Good evening, everybody.

How are you all doing tonight?

Good to see everybody present.

Welcome to City Council.

This is November 18th already at 2025.

I'm going to go ahead and lead us in pledge allegiance, and Councilman Brian Emerson will lead the invocation.

If you would please stand.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

And through the Republican.

One nation.

Would you bow your heads and pray with me?

Dear Lord, thank you for bringing us all here safely tonight to do the work of the city and to be a guiding light to all the individuals that look upon our city.

And this being the council meeting before Thanksgiving, I want to take time and I just want to say thank you for all the blessings that you've bestowed on all of us and the City of Jonesboro.

And Lord, just please be with us as we go about our daily business and just please forgive us where we fail you and thank you for everything that you do for us.

Amen.

Thank you, Councilman.

If you would please go ahead, Council, and mark your presence.

Everybody marked present.

Okay.

All right.

We do have quorum for tonight's meeting, so I'm going to go ahead and move to item number four.

These are items on special presentation.

It's a good time of year, Council, and it's always nice to stand before you as always.

But uh this evening I'd like to recognize we have a new member to our team.

Um before he stands, I want to give you a little bit of background.

His name is Chris Richie from Benton, Arkansas.

He is going to be the city's new director of grants and community development.

His previous experience includes being the chief executive officer of the boys and girls clubs of Salene County, where he led the development, submission, and stewardship of federal, state, local, and private foundation grants.

He also oversaw the communication of all structural and operational details for board review and approval of four facilities operated by the organization.

He also previously served as the executive director of the Phillips County Chamber of Commerce.

He also represented Helena West Helena, District 12 and the Arkansas House of Representatives.

In those roles, he advocated for economic development, educational issues, and job training through organizational programming and collaborations with local, state, and national organizations.

Having known Chris through the legislature, I'm excited to bring his experience, knowledge, and integrity to the city of Jonesboro to fill one of our most important roles, community development and grants, two areas that are crucial for the growth at the highest level of the City of Jonesboro.

As grants and community development, Richie will oversee and direct all operations of the department, including grant management, neighborhood initiatives, community, and economic development.

He's a graduate of Wachita Baptist University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in history and political science.

He holds a master's degree in history at Arkansas State University that was awarded in 1995.

Chris and his lovely wife Holly.

They have two children.

One is a nuclear sub.

He's now on a sub, if I'm not mistaken, Chris, correct.

And he has a young son that's in 10th grade, and they plan on making their home here in Jonesboro.

So I would appreciate counsel and those in the room tonight to give a warm welcome, a Jonesboro welcome to Chris Richie as our new grants director.

Chris, very well.

And it's sponsored by Centennial Bank of Jonesboro.

This is where we recognize the contributions of our community volunteers through Thanks for Giving Community Volunteer Awards.

These dedicated individuals selflessly give of their time, talents, expertise, and resources to support the vital work of our city departments and make a meaningful impact in our community.

They're essential to our community, the success of many programs and initiatives that benefit our residents and enhance the quality of life right here in Jonesboro.

Without their dedication and service, many of these initiatives would simply just not be possible.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Centennial Bank for sponsoring this effort to honor these outstanding individuals.

Together, we collaborate the commitment with a positive difference they make every day.

So I'm going to begin this evening.

Brittany, if you would please come up.

She represents Centennial Bank.

The first awardee is Pastor Matt Smith.

Pastor Matt, if you would please come forward.

He is a pastor of refuge church and assembly of God.

He serves our community with exceptional dedication as the chair of the Mayor's Faith Advisement Council and sponsor of the E911 Dispatch Center.

The Mayor's Faith Advancement Council meets monthly with the city administration as a bridge between the City of Jonesboro and our diverse faith communities.

The purpose is to provide insight, guidance, and support on community needs while fostering collaboration and open communication.

The council spends time and prayer together over concerns and helps strengthen outreach efforts with insight from pastors' perspectives to promote a more connected and a compassionate Jonesboro.

Pastor Smith has been instrumental in strengthening the partnership between the faith communities and the public safety through his development and initiative of programs that empower faith leaders to adopt dispatch centers, offering support, encouragement, and vital resources to our dispatchers, often on a first point of contact during an emergency.

His efforts exemplify the spirit behind Thanks for Giving Community Volunteer Awards.

Thank you again and congratulations.

Now, mind you, I don't think they truly knew what they were receiving this evening.

So it's once again an honor, and I tell you, this woman has a heart.

She's the founder and executive director of NEA Divine Intervention.

Miss Wilbright has emerged as a transformative leader whose passion and dedication significantly strengthened the Jonesboro community.

A work from her heart under her tenacious leadership.

Okay, that is right.

NEA Divine Intervention has grown to a critical peer-based recovery support organization, offering non-judgmental safe zone for individuals struggling with substance abuse, mental health challenges, homelessness, and more.

Under her direction, NEA Divine Interventions has expanded both in physical presence and in scope.

The organization recently moved to a larger facility within Jonesboro, over 8,000 square feet, designed for more welcoming, spacious, and functional facility, which includes a dedicated room such as Dress for Success, Clothing Room to help clients prepare for work and re-entry into our community as well as game room, kitchen, art room, and conference space.

Ms.

Wool, Miss Woolbright works exemplify the spirit of volunteerism and community service with a vision that goes beyond the crisis.

The vision entails building long-term infrastructure to sustain recovery and empower community all together, which directly affects our community.

So I want to say thank you, Shauna.

