Jonesboro City Council Meeting Summary - November 18, 2025

The City Council of Jonesboro convened on November 18, 2025, welcoming a new city official and honoring community volunteers through the "Thanks for Giving" awards. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to a critical legal presentation by attorney Sean Baker regarding recent legislative changes to Arkansas's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which fundamentally alters how council members may communicate. The council subsequently approved condemnations of two properties, authorized funding for new fire trucks, and voted on several ordinances, while also tabling one ordinance indefinitely pending further public review due to potential FOIA violations in prior communications.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of minutes and routine administrative items (specifically listed as "items on the consent agenda" which were unanimously adopted).
• Motion to adopt the consent agenda was made by the Mayor, seconded, and carried unanimously with no objections.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mayor's Presentation: Extended gratitude to Centennial Bank for sponsoring the community volunteer awards. Introduced Chris Richie as the new City Director of Grants and Community Development, highlighting his background as CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Louis County and former State Representative.
• Awards Ceremony: Presented the "Thanks for Giving Community Volunteer Awards" to:
  • Pastor Matt Smith (Refuge Church): Recognized for chairing the Mayor's Faith Advisory Council and sponsoring the E911 Dispatch Center.
  • Shauna Woolbright (Founder/Executive Director, NEA Divine Intervention): Honored for expanding the recovery organization to an 8,000-square-foot facility, including specific rooms for "Dress for Success" and other re-entry services.
  • Colonel C.H. Overby: Recognized for decades of veteran support, modernizing the Craig County Veteran Service Office, and serving on the Beck Center board.
• Attorney Sean Baker's Testimony: Delivered a detailed analysis of new FOIA laws, stating a POSITION that all deliberations, opinions, and discussions regarding city business must now occur exclusively in noticed public meetings. He expressed concern that informal communications (texting, emailing, social media threads) constitute violations that could invalidate legislative actions and result in Class C misdemeanor charges.
• Citizen Patty Latt: Expressed strong opposition to the existing left-hand turn access at the intersection of Elmhurst Drive and Parker Road. She stated that the RDOT originally prohibited left turns south of the intersection due to safety hazards, but the city currently permits left turns onto the main road. She argued that the volume of 295 left turns in 13 hours (pre-development) and the planned expansion of the area pose a critical risk of accidents, particularly for 18-wheeler trucks.
• Citizen James Lwinhein: Regarding Ordinance 25033 and 25035 (Private Club Permits), expressed a NEUTRAL POSITION, stating no preference on voting but emphasizing the need for the city to exercise its choice. He raised a concern that the old law lacked enforcement teeth and warned against the potential precedent of using the transfer of location permits to issue new permits for establishments with a history of "horror" issues (likely referring to past violations), arguing that licenses should be tracked rather than re-issued.

Discussion Items

• Presentation on FOIA Changes (Ordinance 25037 & Council Conduct): Attorney Sean Baker clarified that the new law requires all policy deliberation to happen in public meetings, prohibiting private messaging, texting, or social media discussions about topics before the council. Council members discussed the implications, with Councilman Moore and Councilwoman Street expressing confusion and concern regarding town hall meetings where multiple council members are present; it was determined that while listening to constituents is permissible, offering opinions on future agenda items in such settings could be a violation. Councilman Street suggested that seeking background information from staff or fellow council members is still permissible, but soliciting "leanings" on issues is not. Mayor Hill noted the severity of the law, acknowledging the risk of criminal prosecution and the invalidation of votes.
• FOIA Violation in Ordinance 25037: The Council discussed Ordinance 25037 (removing boat/trailer registration requirements), which had allegedly been discussed via email prior to the meeting. City Attorney Duncan and Assistant City Attorney Carol offered conflicting positions on the remedy: Attorney Duncan suggested pulling the item to start over, while Carol argued for postponing the vote to allow public notification of the potential violation and opportunity to comment. The Council ultimately chose to postpone the item to avoid setting a precedent where ordinances could be killed via improper communication.
• Budget and Staff Communication: It was clarified that while staff can provide background information to council members, they cannot "poll" council members (e.g., asking "Are you good with this?" or "How do you lean?") outside of public meetings, as this is strictly prohibited.
• Ridge Athletic Center Project: Mayor Hill provided a report on construction progress, expressing pride in the project. He stated that the facility will include a 65,000-square-foot gymnasium, pools, and is on track for a Q1 2027 opening. He mentioned his personal experience operating a crane for the project, noting the project's scale.
• Master Growth Plan: Matthew Miller (DPZ) and Julie Kelso (Crafton Toll) presented the initial phase of the master growth plan. They stated they are in the data collection and stakeholder engagement phase, having met with 26 diverse community members. They outlined a timeline for the first draft, public charrettes (March 30-April 3), and final adoption in 2027.
• Litigation Report: Carol requested a report on litigation matters. She stated that a detailed report briefing on active cases, including progress and representation, has been provided to all council members and is self-explanatory.

Key Outcomes

• Personnel: Chris Richie was welcomed as the new Director of Grants and Community Development.
• Condemnations:
  • Resolution 25137: Carried unanimously to condemn property at 233 South Fisher Street (Owner: Michael Kevin Kelly).
  • Resolution 25138: Carried unanimously to condemn property at 505 West Woodrow Street (Owners: Thomas and Linda Bobbitt).
• Fire Truck Funding: Resolution 25165 passed unanimously. The City Council requested that City Water and Light (CWL) contribute $600,000 in 2025 and $600,000 in 2026 (Total: $1,200,000) from surplus funds toward the purchase of two new fire trucks. The total estimated cost for the two trucks is $2,419,767 ($1,558,852 for the aerial ladder truck and $860,915 for the pumper truck). A future resolution will be required to approve the actual purchase.
• Ordinance 25033 (Private Club Permits): Passed on third reading. The ordinance approves the transfer of a private club permit for Parsonage LLC.
• Ordinance 25037 (Boat Trailer/Recreational Vehicle Registration): Postponed until December 16, 2025. The Council decided to delay the vote to address the potential FOIA violation regarding prior email communications, allowing the public time to review the situation and ensuring good faith efforts to correct the error. (Note: The transcript initially mentioned April 2026, but the council voted for the December 16, 2026 date; however, logic dictates a correction to December 2025 based on the context of the meeting date). Correction based on transcript context: The council voted to postpone to the December 16th meeting. Given the meeting date is November 18, 2025, the postponement is to December 16, 2025 (the transcript mentions "25 25 year" which appears to be a transcription error for 2025, or a reference to the 2025 budget cycle).
• Ordinance 25038 (Traffic Signs): Passed on second reading to be placed on the third reading agenda (final adoption scheduled for next meeting).
• Ordinance 25039 (Firefighter Bill of Rights): Passed on second reading to be placed on the third reading agenda (final adoption scheduled for next meeting).
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned following public comments.