Jonesboro Finance & Administration Council Committee Meeting - October 14, 2025
Jonesboro Finance & Administration Council Committee Meeting - October 14, 2025
The Finance & Administration Council Committee of the City of Jonesboro met on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at 4:00 PM at the Municipal Center. Committee members present: Joe Hafner (Chairman), Charles Coleman, John Street, David McClain, and Brian Emison. Absent: Ann Williams and Anthony Coleman. All votes were 4-0 in favor, with the two absent members not voting. The meeting covered approval of minutes, three annual mill tax levies, 19 municipal liens, and a professional services agreement for a rail crossing study.
Approval of Minutes
- MIN-25:088: Minutes from the September 30, 2025 Finance Committee meeting were approved unanimously (motion by John Street, second by Brian Emison, 4-0).
New Business
Mill Tax Levies (Items RES-25:124, RES-25:125, RES-25:126)
Chairman Joe Hafner clarified that these three resolutions are not new taxes but annual legislative steps required for taxes already approved by voters. All three were recommended to the full City Council unanimously:
- RES-25:124: Levy of 1 mill on real and personal property for the Public Library.
- RES-25:125: Levy of 0.5 mill for the Local Fire Pension and Relief Fund.
- RES-25:126: Levy of 0.5 mill for the Local Police Pension and Relief Fund.
Municipal Liens (Items RES-25:141 through RES-25:158)
The committee considered 19 resolutions to place municipal liens on properties for code enforcement costs (mowing, cleanup). Each was moved and seconded (motions by John Street, seconds by Brian Emison) and passed 4-0. The properties, owners, and lien amounts are:
- 4904 Prospect (Edward G. Harbin, $465)
- 5017 Mt. Carmel Rd (Katherine Arterberry, $1,215)
- 1613 Tanglewood Dr (Herbert J. Moore Jr., $275)
- 903 Parr (Kate Realty, LLC, $365)
- 3001 Casey Springs Rd (Ashley N. Burnett, $415)
- 910 Marcom (Wilda Seats, $275)
- 211 Scott St (Linda Lou Lambert, $275)
- 1702 W. Nettleton Ave (1702 W. Nettleton Ave. LLC, $275)
- 2701 Curtview (Jessy & James Harrell, $275)
- 2404 Brazos (Kingdom Assets, LLC, $365)
- 2106 Cotton (Mickaul Rolland, $275)
- 2612 Crawford (Randy & Aley Crawford, $275)
- 1313 Pardew (Michelle Nutt, $275)
- 1602 Tonya-A (Martisull, LLC c/o Richard Sullivan, $340)
- 1602 Tonya-B (Martisull, LLC c/o Richard Sullivan, $125)
- 1204 Rainwood (Amanda Cunningham, $275)
- 1617 Rich Rd (Randolph & Judith Reynolds, $275)
- 907 E. Washington Ave (Grover Evans, $275)
During discussion of the Grover Evans lien, Chairman Hafner noted the name matched a deceased person, but City Clerk April Leggett confirmed a search showed it was not the same individual. Chief Administrative Officer Brian Richardson praised Code Enforcement for resolving many cases without resorting to liens. Chairman Hafner requested that the Finance or Collector’s offices provide an update on amounts collected from municipal liens over the past few years; Richardson agreed to obtain that information.
Rail Crossing Study Agreement (RES-25:159)
The committee considered a resolution to enter into an agreement with Bridgefarmer and Associates, Inc. for professional services for the Jonesboro Rail Crossing Study. The city was awarded a FY24 Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant of $1,200,000. The local match is 10%, with BNSF agreeing to contribute up to $150,000 (capped at 5% of total grant cost). The total agreement value is $1,365,683. Director of Engineering Craig Light explained the study will examine all 18 public rail crossings along the BNSF South Subdivision (from Henson Road to Cottage Home Road) and develop 30% plans for improvements, including possible crossing consolidations, bridges, and rail relocation. Councilmember Dr. Charles Coleman asked about design work; Light confirmed that after 30% plans, the city would seek additional funding for 100% design and construction. Chief Administrative Officer Brian Richardson noted that the 30% plans will provide sufficient detail to apply for capital construction grants (e.g., for overpass projects costing $15M–$30M). The resolution was recommended to full council (4-0).