Thank you so much.

Congratulations.

And last but least, if Colonel C.H.

Overby would come forward, please.

Colonel Overby has long served not only the city of Jonesboro, but our nation.

Veterans who are struggling with mental health challenges, financial struggles, and even homelessness.

Previously, Colonel Oberby worked to modernize the Craig County Veteran Service Office and now proudly serves on the board of the Beck Center, which helps streamline the challenges and barriers to recovery for once homeless heroes to begin their path to recovery.

I am honored to present this award to a friend of the veteran community, Colonel Oberbay, not only for his support of the City of Jonesboro, but for his lifetime of service of the United States of America.

We want to express our appreciation to each of you for your service this evening, but it goes above self.

And that's what this reward is.

You are making an influence and a difference in our community.

Thank you so much, Colonel.

Yeah.

If the families would like to come up real quick and take a picture with them, that'd be quite all right as well.

Because I know we have a lot of family members present.

Colonel Overby, if you and your family would like to come up.

Takes a lot of effort to get family members out, so I do appreciate the families being here this evening.

Go right ahead and get it.

All right, thank you all.

You bet, you bet, absolutely.

Shalinda, how about your family?

No, I like it.

Everything except this type of thing.

Okay.

All right, thank you.

And Pastor Matt.

Well, yeah.

I know, right?

Wow.

What a family.

Now we understand.

That's awesome.

Where to go to hide from this picture?

I can't go past the code.

Yeah, can't speak.

I can't even say it.

It's the podium delay.

Young people in front of you.

Oh, I imagine.

I don't even know what it is.

That's great.

Yeah.

Right.

That's good stuff.

I didn't know about one of them.

Yeah.

That's awesome.

We were here debating why there were so many people.

Solved the mystery.

I know, right?

Council, thank you for uh allowing the time this evening for that to be done.

Um it's really critical that we uh uh show those that really give it their time in the community in a very positive manner, and uh they do so without getting a pat on the back, so it's nice to have that done every now and then.

Uh we do also have a presentation this evening by John Keating Baker, uh Mitchell, uh Saley Gates, and Woodyard PLLC regarding FOIA changes, and I think this is an important update uh for council and all of our committees to hear.

So thank you, Mayor.

Floor is yours, Sean.

Thank you.

I I uh represent uh several governmental bodies all around Arkansas, and and we have seen significant changes this legislative session in the Freedom of Information Act, and I have been going to many of my clients to train them and make sure they're aware of these changes.

Uh City Attorney Duncan invited me to come visit with you about this uh presentation because it is important, and what these are some significant changes that affect uh this body.

You have been given a six-page uh outline of my view of those changes, and I'm not gonna go through all six pages, but I do want to start uh really with what I think is the most important point, if you'll turn to page three, and that's number three.

This is probably the most significant change worked over by this law, and it is a fundamental change in the way governing bodies do their working.

You have been permitted to talk to one another outside of public meetings about the business that comes before the council.

That has been the way it has been for a long, long time.

Well, that has now changed because the legislature believes that all of your deliberations and discussions, your views about your opinions on a topic, your views about uh uh opposing a topic, all of those things are now required to be discussed among you only in a noticed public meeting, and that is a fundamental change in the way things have been done in our state uh for as long as any of us can remember, and so and now there are teeth involved if you decide to violate these uh new laws, uh citizens or even a fellow council person can ask a court to invalidate the action you vote on uh on the topic that you may have discussed outside of a public meeting, and we gotta be real careful here.

So it's not only you orally talking amongst each other about the topics that may come before this body, it's texting each other, it's messaging each other, it's emailing each other.

You can't do any of that.

The legislature wants the sausage of public policy making to be made only in this room, so the public can hear it.

So the public can hear it.

That is where you are to discuss it now.

So that is a big change in the way you have operated if you've been in a governing body.

And so I want to give you a few examples of pitfalls that I think are out there.

You can talk to your constituents about these issues.

That's not changed.

Okay.

That that has no restriction.

But what listen to this quick fact pattern?

Let's say that there's a forum online, whether it's a post, a thread, uh, on some social media about some event or issue in the city, and you decide you want to weigh in on it, and you type up a response.

Well, what if several other members of your governing body are also on that post or able to be a part of that communication?

That arguably is a violation now of this, because the two of you, as members of this governing body, are communicating about a topic that is coming before the body.

But if you both are on the feed, you both have access to the feed.

A creative lawyer could make your life hard.

And so here's the deal.

I recommend strongly that you talk to one another about matters that are to come before this body only in this room, and only in a noticed meeting where the issue can be vetted and aired in public.

That is the significant change.

There are others.

I want you to read the summary.

That is a huge change, though.

Now, can you ask one another for background information?

That is an exception to this.

You can.

So if you want to ask your fellow council member, hey, on this agenda item, can you give me some background information on X, Y, and Z, please?

You can do that.

You can also ask that of staff.

Staff can ask you of that.

But you can't talk about your views on the actual issue at hand.

Uh how you're leaning, your views uh for or against it, you can't solicit.

What are your thoughts, uh, council member more on on that agenda item?

You can't solicit each other's views on it.

It's it is tightened down much more than we've ever seen before.

And so I I caution you to proceed and really read this, talk to your city attorney whenever you have questions about this new law because it has teeth in it, and your actions can be invalidated by a court if it can be shown that someone has violated this in connection with that matter that got voted on.

So it's this is a big C change, and so I want to answer any questions you have.

