Finance & Administration Council Committee Meeting – September 30, 2025
Finance & Administration Council Committee Meeting – September 30, 2025
The Finance & Administration Council Committee of Jonesboro met on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at 4:00 PM in the Municipal Center. Six members were present (Joe Hafner, Charles Coleman, Ann Williams, John Street, David McClain, Brian Emison); Anthony Coleman was absent. The committee reviewed minutes from September 9, 2025, introduced one ordinance, and considered five resolutions. Discussion also covered bus stop shelters and pedestrian infrastructure. All items were recommended to the full City Council.
Minutes Approval
- The minutes of the September 9, 2025 Finance Committee meeting were approved by a vote of 5 ayes (Charles Coleman, Ann Williams, John Street, David McClain, Brian Emison) and 1 absent (Anthony Coleman).
New Business – Ordinances
- ORD-25:034 – Mid-South Auto Service Authorization: An ordinance to allow Mid-South Auto Service (owned by city employee Justin Tittle) to do business with the city, as required by Arkansas Code §14-42-107. Parks Director Danny Kapales confirmed that Mid-South had been servicing city vehicles before Tittle became softball coordinator. Councilmember David McClain asked about the prohibition on municipal employees having contracts; Chairman Joe Hafner explained that special permission and disclosure are the standard process, and this ordinance provides that. The committee voted 5 ayes to recommend the ordinance to the full council.
New Business – Resolutions
-
RES-25:128 – Matrix Consulting Group for Building Code Review & Permitting Assessment: A resolution to accept a cost proposal and issue a purchase order to Matrix Consulting Group for a third-party study of the city’s permitting and inspection processes. Engineering Director Craig Light stated the study would review internal processes, identify bottlenecks, and could recommend modernization, including potential use of AI and customer surveys. Councilmember John Street inquired about a customer survey and focus group; Director Light confirmed that architects, general contractors, and home builders would be invited. Councilmember David McClain asked whether the study would recommend changing the online permitting system; Light said recommendations are unknown until the study completes (estimated three months). Councilmember Dr. Charles Coleman raised the issue of Spanish-language accessibility on the online permit portal; Light said that could be addressed. The committee voted 5 ayes to recommend.
-
RES-25:129 – Marion Berry Parkway Multiuse Trail – Additional Services Fee Proposal: A resolution to approve a fee proposal of $19,801 for trail design and $18,400 for lighting design from Pickering Firm Inc., funded from the capital improvement budget. No questions were raised. The committee voted 5 ayes to recommend.
-
RES-25:131 – FY2023 Low-No Emissions Grant for Hybrid Trolley Buses: A resolution to accept a federal grant of $1,010,372 from the Federal Transit Administration, provide a 15% local match, and accept a sole-source bid of $1,188,672 from Hometown Manufacturing Inc. for the purchase of four hybrid trolley buses. No questions were raised. The committee voted 5 ayes to recommend.
-
RES-25:132 – Municipal Lien on 616 E. Oak ($275): A resolution to place a lien on property owned by Joyce Scarborough for code enforcement costs. No questions. Voted 5 ayes to recommend.
-
RES-25:133 – Municipal Lien on 1400 Merrywood ($315): A resolution to place a lien on property owned by Tonya R. Hinds. No questions. Voted 5 ayes to recommend.
-
RES-25:134 – Municipal Lien on 3806 School Street ($275): A resolution to place a lien on property owned by Olga Hernandez. No questions. Voted 5 ayes to recommend.
Other Business
-
Bus Stop Shelters: Councilmember Dr. Charles Coleman asked about progress on installing shelters at JETS bus stops. Chief Administrative Officer Brian Richardson reported that a contractor has been selected and is in the ordering phase; delivery is expected before the end of the year. Some concrete pads had to be repoured to meet ADA and anchoring requirements. Richardson commended the Grants, JETS, and Engineering departments for persisting through challenges, including the original manufacturer going out of business. Dr. Coleman expressed concern about riders standing in cold weather.
-
Sidewalks on North Patrick: Councilmember Ann Williams raised the need for sidewalks on North Patrick Street, noting a JETS bus stop there and the potential to use federal transit funds (as was done for Caraway sidewalks). Brian Richardson confirmed that JETS and Finance are working on next year’s action plan and budget to request federal funds for pedestrian infrastructure in high-need areas. Dr. Charles Coleman clarified that sidewalks currently exist only in front of a new housing development (developer-built) but are missing from that point to Magnolia. Richardson stated there are no pedestrian accommodations along most of that stretch. The committee discussed using upcoming federal transit funding opportunities to address the gap.
Public Comments
- None.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes approved (5-0-1 absent).
- Ordinance ORD-25:034 recommended to full council (5-0-1 absent).
- Resolutions RES-25:128, RES-25:129, RES-25:131, RES-25:132, RES-25:133, RES-25:134 all recommended to full council (each 5-0-1 absent).
- The committee adjourned by motion (5-0-1 absent).
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, everybody. It's four o'clock. I'm gonna call today's Finance Administration Council Committee meeting to order. Um, please record your attendance if you're here. Do have a quorum. Next up is approval approval of minutes from the finance committee meeting on Tuesday, September 9th, 2025. Move to approve unless there's an order to change. Second. I motion second. Any questions or comments on the minutes as presented? If not, please record your vote on whether or not to approve the minutes. Next up, we'll move into new business. First up is ordinance 25034, an ordinance authorizing Mid South Auto Service to do business with the City of Jonesboro, whereas Arkansas Code annotated 1442 107 provides that interest in office or contracts is prohibited by any alderman, council member, official or municipal employee, and whereas Justin Tittle is owner or owns an interest in mid-South Auto Service located in Jonesville, Arkansas, and whereas Mid South Auto Service is one of many auto repair shops that provide services to municipalities and individuals, and whereas the City of Jones Rural desires to have Mid South Auto Service continue their availability to provide services in accordance with standard purchasing guidelines followed by the city, and whereas special permissions required by the city council for mid South Auto Service owned by City Parks employee Justin Tittle to provide these services to for the City of Jonesboro. Now therefore be enacted by the City Council of for the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas that section one, the city council for the city of Jonesboro gives special permission for mid South Auto Service owned by Justin Tittle, a city employee to provide auto repair services to the city of Jonesboro. Move forward to full council. Second. Motion second forward to full council. Any questions or comments from the committee? I have a couple of questions, Mr. Chairman on this one. Um has he already been providing services? Has Mid South already been providing services for the city? Yes, sir. Prior to him coming on as softball coordinator, uh, Mid South has provided our percentage of auto repairs for city vehicles. Softball coordinator. Uh just in the last few months. Got it. Yeah, good. Yeah, so I just didn't want to take away from that opportunity. It's not, and he isn't the only business that provides that service. It's just I didn't want to take the opportunity away. So we he provides just for parks and records in like police. Any city uh vehicle potentially wants to go there. It's just part of the same uh auto repair service that any other provider provides in the city. So I guess the follow-up question, Mr. Chairman, so it spells it out that no employee, municipal employee, can have a contract with us. So are we I understand we're asking for special permission, but I mean am I wrong that it spells it out pretty clearly we can't? I I don't think that's exactly correct. Um we've had past instances where city employees, city council members, etc. have had businesses that have done business with the city just has to be disclosed. Do they do a similar agreement? Which is what we're doing right now, right? But do they do a similar agreement? Yeah, we're doing the same process. Yeah, this is actually a copy of that agreement and adjusted to it from a another situation the same way. So the auditor every year comes in and asks for that. State auditors does. Okay, okay. Thank you. It's only question I had anything else from the committee.
openpublica.com