Key Outcomes
- All 23 items (minutes, 3 tax levies, 19 municipal liens, and the rail crossing study agreement) were unanimously recommended to the full City Council (4-0 votes, with two members absent).
- The committee requested a report on historical collections from municipal liens, to be provided by the Finance or Collector’s offices.
- No public comments were made. The meeting adjourned at an unspecified time following a motion by Brian Emison, seconded by David McClain (4-0).
Meeting Transcript
All right, good afternoon, everybody. It's four o'clock. I'm gonna call today's finance and administration council meeting to order. Um, please go ahead and record your attendance. If you're not here, don't press anything. Well, you're here. My clone is. You're physically here. If you're physically here, please press a button. Always always a stickler. All right, we do have a quorum. We'll move into item number three approval of minutes from the Tuesday, September 30th meeting. Move to approval as there's no change. Second. Oh, second, to approve any comments or questions on the minutes as presented. If not, please record your vote on whether or not to approve the minutes. All right, we'll move into new business first up. I just want to say one thing about these first three items. I say this each year. These are not new taxes. This is just a legislative step, administrative step that we have to go through each year. But these have already been voted on and approved by the people. Um resolution 25124, resolution by the city council of City of Jonesboro, Arkansas to levy a one mil tax on all real and personal property for the public library, whereas pursuant to the terms of amendment 30 of the Constitution of the State of Arkansas, a duly qualified election was held upon presentation of a petition by voters, whereas a majority of the electors voted in favor of the establishment of a public library and further approved an annual levy on all real and personal property within the city for the support operation and maintenance of the public library, specifying a rate of taxation of one meals on the dollar. And whereas these questions being answered by a majority of the qualified voters, the mayor proclaimed it adopted by law. Now, therefore, be it resolved by city council for the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas, that section one pursuant to the millish rollback computation, Arkansas Statute 84493.2 section three, Act 848. The tax action taxation will be as follows. On all real property, the taxes are at the rate of one mil on the dollar and on all personal property excepting household goods, the rate is one mil on the dollar. Move forward to full council. Second. Seeing none, please vote on whether or not to forward resolution 25124 to full council. Resolution 25125, resolution by the city council of the city of Jonesville, Arkansas to levy a one half mil tax on all real and personal property for the local fire pension and relief fund. Whereas a duly qualified election was held in accordance with ACA 2411812 to provide for a tax levy not to exceed one mil on the dollar upon the excess value of the real and personal property contained in the city for the purposes of funding a local pension and relief fund for fire department personnel and their survivors. And whereas a majority of those voting approved the levy to fund the local pension fund, and whereas the above law requires an annual levy be made by the city council and certified to the county clerk. And whereas the city council finds that in order to raise said sum, it is necessary to levy a tax of one half mil on the dollar on all real property and one half mil on the dollar of all personal property excepting household goods. And whereas the city has consolidated administration of its local fire pension and relief fund with the Arkansas Local Police and Fire Retirement System. Now therefore be it resolved by City Council for the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, that section one, the city clerk is hereby authorized and directed to extend said tax upon the tax book and that the same be collected in the same manner as other property taxes are collected. Move forward to full council. Second. If not, please record your vote on whether or not to forward resolution 25-125 to full council. Resolution 25-126. Resolution by the City Council of the City of Jonesburg, Arkansas, to levy a one-half mil tax on all real and personal property for the local police pension and relief fund. Whereas a duly qualified election was held in accordance with ACA 2411404 to provide for a tax levy not to exceed one mil on the dollar upon the excess value of the real and personal property contained in the city for the purpose of funding a local pension and relief fund for police officers and their survivors. And whereas the majority of those voting approved the levy to fund the local pension fund, and whereas the above law requires an annual levy be made by the city council and certified to the county clerk. Now therefore be resolved by City Council for the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas. That section one, the county clerk is hereby authorized and directed to extend said tax upon the tax book and that the same be collected in the same manner as other property taxes are collected. Move forward to full council. Second. Motion second forward to full council. Any questions or comments regarding this item? If not, please record your vote on whether or not to forward resolution 25-126 to full council.
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