I'm mindful of your time, but I hope you review this closely and seek counsel because we are in a new regime now as governing body members, and this is affecting every one of you guys around the state, planning commission, public uh facilities boards, AMP commissions.

I mean, everybody's affected by this.

You're not the only one, don't feel put upon.

Uh, but what questions can I answer tonight?

Yes, Mr.

Speaker, we had a this is uh very timely.

We had we have uh an item on the agenda tonight, it's on second reading, and uh was weighed in on in an email all just last week by one of a councilperson.

Would we have to start that process over again?

Or would we just continue where it's at tonight?

So you that communication from that council would not be invalidated.

Well, I mean, the the councilperson just expressed their opinion of the night of this particular agenda, yes.

Yeah, the problem is the new law doesn't tell you what to do if somebody has stumbled into an error or how to clean that up or how to clean the slate.

The law unfortunately does not tell us or give us any guidance on that.

Uh I I think uh your city attorney may have some views on that.

I have some ideas as well, but I don't know, Carol, if you want to I anticipated that this might be a question tonight, and I I think that the best there is no guidance, right?

It doesn't say, oh, if this happens, do this, right?

It because most of the it didn't anticipate us finding out about a violation prior to a vote, I think, on the issue.

Um or a potential violation.

I would say that the best, I think the best way for us to move forward would be the legislation's on second reading tonight, and the legislation we're referencing just for the public and anybody in question is ordinance 25037, which is the legislation proposing a change to the code involving registration licensing of boat trailers and recreational vehicles on private lots.

Um I think that whatever the desire of the council is as far as what delay you think is sufficient for the public to be able to weigh in.

I believe the best way to move forward would be to hold the legislation, either keep it on second reading until next time, or keep it on second reading for 30 days.

Whatever council thinks is the inappropriate amount of time, just kind of hold it where it is.

Um, allow any member of the press or public time to request a copy of the correspondence, review it, and appear at a public meeting if they want to speak to it and give them time to have a full understanding of of what the potential violation was, even though I you know don't know if it was intentional at the time, right?

This is new to all of us, but give them that opportunity to express their views and or speak to the issue and see what the communication was so that we're above board in all respects on that before we vote on it.

I think that's the cleanest way to nobody can predict what a court would do with it, right?

If it ever got there, um but I think at least that would show a judge that we tried to act in good faith to notify the public of what we think could have been a potential violation and give them an opportunity to respond to it.

Does that make sense?

That's my best offer of guidance.

And I think another option is literally to pull that item from the agenda and make it start over.

That's the other option.

Uh, but even that is no guarantee that the court uh could not invalidate something, but that idea that Carol has is a good one as well.

It you're all in uncharted water here, all of us are.

So we're gonna have to come up with some.

I I don't advise that you sweep it under the rug and not acknowledge it, because that to me is when you're really gonna get hammered by a judge.

Correct.

Um people need people need to come forward and say, look, I believe we may have had a uh uh inadvertent communication that shouldn't have occurred.

Get it out in the sunshine is my advice, but how to do that I'm gonna let your city attorney give you the final advice on that.

But I'm just here to make sure everybody understands how serious this change is, because it is serious.

Yes, ma'am.

Um supposing one of us is appearing before a political group and we're asked questions by the audience or quiz as to how we feel about certain issues.

Would giving an answer potentially be a violation because um the word could be disseminated to our other council members how we feel.

No, I don't believe that that that fact pattern presents a problem.

Now, if Dr.

Coleman is in the same room at the time you are conversing and sharing these views, that's a problem because now two of you are communicating.

He has ears, you have a mouth, you're communicating about an issue.

That's a problem.

I believe, or vulnerable to a problem.

I might also err on caution if it's being recorded or broadcast over social media if the meetings being recorded or broadcast.

And maybe you say, think I'm just here to get input and I'll the council are watch us and you'll see where I stand.

Well, that's true.

Basically, that was my concern because it would be stable to the email.

Uh the and maybe not all meetings are broadcast, right?

But some are just be aware.

And you never know who has a phone.

Well, I mean, there's that.

But if they're live feeding it on a blog or on a social post that Dr.

Coleman's fed into and tapped into, or any of you were.

Then we have that problem where you're communicating with another member of the governing body in real time.

Now my advice is always going to be err on the side of caution.

Yeah.

But you can't be muzzled from talking to your constituents.

I mean, that you're elected to talk, I mean, to represent them.

So you just have to be careful in the context and setting that you're communicating with your constituents.

That has not been muzzled.

Counselor Dr.

Coleman and I like to hold town hall meetings and our ward.

And during those events, we're both present, and then we field questions from the audience on topics that may or may not come before the council or have been before the council.

Is that a violation, even though it's a public meeting?

If it is a noticed public meeting.

I think they do publicize those board meetings.

In our town so that anybody media and anybody that wants to attend can be there.

That is publicized.

Yes, that helps.

I think that may be permissible.

That's the general idea of a town hall meeting.

We publicize that we're gonna be there, and uh we show up to answer and field questions in our ward since both of us represent the same ward.

We're both there present together.

Yeah, I want to ponder on that a little bit because the notice you're giving is not for a meeting of the governing body, it is a meeting where two governing body members are present.

It's the old duck blind notice that game of fish always gives for when three game and fish commissioners go duck hunting together, they you give a notice just to make sure if anybody got mad about it, they could say they gave notice of a potential public meeting.

Um I'd want to think a little bit about that.

Well, while you're thinking about that, also think about the fact that Dr.

