last lien for the road. Mow your lawns or the city will do it for you and charge you the price of a whole push mower.
6. New Business
RES-21:120: A resolution setting a public hearing for Industrial Development Revenue Bonds.
Commentary: Under state law, cities in Arkansas can issue revenue bonds. A revenue bond is “a special type of municipal bond distinguished by its guarantee of repayment solely from revenues generated by a specified revenue-generating entity associated with the purpose of the bonds, rather than from a tax.” Nestle would like one of these bonds from the city to expand. To do this, there needs to be a public hearing, and this resolution allows the city to set a date and time for it. Passing this resolution doesn’t mean the bond will be issued yet, I’m pretty sure.
ORD-21:026: An ordinance to the City of Jonesboro to place various traffic signs at designated locations as determined by the traffic control committee (first reading).
ORD-21:027: An ordinance to authorize the City of Jonesboro to un-restrict the remaining capital improvement funds, originally allocated for 2016-2020 Statewide Transportation Improvement Projects (STIP) and account for them in general fund un-appropriated reserves and declaring an emergency.
Commentary: In 2016 funds were moved from a general fund to a fund where money could only be used in one specific area via an ordinance. For some reason I’m not clear on, there’s an emergency. “The City Council further finds and declares that an emergency exists due to the need for financial continuity of City of Jonesboro’s various financial funds”. I don’t know what “financial continuity” means in this context. I assume this will pass and when it does it will go into immediate effect instead of having three readings like ordinances normally get. That means the $4,083,953 in STIP funds will now be able to be used for other projects the city might need it for.
ORD-21:029: An ordinance to amend Chapter 117, Article III, known as the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, providing for changes in zoning boundaries from C-4, LUO, Neighborhood Commercial District to C-3, General Commercial District for property located at 5441 and 5443 Southwest Drive as requested by John Easley of Associated Engineering on behalf of David and Deborah Hartshorn (first reading).
ORD-21:030: An ordinance to amend Chapter 117, Article III, known as the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, providing for changes in zoning boundaries from R-1 Single Family Residential to I-2 General Industrial District for property located at 6609 C.W. Post Road, Jonesboro, AR as requested by John Stuckey (first reading).
ORD-21:031: An ordinance amending Chapter 117, known as the Zoning Ordinance providing for changes in zoning boundaries of Jonesboro, Arkansas, from R-2, Multi-family Low Density District to C-3 General Commercial District for property located at 3003 Kingsbury Drive as requested by Duyen Tran, owner (first reading).
7. Unfinished Business
ORD-21:021: An ordinance for a private club permit for Improving Lives, Inc. d/b/a The Social of Jonesboro to be located at 1004 Chancery Lane, Jonesboro, Arkansas (third reading).
Commentary: Restaurant (new? not new? I can never tell.) wants to serve alcohol. This will have three readings, so buckle in for the anti-alcohol folks to speak against it even though we all know the council will approve it unless the dude applying is revealed to be a secret cannibal or something.
ORD-21:022: An ordinance to the City of Jonesboro to place various traffic signs at designated locations as determined by the Traffic Control Committee (third reading).
Commentary: This ordinance would set new speed limits, established No Parking Zones, and place new stop signs. The whole list is in the legislative item. When you open the link it will load on the “History” page; make sure to click on “Text” link next to it to see the list.
ORD-21:023: An ordinance regarding abandoning and vacating a utility easement in a part of Lot 2 of Staton Minor Plat on Wood Street as requested by Michael Boggs from Tralan Engineering on behalf of C3, LLC (third reading).
ORD-21:025: An ordinance to amend the Jonesboro Code of Ordinances Chapter 2 Article 3, entitled City Council, establishing City Council rules and procedures for 2021 (third reading).
Commentary: I wrote about this here and also here. I believe these are all good rules that will help the council better manage their time, set expectations for the public, and expand accessibility. If you agree, you should write in and tell them so, because the opposed may show up around the third reading. If you disagree, you should still write in! Communicating your preferences is important! Here are some directions:
- Create a new email with an email account you don’t mind being public.
- Address it to aldermen@jonesboro.org.
- Add cityclerk@jonesboro.org in the CC field.
- Be sure to include “ORD-21:025” in the subject line to make it easy for council members to pick it out of their inbox.
- Write your thoughts about the ordinance in the email body. It should be short. “I support ORD-21:025, please vote yes!” is solid.
- Add your name and your street name (I would leave off the street number for safety reasons.)
- Send and give yourself 10 civics points!
8. Mayor’s Reports
COM-21:030: May 2021 Financial Reports.
Commentary: Lots of numbers here for those that like to see where the city is spending money. This is the overview document if you’re like me and are like, “No, thank you.” with regard to numbers.
In the overview document, there’s a a line: “With the rise of fuel prices this year, we have purchased 12,340 fewer gallons than last year, but have spent $54,990 more in fuel.” Mmmm, seems like perhaps the city should start considering moving toward electric vehicles!