Coleman and I also like to attend other council members' ward meetings.

So for instance, there was a ward meeting held over at Allen Park a couple of months ago, and I think there was probably four or five council members present in addition to the two from that ward.

So it's not just Dr.

Cohen and I and our ward, but it's a called public meeting, and as elected officials, we feel obligated to go and listen to the constituents' complaints, even if they're not in our ward.

So and it's laudable.

I would say that listening is not the problem.

It's responding with an opinion, or we'll present legislation on that, or you know, that type of thing that would go into the danger zone.

Obviously, you haven't been to the town hall meetings.

I understand that people want you to give.

Oh, I have.

When you attend a town hall meeting, you're gonna be asked a question.

You are how come you didn't get the citizens' bank building down sooner?

Right.

And I think that the um luckily we've already voted on that.

So um, but I and I don't have a vote.

So um, but I think that you I think that the you have to express why you have caution is that you you know the format of the meeting might need to change a little where citizens can express to you their concerns, but you don't answer opinionated questions about things that might come before council for a vote.

I would suggest that would be my I would suggest counsel that uh we give Mr.

Baker some ammunition here to really ponder on and maybe get back with some of our questions.

Yeah, um I think they're very valid.

Uh I know they are because it's concerning.

We want to communicate with our community, sure.

And uh that's the basis of that.

So I also think we're unusual in having a 12-member um council.

A lot of a lot of people out there and about.

Right.

So it's there are two from every ward.

A lot of places have have one or have six, you know.

I mean, it's not we're a big we're a big group.

So um one other item I just want to uh clarify on.

There's nothing the the the statute, the new changes permit you to communicate with one another about ministerial items, like if the mayor calls or somebody calls you another council member and says, Can you could we put together a special meeting for Friday the 12th?

Would you be around?

That's not a violation.

Right.

So a ministerial scheduling sort of issue.

Um that is not considered a violation of communicating about a topic before.

And again, seeking background information.

If council member more says, Can any of my fellow council members give me information about the drainage issue on 16th Street and how long it may have been going on?

You're seeking information.

That's fine.

That's also an exception.

So you that that is permissible.

And again, this is all in the six-page summary, but it's you're gonna have to get your lanes tight here on your behavior, and and we will ponder on your fact pattern and get back to you.

That's a tough one, or an interesting one, I should say.

And I I do think I know you're you want to be done with us.

Um I do think that um as budget processes coming up.

I think it's important to note sometimes in the past we've had budget meetings with council where council could come ask questions of staff about the budget, and I think you can still ask those questions.

Yes.

I just think that you know, staff should never be saying, Are we good now?

Or anything else I can do to never tell the state I'm good with this budget.

Hey, I'm good with this budget.

Like that's a no you can ask all your questions and let them provide all their information, and then the meeting just ends.

You don't nobody gives an opinion on you know it.

But you can still you can still meet with our budgeting staff and ask your questions about the budget or what is this for, or what is that, you know, whatever your questions are in advance because I do know that's an important part sometimes of our budgeting process.

And and part of what she's getting at too is what we call polling.

Right.

So which has always been wrong.

Staff, but that's always been illegal.

Right.

Like staff can't say, you know, hey, are you good with this budget?

No, you know, you good with that, yeah.

In trying to count the noses outside of the public meeting.

You cannot do that.

That is explicitly now prohibited.

It's always been the law by case law.

Now it's in the statute.

So nobody can poll.

The mayor can't pull, you can't poll each other.

Staff can't poll you.

Staff can't communicate to each to any of you how they view any of you might vote on a matter.

You know, council's council member street looks good to me.

Council member more.

That they can't, you can't do that anymore.

Okay, let me ask you one other and we'll move on.

So if let's say the mayor decides he wants to create a new park, and the mayor calls me, we go out and look at the property.

Can you pitch the park to me as long as he's not polling me?

He takes me out.

We go look at a hundred-acre track over here off Cornerstone, and he says, I think this would be an ideal location.

That sort of meeting between the two of you should not occur now.

It should be staff that takes you and educate you on the benefits of that property location.

And that's the staff can take you out there and says we've got a council member, whether it's the mayor or any of you who's interested in making this a park.

We wanted to go out here, see if you had any questions.

Right.

There's no more governing member body, government body member communication outside of this meeting on a topic that's going to come before this body.

The sausage all has to be made here.

It all has to be discussed for the first time here between between the governing body members.

It's a big C change.

And this falls on the same legislator that passed or legislation that passed this law.

No, the legislature does not have these limitations.

Yeah, of course.

They can talk about anything they want anywhere they want.

And also, in in addition to invalidating the um legislative act, I think it's important to remember it's also a class C misdemeanor.

Right?

You can be charged with a class C misdemeanor if you intentionally violate FOIA.

So just keep that in mind.

That's true.

Not to be a David Downer, but if any of you violate this and start talking to each other or texting each other or tweeting each other or whatever about any of this, you are you, yes, in theory can be prosecuted for commission of a misdemeanor.

And uh you know, and have a criminal conviction on your record.

So I mean it is a serious law, it's always had that criminal component, but we're now in a much more precarious fact pattern world now.

Um and so everybody needs to say their piece at these public meetings.

That's where you took make the sausage.

I appreciate your time, Mayor.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr.

Baker.

All right, council, we'll move on to item number five.

These are items on consent agenda.

Move to adopt unless changes are noted.

Second.

Do we have a motion on the floor to adopt?

All in favor, say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

I'm scared to say anything.

All right, we'll move on to resolutions removed from the consent agenda.

Resolution 2513.

Give Carol just a second.

Resolution by the City Council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas to condemn property located at 233 South Fisher Street, Jonesboro, Arkansas, 72401, parcel number 01-144073-1750.

Owner Michael Kevin Kelly, legal description follows, whereas all the stipulations have been met in the condemnation process to proceed with the condemnation of this property.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the city council of the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas, that the city should proceed with the condemnation of the property located at 233 South Fisher Street, Jonesboro, Arkansas, 72401.

Move to adopt second.

We do have a motion on the floor, Council.

Any discussion by council?

I don't see any.

Anyone in council chambers?

I don't see any as well.

So uh if you would please go ahead and cast your ballot.

That resolution does carry.

All right.

We'll move on to resolution 25138.

Resolution by the City Council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas to condemn property located at 505 West Woodrow Street, Jonesboro, Arkansas 72401.

Parcel number 01 144073 1750.

Owner Thomas and Linda Bobbitt.

Legal description follows, whereas the above property has been inspected and has been determined unsuited for human habitation.

Whereas all the stipulations have been met in the condemnation process to proceed with the condemnation of this property.

Now therefore be it resolved by the city council of the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas that the city should proceed with the condemnation of the property located at 505 West Woodrow Street, Jonesboro, Arkansas, 72401.

Move to adopt.

Second.

Do you have a motion and a second on the floor to adopt any discussion by council?

I don't see anyone in council chambers.

I don't see any as well.

If you would please cast your ballot on that.

That resolution does carry as well.

Now we'll move on to resolution 25165.

Resolution by the City Council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, requesting City Water and Light to provide contribution commitments toward the purchase of two new fire trucks for the Jonesboro Fire Department.

Whereas City of Jonesboro Fire Department administration has performed comparative pricing and secured the commitment for a reasonable delivery timeline to facilitate the replacement of a 2005 Model 100 aerial ladder truck.

I don't know if I read that right.

And a two of uh it's it's a fire truck, y'all.

A 2011 model pumper truck within the department, and whereas the purchase price of the aerial truck will be 1,558,852, and the pumper truck will be 860,915 for a total of 2,419,767.

And whereas upon delivery of the new units, the replacement units will be sold through the assistance of a listing agent and the resulting sale proceeds being returned to the depreciation fund.

And whereas the initial apparatus pricing estimate detailed in the fiscal year 2025 budget has since been reviewed by fire administration.

Extensive brand and supplier comparisons have resulted in the identification of a similar unit from a different manufacturer at significant price savings.

And whereas the city appropriated 625,000 in the 2024 depreciation fund to fund the anticipated future purchase, and whereas an additional $625,000 funding will be appropriated in the 2025 depreciation fund, and whereas City Water and Light has indicated a willingness to commit to a two-year funding program, including an annual contribution of $600,000 toward the purchase of these fire trucks and requires a resolution from the city council to enable the annual contributions.

And whereas a future resolution will be presented to approve the purchase.

Now therefore, be it resolved by City Council of the City of Jonesboro that Section 1 CWL is hereby requested to contribute $600,000 in 2025 and $600,000 in 2026 from its surplus funds to be used toward the purchase of two new fire trucks for the Jonesboro Fire Department.

Section two, the Mayor Hill Copenhagen City Clerk April Leggett are authorized to execute any necessary documents to effectuate these contributions.

Second you have a motion on the floor.

Duly noted.

Do we have any discussion by council?

I don't see any.

Anyone in council chambers?

I don't see any as well.

If you would please cast your ballot.

And that does carry.

Now we don't have any items on new business, so we'll move to item number seven.

This is unfinished business.

These are ordinances on the second reading.

Ordinance 25033.

We have any discussion by council.

I don't see any.

Anyone in council chambers?

Yes, sir.

If you would please come forward, state your name and address.

James Lwinhein's 508 Ridgecrest.

First, let me say that I really don't have a preference one way or the other what whether you pass this or not.

I just do want it on the record that you know that you all do have a choice.

This is not the law, state law changed, and therefore we have to change it, have to make it a city ordinance instead of a state ordinance.

Um but the truth is, and I'm gonna I'm gonna say something.

In some cases, this would just be one less lie that a person have to tell to get a permit.

It's my understanding, and the city attorney can correct me if I'm wrong.

Actually, the the law about these being part of these private club permits as far as these contributions, there's no teeth in the law.

There's no provision in was no provision in the old law for it to be monitored to be sure these payments were being made.

And if they were, if a place was out of compliance, I don't think there was a law that said what can we do about it.

You know, do you throw the owner in jail or or whatever?

So really it it doesn't make a whole lot of difference, but I just wanted on the record that you know there are multiple things that could be done here.

Thank you, Mr.

Hines.

Any other discussion from the audience?

I don't see any, so that item will move on to the third reading.

Now we're upon ordinance 25037.

Ordinance to amend chapter 117, Article 8, Section 117-324G to remove the requirement to have valid registration or license on a boat trailer or recreational vehicle parked outdoors on residential lots in the city of Jonesboro.

This is what we discussed earlier.

If I would, this is the yeah, this is the one that was pertaining, and in order to be open and not be any kind of a conflict.

Uh I'd ask Carol, should we table it or should we pull it and go back and start it over?

I I think that I mean, I as we said during the FOIA discussion, I don't think there's any guidance on how to do it.

I just think doing one or the other allows us to show a judge that we tried to act in good faith to correct our mistake, to let the public know what the communication was.

So I would say it's the desire of the council whether you postpone for two weeks, postpone for 30 days, or or pull it and start it over.

I will say that the part of my brain that thinks like a prosecutor thinks that um if you wanted to manipulate the system any time there was an ordinance that you didn't like, you could send a communication out to all the aldermen that would then kill it because it's a FOIA violation.

I don't think that I'm not suggesting that's what happened in this case in any way, shape, or form.

I think these rules changed and we're just getting familiar with them.

Um but I'm just saying I don't want to set a dangerous precedent that I'm just throwing that out there.

I think that the public needs to know when there's a communication, but I think that people play politics sometimes, not this circumstance, but in the future.

And I hate to see that be an easy way to kill any ordinance you just don't agree with, and just hope you don't get prosecuted or fined by a court, right?

So um my suggestion is postpone it.

It's up to the desire of the council.

I'll make a motion how long that is.

Postponed for 30 days.

Do we have a second?

We have a motion of the there was a second down here.

Do we have a second?

So instead of saying 30 days, do you want to give the date of our meeting April so that we know exactly again?

December 18th, I think.

Yeah, but is there a meeting that night?

So maybe the 16th meeting, December 16th meeting?

Postpone till December 16th meeting.

All right, so we're in discussion ordinance 25037 uh in order for that to be postponed until December 16th of 2026.

25 25 year and thinking budget as a point of clarification for the city clerk.

Do we want it to remain on second reading at that?

Okay, thank you.

All in favor, say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed.

Okay, council.

We'll move on to ordinance 25038.

An ordinance by the city of Jonesboro to place various traffic signs at designated locations is determined by the traffic control committee.

Move to adopt.

Second.

Do you have a motion on the floor?

Any discussion by council?

It's on the second reason.

Oh, second reading.

Oh, sorry.

Sorry.

We got ahead of ourselves.

Any discussion by council?

I don't see any.

Anyone in council chambers?

I don't see any as well.

So that will now move on to its third reading.

Now we'll move on to ordinance 25039.

An ordinance to add section 2-289 to the Jonesboro Code of Ordinances titled Firefighter Bill of Rights.

Any discussion by council.

Anyone in the chamber?

I don't see as well, so that'll move on now to its third reading.

So now we'll move on to ordinances on the third reading.

We have one ordinance this evening.

This will be voted on by council members.

Ordinance 25035.

An ordinance for the approval of an application for a private club permit transfer of location for the parsonage LLC.

We do have a motion on the floor to adopt any discussion by council.

I don't see any.

In one of council chambers.

Yes, sir.

If you would please come forward, state your name and address.

I as far as moving, I don't really have any objection to that, because you know it's really not that big a move from one place to another that they're asking for.

The thing that I want to mention don't want to be on record because there is a tendency when this happens, if they move one for somebody else come in and say, Oh, it was what was the used horror, it was used for this purpose last time, so let's issue a new permit to do that.

And uh I really think if that happens, we need to stop that kind of practice from happening and keep in mind hey that that license that was there, it still exists.

We don't need to issue a new one.

Anyone else in the council chambers?

I don't see any.

Uh counsel, if you would please go ahead and cast your ballot.

And that ordinance uh does pass.

So now we'll move on to item eight.

This is the mayor's reports, and so good evening again, council.

It's been two weeks, of course, since we've met, but we've had abundance of activity in the community, and so um, in my opinion, it shows our vibrant heart and willingness to move forward.

I'll start with something near to my heart, and I'm sure near to yours as well.

It's Veterans Day and celebrations that go with it.

I want to start with the story of a young lady down at uh Valley View School District.

Uh her father was a 15-year veteran, and myself and some staff members went and met with her.

He committed suicide within the past year.

This young lady is very strong.

She's very vibrant.

She wants to tell her story at the same time she's suffering in the same context.

So we also took her to the veterans' cottages so she could see what we're doing to help uh veterans recover to get their feet back on the ground.

You know, we learn from youth of all ages and individuals, but more importantly, this young lady is strong, but yet she needs us as well, and she wants to help others that are dealing with that.

So again, it's important that we understand what PTSD and subsequently what happens in many cases.

I hope that you had the pleasure, though, of some of us attended the Nettleton High School East Veterans Day program.

It's obviously a wonderful uh program.

It goes on for two hours.

They take great pride.

It was a packed facility at St.

Bernard's Auditorium, and I can't say enough for what those students do.

Uh, and they celebrate and they're learning in the same process about honoring our veterans and demonstrating the abundance of patriotism.

If you've never attended this program in luncheon, I encourage you to do so next year.

The retirement of Lieutenant Colonel Morgan Weatherly at Arkansas State University also occurred this past week.

Military science and leadership.

It was celebrated at the Cooper Alumni Center.

I appreciate his service to our community and more importantly, Northeast Arkansas and many of the colleagues that have moved on in military careers through Arkansas State University.

The Daughters of the American Revolution made an outstanding contribution to the veteran colleges and at the ASU Armory.

It was great seeing 47,000 of contribution come the way to the veterans' cottages for use.

I also had the honor of welcoming the 15th Annual Supervisor Seminar Conference as well as the Arkansas Municipal League 2025 regional meeting at the Fowler Center.

Some of you are also probably aware that Rice and Food's annual meeting was also held here in Jonesboro.

It's invigorating to see so many visitors come to Jonesboro and take time and hear their impressions about our community.

Something you may not be aware of is the Jonesboro Public Schools Dynamic Integrated Security Program.

It's a fascinating high-level outsource program of protection for our students.

These are highly trained security personnel, but the goal is to stop school violence before it happens.

I was fortunate to sit on a council, uh, a panel with Misty Doyle, Todd Nelson, and their facilitator, the developer of their company.

Visitors from neighboring school districts attended for a look at what's being done right here in Jonesboro High School to keep our kids and teachers safe at our schools.

In closing, I want to say how proud I am and how proud I am of you too because of what's going on at the Ridge Athletic Center.

Progress is being made there, and I think we've got some pictures that we can put up.

And at the end, I know Chris Moore is going to be very jealous of what I was able to do, but I want you to look at some of these pictures.

Um we're gonna have an A-court uh separated basketball facility.

It'll be a 65,000 square foot gymnasium that will hold an additional uh volume of basketball courts.

We have 35,000 square foot gymnasium, Olympic size pool that's already been poured, a 25 by 25 warm-up pool concrete that's being poured, and it's still on track for opening in the first quarter of 2027.

Tournaments are already being booked.

But at the end of this, uh, if you see the crane over to the left, that was a crane that was six times the size of the crane that we had bring down the Citizens Bank building, and it could validate over 450,000 pounds of moving object, and they really needed a great crane operator, so guess who volunteered?

Myself.

That's pretty awesome.

Pretty awesome to see.

We can't talk amongst each other, but you can drive a crane.

I can drive a crane.

That scares me a little bit.

I know it.

The operator was right there.

So anyway, it doesn't move fast.

But I I tell you what, we need to take pride in what's going on here.

And these walls are going up.

Um, the community's talking about it.

It's going to be an impact uh for this community that I think that we're gonna be very proud of uh for our grandchildren and and others to be able to use as a facility.

So again, it was an honor to be out there to see that we'll continue to give you updated reports on that process.

So next we'll move on to item number nine.

Um excuse me, wait a minute.

I have one other thing.

Um Matthew, if you would please come forward.

Uh this is DPZ.

I want to give you all an update of our master growth plan.

We started the process this week.

Uh we had many community uh members engaged, and that's going to be a process that we'll continue to do, but we want to be very transparent, and Matthew is the leader of DPZ, so you have the floor, sir.

Thanks, Mayor.

Um, and and counsel.

I'm here this uh few days with some members of my team and and Craftson Toll.

Uh we haven't gotten started on anything yet, really, uh collecting some some data from staff uh from from different agencies, and we came here for a few days to meet with uh the steering committee uh that was established.

Uh we had a meeting today with about 26 members of the community, very very diverse members of the community, uh, to get their input on how to engage and and to understand uh different opinions uh around the city about its future.

Uh we've had a number of one-on-one uh 30-minute interviews with other community members to begin to understand uh their thoughts on the community today and its future.

And we've met with staff uh and toured around the city to see what's happening everywhere today.

This is just the very beginning of our process.

Uh, we don't even have our website up yet, so be on the lookout on the city's website and on the destination 100k website.

Uh, we will begin to uh to provide information there.

This was really an initial fact-finding talking to folks before we even start thinking about uh how to put the process together.

So we're gonna begin working on a public engagement plan, and Crafton Toll will lead that.

Uh, and that will kick us into the first quarter of next year when we'll start to, after the holidays, uh, begin to execute on engagement, which is outreach to the community as a whole, uh, surveys, uh, engagement uh in person uh in in say February, March, uh connection with the state of the city.

Um, but we've also set the dates for the public uh charrette series, which we have discussed before with you.

That's uh a week-long effort where we bring a whole team of folks uh from both of our firms uh to to draw to talk to to host meetings uh with uh stakeholder groups uh and public meetings uh to discuss the future of the city.

And those dates are March 30th through April 3rd.

So we just want to hold those now.

We're gonna put that on the calendar once we have uh our website together, uh post that share that with the community.

Um another thing that we've been doing this week is asking who should we talk to in the community, who else?

How should we cast our net wide to make sure that we reach uh a broad constituency of residents and get them engaged in the process?

So after that, uh after that week long charette, we'll begin working on uh on the product on on the first draft of a plan.

However, we will also come back again and engage out in the community uh about the outcomes of what we heard about what our our ideas are before we actually draft a first portion of that plan.

We'll begin that drafting through the summer and then in the early fall uh have some more opportunities to to share uh hold a public meeting uh on what's in the first drafts, another survey uh with the community, and then we'll continue through subsequent drafts into uh end of the beginning first quarter, second quarter of 27 to bring this uh before you for adoption.

So we're just starting.

We again don't even have our website together, the the the name, the branding, the messaging.

We just wanted to get out here, uh talk to folks and and really start to understand uh where people sit today.

So I'm happy to answer any questions uh if if you have them.

Um again, we're just just here getting the the layer of the land.

Thank you.

Any questions, Council?

All right, Matthew, I appreciate it very much.

Thank you so much.

You bet and uh Matthew, if you don't mind, please introduce the rest of your team that's back there.

I think that's yeah, we have uh so I'm a partner at DPZ, DPZ is the main uh uh company, the name main consultant.

Uh we have Camille Cortez uh who's the project manager on our on our team with DPZ.

Uh then we have Julie Kelso, who's the uh the are you the principal now on it for Craft and Toll.

Yeah, the V VP in in charge of the project for Kraft and Toll.

And then we have uh we have Luke Sims who's Isaac Sims.

Uh Isaac Sims, who I've I've got another project with Luke Sims.

Do you know that Isaac?

Anyways, um, and and Isaac Sims, who's the PM from Craft and Toll.

Uh so we we also had um uh the head of engineering for for for Kraft and Toll, uh, Brad, who was with us meeting with the the MPO um and and public works and for for a few days.

So all right, thank you, Matthew.

Sorry to put you on the spot there, buddy.

All right, we'll move on now to item number nine, and this is city council reports.

Mr.

Street.

No, thank you.

Other than everybody have a happy Thanksgiving.

Mr.

Miller.

No, thank you.

Mr.

Hefner.

Thanks.

Dr.

Anthony Coleman?

No.

Mr.

Gibson.

Not at this time, thanks.

Miss Williams, no thanks.

Mr.

Moore.

Dr.

Charles Coleman.

No, thank you.

Mr.

Emerson.

Nothing at this time.

Thank you.

Miss Porter.

Oh, thank you.

All right.

Thank you very much, Council.

Um Kara would like to make a comment.

Um Councilman Moore requested a municipality report on litigation for the city of Jonesboro.

I just wanted to point out that each of you have one of those in front of you that you can take and review.

You have any questions, feel free to contact me.

I think it's my office worked hard on it.

It's pretty self-explanatory as far as a brief description of the case, what we know about the progress on it, who is representing each side of the litigation, whether it's my office, whether it's the AML, that type of thing, and um, and kind of just where each case stands.

So if you have any questions, feel free to reach out.

Okay.

Thank you, Carol.

I appreciate that.

Next, we'll move on to item number 10.

This is public comments.

Anyone can come forward, make a statement.

You are limited to five minutes.

If you would please state your name and address Patty Latt, 4108 Forrest Hill Road.

And I'm here uh to talk about the left-hand turn that we have on Elmhurst and Parker Road.

And there's been a lot of close calls that I've seen when I'm driving by.

And just a little history on this is that I think it came into more of a spotlight when the MAPC was approving the last.

Um I think it was the final plans of the storage unit out there in the back area.

And Mr.

Ford, who is on the MAPC, said that Elmerhurst is a city street now, and it's going to be increased traffic soon after the large facility gets built, and all the remaining property gets developed too.

And one of these days it's going to get developed.

And he said it would make sense for the city to make Elmhurst Drive and Parker Road a right hand turn only.

It only makes a lot of sense.

And it was a traffic study that was done on Thursday, September the 18th.

It was for 13 hours.

And the traffic study, how it showed is that on Parker Road going to the west, there is there was 5600 cars, and going to the east, there was about 6300 cars.

But more important is that the people making a left-hand turn, and I hope you guys are with me, is that Elmhurst is right there by the oil changing place, is that there's a left-hand turn that you have to cross over two lanes of traffic to go towards Home Depot.

And during this time, they said that there was the traffic traffic study showed 295 cars in that 13-hour period.

And so when you break it down, it's like 22, 23 cars an hour, five or six cars every 15 minutes.

But they said at the peak hour at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, there was 35 cars that turn left there.

I don't know about you guys, but that traffic out there is just horrible at that time.

They said that there was no accident since 2019, but with the increased traffic there, that is going to change.

If you go to the intersection right there, if you're heading down south past uh Popeyes, there's that road right there, and it's meant for the 18-wheeler trucks to go to Walmart.

There used to be a no left-hand turn sign there, it's gone now.

But people are not allowed to turn left or excuse me, to turn right.

Or no, wait, okay, I'm turned around.

They cannot turn left, they can turn right.

But the other day, and I will send this to you, there was an 18-wheeler truck that was making a left-hand turn so close to the intersection.

There's going to be an accident that's going to happen because that road is going to get widened pretty soon of what they're doing.

The question is is that how do these delivery trucks from Walmart exit that area?

Because if they can't make a left-hand turn, then they have to go right down Harrisburg Road, and really to weave in all that around Elmhurst, it's a windy road.

I don't know how people or the 18-wheeler trucks make that turn.

The R Dot specifically told the city of Jonesboro that if you are on Parker Road, you cannot make a left-hand turn after that signal.

There's a sign right there, and that's the only reason that they were allowed or we were allowed to put a street there, is that you cannot make left-hand turns.

I see people every once in a while.

That makes sense.

So I decided I was going to call up R Dot and ask them why they specifically put that sign there.

Two interesting things.

They told me that Elmhurst Drive and the road right after the intersection right there, going south on Harrisburg, was too close to the intersection.

It really shouldn't have been built.

That was kind of interesting to hear from them.

But the reason they say that they put a left hand or no left-hand turn sign right there on Parker to turn on to Elmhurst was because it's dangerous and they were concerned about the citizens and the driver's safety.

Wow.

But what we're doing as a city is that we're allowing people to make a left-hand turn onto Parker, doing what they think is a customer and a driver's safety, and it's dangerous, but we're allowing it to be done.

So if possible, I think the city of Jonesboro needs to look at this before that area expands.

Because if you already had 295 cars turning left when it's not developed yet, when we don't have the storage unit or the 300 or 400 units, that area is going to develop.

That wasn't a really well-planned area.

I hope we can make the change and we can be concerned about it.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Anyone else from the audience?

I don't see any.

If you would uh we'll move on to item 11.

Move to adjourn.

Second.

Yeah, motion on the floor.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed.