Good evening, everybody.

Good evening, everybody.

Welcome to City Hall of Jonesboro, Arkansas.

This is Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026.

We're going to go ahead and begin this evening's with uh I'm gonna lead us in pledge of allegiance and then Janice Porter will lead us in invocation.

If you would please stand.

I pledge allegiance to the cloud of the United States of America and to the Republic for which we stand nation.

Please pray with me.

Dear kind and loving Father, we thank you for the many blessings that you've given this city.

We know that every good and perfect gift comes from you.

We ask you to protect our first responders.

Please give us wisdom and understanding tonight.

Help us to act justly, love mercy, and walk umbly with you.

This we pray in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

Amen.

Thank you.

If you would please go ahead and call roll.

All right, we do have 12 members present this evening.

We don't have anything on special presentation, so we'll move on to number five items on consent agenda.

Move to adopt unless any changes are noted.

Second.

Do we have motion on the floor?

Would please cast your ballot.

And the consent end of agenda does carry.

Now we'll move on to resolutions to be introduced, and that'll be resolution 26007.

Resolution to set judges, clerks, and alternate workers for the 2026 City Water and Light Election.

Be it resolved by City Council of the City of Jonesboro that the following persons be named as judges, clerks, and alternate workers to serve in the election for directors for positions 1, 2, and 3 of the city water and light plant of the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas, and Improvement District, which election is to be held Thursday, February 19th, 2026.

Judge Jamie Stahl, 870-740-1494.

Linda Watts, 870-761-3206.

Alternates, Carol Falonga, 864-437-0207.

Nicole Scott, 870-340-3776.

Sean Kelly, 870-919-3987.

The polling place for such election is hereby designated as the 1212 South Church, Jonesboro, Arkansas.

Do we have any discussion by council?

Mayor it asked I'll be recused.

Noted.

Any discussion by council?

Need a motion to adopt.

Do you have a motion on the floor?

No discussion by council.

Anyone in council chambers?

I don't see any.

If you would please go ahead and cast your ballot.

And that does carry.

So next we'll move on to the next resolution to be introduced.

That is resolution 26008.

Do we have a date and time for this before I start?

February the 17th at 525.

Resolution to set a public hearing regarding the abandonment of a drainage easement located in part of lot 5R of the second edition of block C Southern Hills, Jonesboro, Arkansas.

Whereas the property owners have filed a petition with the city clerk of the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas, requesting that the city abandon a drainage easement in lot 5R of block C of Southern Hills, being more particularly described as follows, and the property description follows.

Whereas the petition has been presented to the City Council of the City of Jonesboro, and whereas Arkansas Code requires public notice before the above drainage easement abandonment can be vacated and abandoned.

Now therefore be it resolved by the city council of the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas, that the city clerk is directed to publish a notice advising the public of the request by the adjoining property owners to vacate and abandon the drainage easement mentioned above.

And this matter will be heard before the city council on February 17th, 2026 at 525 p.m.

in the city hall located at 300 South Church, Jonesboro, Arkansas.

Move to adopt second.

Motion on the floor.

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.

Right, and that does carry.

So now we'll move on to item number six.

These are items on new business.

And these are ordinances on the first reading.

We have ordinance 2600 four.

Move to suspend the rules and offer by title only.

Second.

We do have a motion on the floor.

All in favor, say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

An ordinance to amend chapter 117, known as the zoning ordinance providing for changes in zoning boundaries from R1 to RS7 for property located at 1306 Charles Drive as requested by Weston Wagner.

Do we have any discussion by council?

See any?

Anyone in Council Chambers?

I don't see any as well.

So now that ordinance will move on to its second reading.

Now we'll move on to item number seven, and these are items on unfinished business, and these are ordinances on the second reading.

We'll start with ordinance 2601.

An ordinance to amend chapter 117, Article 3, known as the zoning ordinance of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, providing for a change in zoning boundaries from R1 single family medium density district to C3 General Commercial District for property located at 2620 Alexander, Jonesboro, Arkansas is requested by Paula Thompson.

Any discussion by council?

Mayor, I do have a question on this item.

Um actually, if I can have Daryl Smith come up, we were going to discuss a possibility of the 25 25 foot buffer regarding this property.

Okay, Daryl, if you would please.

Yes, sir.

At the planning commission meeting, um, one of the requirements, and I didn't see it made I didn't see that it made the minutes, so I wanted to make sure that it got on the record, was that part of the one of the conditions was that it kept a 25-foot natural buffer along all the residential sides of the property.

And so we just wanted to make sure that got in the record is in there.

Yes, sir.

Okay.

All right.

Any other questions, Councilman?

I do have a question.

Yes, sir, Councilman here.

Um with you there.

Um, I know that one of the property owners next to them were talking or had discussion with that property owner about the rezoning, and I know they had some questions as it relates to the overlay.

Is that the same thing y'all were just talking about?

It's not for this is in the overlay district.

Okay.

Um, so it will have additional requirements besides it'll have um building design standards, it'll have um additional landscaping, and it'll have signage requirements that um normal C3 will not have.

So if this citizen, this property owner next to them is having discussions about it, would that necessarily I guess I'm answering my own question.

But uh I was I was wondering if it would make a difference with the um this actual ordinance itself in that time.

This the actual ordinance is is for C3.

Uh it doesn't, and it allows anything that's in the C3 zoning.

There's no limited use overlay with this ordinance.

Um it was um they did ask about it at the planning commission.

Uh the um representative at the time was not able to speak with the clients, and um so he asked that it go forward as C3 and Planning Commission went ahead and since it does meet the land use plan, they went ahead and forwarded to city council.

Gotcha.

Thank you.

That's right.

Any other questions?

Yes, sir.

Council just want to follow up on that.

And I know I spoke to you earlier.

If we still have another reading on this, if they do come back and want to propose an overlay, would that require this whole ordinance to go back again and start over?

Or could it just be amended?

And that may be a legal question.

And and I may want to take a look at that.

That was posed to me right before we started.

I mean, I do think that's somewhat of a significant change, but it might not have to go all the way back to first reading because it's becoming more restrictive versus less restrictive on the property.

But if there's an agreement between the parties, we might hold it at third reading for one more one more time just so everybody knows what the limited use overlay is that's proposed.

I would like I don't I would like to see what the what's proposed.

What are the changes, but also having an opportunity for people to come and speak if they want to speak on it.

So it might need to stay at least one more time at third reading.

It might not have to go all the way back to first, but I'd need to see what the changes are that are being recommended first.

Thank you.

Any other questions by counsel?

Anyone in council chambers?

Yes, ma'am.

If you would please come forward when you do.

When you do, please state your name and address.

My name is Cheryl Rogers, 2815 Wood Street.

I live adjacent to the property, and I am the one who emailed all of you today.

I sorry, Darrell, I didn't get a chance to include you in that email.

Uh we did have a discussion with uh Dustin White, uh the realtor this morning, just to open discussions.

Maybe they would be open to an overlay, as is was my understanding.

And so I wanted to let you know that hopefully we can come to some kind of agreement that would be satisfactory to all of us and and what we could live with with that.

So that's it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anyone else in the audience?

See anyone?

So that'll move on to the third reading, possibly with some other adjustments.

Okay.

All right.

Next, we'll move on to the next ordinance.

That's ordinance 2600 two.

An ordinance for the approval of a private club permit from Monarchas Mexican Restaurant LLC.

Do we have any discussion or questions by council?

Anyone in the audience.

See anyone, so that'll now move on to its third reading.

Now we'll move on to ordinance 2600 three.

An ordinance for the approval of a private club permit for walk on sports bistro.

Any discussion or questions by council.

I don't see any.

Anyone in council chambers.

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

We don't have any items on tonight's report on third reading, so we'll move on to the mayor's report and comments at this point.

So good evening, everyone, and I want to start my remarks tonight with something I feel sure everyone can agree on.

It sure is good to have a milder temperature outside and see that ice and snow is melting away.

We appreciate those who were patient and understanding when we made a decision to close a municipal building for a few days for the safety of as many citizens and staff as possible.

Of course, we have the staff warriors who still must get in the middle of the discomfort and danger of a big winter storm.

And I want to talk about their contributions.

The type of snow and ice we were subject to is the kind that's the most difficult to deal with.

If you prepare the roads too soon, the sand mixture can blow off.

If you have ice under the snow, you can't scrape off the ice.

And when you basically have an ice and snow sandwich, in most places the snow plows can't do so much, which they did.

Our street crews were out 12 to 16 hours a day for a while.

And we appreciate Steve Tippett.

I don't know if he's in the room or not.

I appreciate your crew.

Um, and of course, I always enjoy visiting with them during that time, but they're steadily at work, and they they do a tremendous job.

So we appreciate and we appreciate the community because you had patience.

Now driving a sanitation collection route is a whole lot and it's a different story in itself.

And coming off of the Martin Luther King Day holiday started an unusual collection route a day late.

So the combination certainly tested the patience of some residents.

Those of you saw the sanitation department in action know the difficulty of the job, and I'd be remiss in not thanking them as well.

A snow and ice storm, like we experienced, presents serious personnel safety challenges to everyone.

And our police department, fire department, and E911 center stayed constantly busy.

The work was extraordinary.

The cold took toll on heating units, and many of the O's uh used for proper precautions with space heaters, fireplaces, electric blankets, and even kitchen stoves resulted in an increase in calls to the fire department.

911 stayed busy dispatching all those emergency calls as well.

Meantime, our community centers serving as warming shelters during the day while our jet services transported those in need to warming shelters.

Later, if needed, they received rides to the Salvation Army for a place to stay overnight.

When jet buses weren't available, Jonesboro PD stepped up to help.

Speaking of dedicated employees, I want to acknowledge and congratulate a co-worker who retired yesterday after 42 or 42 years.

41 years of service.

That's what I thought.

Steve Kent.

We want to wish Steve wonderful years in his retirement.

41 years in that office in finance.

That's quite a commitment to our city.

So thank you, Steve, and uh I'll miss seeing all your work every day.

On January 19th, I was honored to speak at the Martin Luther King Day ceremony on ASU campus, which was preceded by a parade.

Now we're into February and observing Black History Month.

I'd be remiss if I didn't say I look forward to today soon.

I hope when the E Boone Watson Center is fully open.

The center is a historical hub for recognizing important contributions and breakthroughs in the African American history in Jonesboro.

You may have seen in the news recently that $3.5 million in federal appropriations were signed into law by the President.

Now that comes to the City of Jonesboro to the E-911 real-time crime center needs.

It's been a long wait, but we're very excited.

I want to thank our Senator John Boseman for his tenacity and diligence in seeing this funding through as well as Congressman Crawford and Senator Cotton.

I want to close with some wonderful news, and I'll move forward because I have further comments today from the Jonesboro Unlimited and Chamber of Commerce.

InvoAsian, Cruisine Enterprise Incorporated, will build a state-of-the-art frozen food manufacturing facility in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

This is a major development.

It will create approximately 200 jobs, strengthening the region's position as a vibrant hub for food manufacturing.

The foods will be found in grocery freezer aisles nationwide, making it easy to bring family favorite Asian dishes to the table with restaurant-inspired flavors.

The company says the new facility will significantly increase production capacity for its high-growth multi-serve entree line, supporting the company's continued growth in the U.S.

market.

President and CEO, Joe Kent says the new Jonesboro facility will allow the company to meet growing demand for high quality cuisine while creating meaningful jobs in our community.

The facility will be about 175,000 square feet located in Craighead Technology Park.

I was very pleased and honored to be a part of the conversation early on, and the commitment of Jonesboro is very important on the reason why they're here.

After the competitive multi-state search, citing speed to the market, a skilled workforce, and a strong local and state supporters were key factors.

Governor Sanders commented that Arkansas is proud to be a state where farm products are turned into value-added food and tables across the United States, and that's something we all believe in.

So I'm bringing my comments to a close.

Council in the City of Jonesboro.

Several people have mentioned they'd like they'd like to hear my side, which I interpret to mean they would like to know more of the facts involving city stars.

So I've spent some time confirming facts that dispel some of the misperceptions and misunderstandings.

The Jonesboro City Stars Booster Club was organized as a private nonprofit organization and registered with the Arkansas Secretary of State in December of 2001.

Organized as an independent entity, it had its own members and finances, and was led by a city employee.

City Parks Director Jason Wilkie was the original registered agent.

Look it up.

That contract established, mutual agreements, including, including the goal of providing athletics at no cost for Jonesboro youth.

It also outlined the use and maintenance of city parks and fields, among other things, such as a declaration that the City Starz Booster Club shall operate its own concession stand, and all revenues generated from such use shall belong to and be for the sole and exclusive use of the city stars.

From the very start, their revenue was their money, their business, not the cities.

Look it up.

In the spring in 2025, members of the Arkansas Revolution Football Club, a subsidiary nonprofit organization of city stars organized for the Revolution travel teams, met with me and proposed a creation of a new private entity to oversee all youth soccer in Jonesboro.

Despite maintaining independence from city control and oversight, the proposal sought public funding of $500,000 annually, which would have covered $190,000 in non-coach payroll and another $125,000 for coaches.

The proposal is FOIAble from the city.

Look it up.

Shortly after that meeting, Matt Daniels resigned.

In his resignation later, he stated in his incorrect beliefs that one, the city controlled the city stars budget.

It did not.

And two, the city was already spending a large portion of the 500,000 in the proposal he and others made to me.

The city was spending zero.

Look it up.

In April 2025, the entire board of the Arkansas Revolution Football Club issued a joint resignation letter and stated their incorrect understanding that the City of Jonesboro has city employees to run various programs under the City Star's umbrella.

The Arkansas Revolution Football Club Board said they presented City Star's financial statements to my office requesting clarification and account separation and said to their knowledge that my office declined to take any action.

Fiduciary duties fall to the boards and management of private nonprofit organizations and cannot be delegated, giving them full and exclusive authority over their own money and how it is handled and how their chart of accounts is organized and how their accounting entries are made.

Look it up.

They agreed.

And the firm of Thomas Spate and Noble completed its audit of City Starr's finances and presented their report to the City Star's Board of Directors in June of 2025.

The independent auditors report expressed the opinion that the City Star's financial statement statements present fairly in all material respects and assets, liabilities, net assets of the City Starz Booster Club.

In other words, clean off it, clean audit.

This report was also presented to this city council.

Incidentally, Thomas Spate and Noble also conduct the annual audits for the Jonesboro Advertising and Promotion Commission.

Look it up.

Nor Mayor Foremans, nor Mayor Perns, nor mine, no matter how much parents or Revolution Board members might have assumed, hoped, or wished it was.

Criticisms of me or the City Council regarding City STARS management are misplaced.

My responsibility as mayor is to administer city operated programs, which City STARS was not.

In accordance with City Council approved budgets, which we don't include City STARS.

I presented verifiable facts, not feelings, not understandings or beliefs.

Like many of the documents presented at the previous city council meeting contained.

I understand some people may have honest questions about city stars, operations, and funds in the past.

Those questions should be properly directed to its own officers and board of directors, which had the full fiducies responsibilities and duties.

Part of all the confusion has come from people asking questions or emailing or texting complaints and concerns about city stars to the wrong place.

The mayor's office did not have answers about the accounting or handling of money of city stars.

And I never meant for it to come off as dismissive because we didn't have the answers.

We don't have answers for Jonesboro Baseball Boosters, Arkansas Junior Volleyball, or the Foundation of Arts.

And even though, like they, like City Stars, and many other private nonprofits, they utilize city-owned facilities.

So let's remember the reason that I haven't forgotten that City Stars was formed in the first place was to help kids who didn't have access to and couldn't afford other athletic program options.

Tens of thousands of children have benefited as the city and city stars work together.

This should be an exciting time for that program and the upcoming generations and our youth need it.

Moving forward means moving beyond the past, and now we need to focus because on mayor now we have transitioned city stars as December 5th to a city program.

And we are working with various groups, boards, council, on how to achieve the best process we can go about that.

Folks, we have a good model in place with the city softball program, which for instance has done an exceptional job managing cash transactions common to sports clubs.

So I conclude.

I do that a year from now, all sports, that all youth sports numbers and processes will show continued improvement.

Now, council and community, my love and passion is for the youth in this community.

It always has been, and that won't change.

I won't change my integrity, and I won't lie.

This is the commitment that I have said and I will continue to have for this community as your mayor.

I want to say thank you for the opportunity to stand before you this evening and give what I feel is important, and they're facts.

That's all I have to say this evening on the matter.

Thank you.

Next, we'll move on to item number nine, and that is city council reports.

And that I be placed last on the council comments.

Second.

We do have a motion on the floor.

Any discussion by council?

Any discussion by council?

You want to repeat that motion again, please?

I make a motion to move agenda item ten, also known as public comment to be placed before agenda item nine, also known as council comments on tonight's council agenda, and that I be placed last under council comments.

Okay, we're gonna go ahead and you will cast your ballot.

I have a way to roll call up.

Request bro call.

Mr.

Street, Mr.

Miller, I Mr.

Bryant.

Mr.

Hafner.

Dr.

Anthony Coleman.

Aye.

Mr.

McLean.

Mr.

Gibson.

Hi.

Miss Williams.

Mr.

Moore.

Aye.

Dr.

Charles Coleman.

Aye.

Mr.

Emerson.

Aye.

Ms.

Porter.

Hi.

Okay, fine.

And with you here, we're going to move public comments ahead of City Council reports.

So we'll move forward.

Anyone in the audience?

You have five minutes to make a comment.

Would anyone like to come forward?

Yes, sir.

Please state your name and address.

My name is Bill Campbell.

My address is 463 West Matthews.

Come by sometime, my old friends.

Um felt because of this situation and 10 years of working with two mayors that I could address what it's like for these people to be the victim of rumors.

And I know that we've got an actual investigation, a federal investigation going on.

But now you don't you don't interfere, you don't jump to conclusions with the federal investigation.

You let it play out and find out what, if anyone is uh responsible, you know, and I think you'll have plenty of time to know that.

Now I also know that you guys have to deal with your uh people in your wards and and people across the city, and you hear things, you go out and you hear people with ideas.

I can tell you uh there's some coffee shops where a lot of uh people in pride oppress one another about how much better they could run the city than uh the directors and the teams that do that.

One of the first things that I was given when I came here in 2016 was uh to review city stars, not because I have uh just just as a favor to the the previous mayor, and I don't have any uh accounting background, but I talked to Wix and Hufstetler in the last week because he managed this program before Danny Kapalis, and um he said this was exactly what he got.

It operates the very same way that it did with him.

Um I have talked with Mayor Perrin about it, and he says this is the way that he knew it to run.

I think it may have been set up with some flaws, but I can also tell you how difficult it is when you when you've got a three or four-person management team trying to keep all these things under control, you know.

When when you've got 20-something departments and you've got people calling and and some people um repetitively, and there is a factor that in in Little Rock, they call it the STPs, the same ten people who will wear you out with emails, calls, text.

You know some of them, and I'm not saying they're they're wrong, they have the right to be a part of the city, but they also have a moral moral duty to uh tell the truth, you know.

I uh I want you guys to make sure that you you have the the patience to find the truth because you're not gonna get it in a place where we already know it's being investigated by a federal agency.

And um that's my only observation as somebody who uh we heard so many things.

You would hear so many things.

People want to they want to gossip.

It's it's a natural thing.

Before I took this job in Jackson, Mississippi, the communications director said Bill Public Service is a uh uh thankless task.

So okay, and uh you guys do that, and you and you probably feel it you're in to in some ways yourself too.

But I also remember when a director or a chief or somebody is working on something, we got all this going, trying to make sure that it got to you guys in a clear, understandable way was uh it required a lot and it requires a lot, but I think also it requires patience because you're hearing things from outside.

I've heard things from outside.

I don't know what the answers are.

I do know that uh you have a mayor who has had clean audits every time you have a finance director who's had clean audits every time, and this is every department in the in the city.

So uh I think I would lean on that until you know something different.

And we can't pretend we know something different.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Sir, anyone else in the audience who would like to make a comment.

Yes, sir.

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

So one thing I want to say, well, a couple things I want to say.

One is is Mayor, you forgot to you left out that you had been contacted before about this several years ago.

And so I want to read something uh real quick, and this is the law, and these are facts.

So I asked a friend of mine that knows government law if it's illegal to do business with an organization or a 501c3 that you know is doing illegal activity.

This is the response I got back from him.

Yes, it is illegal to it is illegal or a severe breach of law and fiduciary duty for a city government to knowingly do business with an organization, including a 501c3 nonprofit that is engaging in illegal activity.

Such action exposes city officials to potential criminal charges, civil lawsuits and public corruption investigations.

Here are the key uh legal and ethical principles involved.

Breach of fiduciary duties, public officials are considered fiduciaries who must act in the best interest of the public, which includes responsibilities management, managing taxpayers' resources, knowingly funding a criminal enterprise as a violation of of this trust.

Misuse of public funds using taxpayers' money to fund organizations engaged in a legal act uh can be considered mismanagement or embezzlement of the public resources.

Government contracting laws, government have strict uh procurement integrity standards.

Agencies are generally required to avoid or terminate contracts with contractors or five or nonprofits who engage in unethical or criminal behavior, often leading to disbarment, which means no more contracts or anything with the city.

Uh conspiracy and racketeering, if a city knowingly conducts or continues to do business with an organization that is committing crimes, fraud, embezzlement, drugs, and so forth, city officials could be potentially um be in implicated in conspiracy or racketeering charges.

So this is I I don't understand why some act like this isn't a big deal.

I don't know why some people think that this is um some sort of like, hey, we're trying to get you, or um, hey, you know, somebody lost uh uh a mare race and and now they mad at you.

When it's serious, it's serious.

And for anybody that can stand up here and say when an FBI gets involved that that um we don't know anything's happening.

Well, I can promise you something's happening.

And it's in uh this is my time.

This is my time.

This is my time.

Well, this is my time, buddy.

So here's the deal.

Something's happening.

We do know that it was brought to your attention years ago.

We do know that you were asked to take a look at it, and you did nothing.

That makes you responsible.

This is funded by taxpayers' money, period.

It it I don't, and yes, you did you you got this.

You you were given this.

I say everybody that was involved from when the embezzlement started till now.

I don't care who was mayor, I don't care who was the director, everybody should be involved, and we'll see and find out what when it's all said and done, who is involved.

But the truth of the matter is is Mayor, I wish you would have come out and said, man, this is this is bad, and and take some sort of responsibility and say we're gonna get to the bottom of this, and the buck stops with me.

But that's not what happened.

We keep continuing to push things down the road, we keep continuing to act like it's not a big deal, and we keep this acting like you don't have any responsibilities.

You do have responsibility.

I just read you the responsibilities.

It is your job to make sure that whatever taxpayers' money goes to whatever organization that that organization is acting in the best interest of the public.

100% is your job.

Now, this is nothing personal.

I don't even know you.

We've had 12 conversations, and they're great and cordial.

This is about the responsibility that you hold and that the city council holds to make sure that taxpayers' money is being dealt with in a manner that is proper and legal and everything that goes along with it.

And so those of us that are asking questions, we we deserve answers, period.

And that's not a bad thing, that's actually a good thing.

And we'll continue to ask the questions.

Thank you.

Would anyone else in the audience like to speak?

Would please come forward.

State your name, please.

My name is Dean McDonald, and I want to thank the council, mayor, and the city staff for your time this evening.

I want to just for a second agree with you know the previous speaker and some of the sentiments that are in the air tonight, that it is very serious.

Any allegations of misconduct are serious and should be investigated, and they are being investigated.

But what I don't take seriously is the way in which some of this dialogue and discourse has broken down over what we've seen in the past month or so.

And here's why.

But I also recognize the city stars issue for what it is, and it is a baseless witch hunt in the way that it is being framed and teed up by people that are politicizing what is a serious matter, and that is our children who play soccer and those who are in athletics.

It's very serious.

But like a lot of you in this audience, I've read every single word from top to bottom in the drop box link that's being shared and proliferated on social media.

I've read everything, all of these text exchanges, which if you want to read them afterwards, you can.

These are not my investigations.

I'm sharing the documentation of people who disagree with me.

And that's okay if they disagree.

But here is why I disagree.

When you look at these text conversations and the way they've broken down, this is not a serious discussion about how to vet what has been going on at City Stars as well as overhaul it and put it under the umbrella of the city because, as previously stated, this organization over the past two and a half decades was never under uh the umbrella of the city of Jonesboro.

It is a very well-known organization, and City Stars, as it's named, might confuse the public, and that's very understandable because as the public, we're quite confused.

I'm candid in admitting that.

That's a real thing.

I'm here to clear the air on some of that in the fact that not only do I have how all of these conversations broke down, I also have the proposal that was mentioned earlier.

As the mayor said, you can FOIA it.

I'm sorry to the city of Jonesboro, I don't mean to make more work for you.

But the reality is you need to read it because I have.

And while I understand the importance of soccer, and I understand how enriching it is to youth, if you have a hundred and ninety-five thousand dollars that are going to three now glorified soccer coaches that are on the city dime, these same people that in their text they're making this proposal.

They clearly didn't get their way, and now you've seen a lot of sour grapes about it.

And I tee it up like that to say that I just take a lot of issue over the fact that this is being framed as a whistleblower or whatever kind of investigation or event.

The investigation belongs with one individual who was not overseeing anything that had to do with something that had city authority over their budget.

That's where the investigation lies.

And I just I really take a lot of issue with the notion of whistleblowing because a whistleblower does not seek to be enriched by the so-called alleged shooter.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you for your comments.

Are there any other comments in the audience?

I don't see any.

Next, we'll move back to city council reports.

Mr.

Strait.

I'd just like to echo on what the mayor said previously about thanking the departments, public safety, fire department, uh, police department, 911 and the street department for the excellent job that they did in this catastrophic snowstorm we had.

Uh, can't thank them enough.

I know it didn't make everyone happy.

Some people don't understand the complexities of removing that much snow off the street, but I can assure you, Street Department uh worked 12 hour shifts 24-7, did a great job.

So I appreciate all our efforts.

That's all I've got, Mayor.

Thank you, Councilman.

Mr.

Miller.

I think this time.

Mr.

Bryant.

Oh, lots, but maybe only a few things.

We had some of this discussion at public services today, so not to be repetitive, other than a lot of folks in the room might not know we had the discussion.

But I use this example recently, we had to vote to waive allowing a city employee to work on city cars.

I voted against it, because I think when you work at the city, you shouldn't be doing business with the city.

And I know I learned today that city employees, if they have outside employment, they have to disclose it, potential conflicts of interest and such, so they have to disclose that to their supervisor.

So we act like we don't know about city stars.

I mean, they're involved with the Christmas parade, and they're involved with all these things, and there's pictures all over the internet of us promoting city stars signing up and promoting giving money from the Christmas parade to the city stars program, and our city employees are all over the place working for this nonprofit.

So somehow we have a city policy that comes to the city that we have to have a vote if you work for us and want to work on one of our vehicles and make money, which I'm also against.

But when our city employees are using your taxpayer dollars, your resources, your cars, our city vehicles, all of our city resources and computers to do this program inside of a 501c3, and then even to Jeremy's point, when it's brought, I mean, I feel like this whole thing is like some sort of gaslighting thing to make us feel crazy that we shouldn't take this serious.

I mean, Matt Modileschi never met the guy, never talked to the guy.

He's a Copenhager donor and a Copenhager supporter.

So the whole effort's being led by a Copenhager donor and a Copenhager supporter, and the other person who's been a whistleblower in all of this, is Jerry Morgan.

Jerry Morgan's one of the most respected members of this community, and I would argue with no offense to anyone else, I would argue that Jerry's maybe one of the most significant people in this community from a public service perspective, we wouldn't have the Ridge Athletic Center without him and his vision.

So I mean, these two fellas, you know, there was a reference earlier to the 10 people in Little Rock or the 10-person rule or whatever, to making it seem like there's only a handful of people that care.

I believe that both Patty Lack and Jeremy Terrell both shared screenshots of their post.

I think Patty's had had 10,000.

I think Jeremy Terrell's had had hundreds of thousands.

So just because all these people don't email us, they're scared.

I mean, I talk to people and they say, Man, I'm so upset about this.

I wish I could email the council.

I wish I could talk to the mayor, but I'm scared.

I've got business before the city, I've got permits before the city.

They they don't want to be punished in any way.

So the public cares, and despite any of the gaslighting going on tonight, the FBI doesn't show up for no reason.

So we're in a very serious situation, and as the stewards of the taxpayers' resources, I feel like we have to take action.

Mr.

Hefner.

Uh yes, I've got a few things to say.

Um, and these are probably in no particular order, but first of all, on the city, the whole city stars arrangement.

Um I believe when this was set up back in 2004 that there was a lot of good intentions, and somehow this agreement kind of fell by the wayside when it wasn't renewed after it originally expired.

But um, you know, the mayor w witness reference the agreement.

One of the things that says, like in the fourth sentence or fourth paragraph on here is whereas the city is the administrator of free recreational use programs known as city stars.

And the definition of administr administrator is the person responsible for running a business organization, etc.

Um, as I said, I think this was the original intention.

I think when this agreement expired, like in December 2008, I believe.

Um that was right at the time when Mayor Perrin was coming into office.

So, you know, Mayor Perrin may have never seen this agreement.

I I don't know.

But you know, just to be clear on a few things, um, you know, it states that City and Jones Row City stars agree that city officials may be JCSBC officers and members of JCBC may perform duties that benefit both the city and the JSBC while under the employment of the city.

So which means they can, you know, parson rec people can do this.

Um, you know, I think, you know, some other things it talks about is that city, you know, the booster club funds shall be administered according to city finance policies and procedures.

I don't think you know, I think that's one thing that wasn't done and led us to this um potential situation that we're in right now, or not potential situation, but the situation that we're in right now and you know, waiting to see how that plays out.

Another thing it's mentioned is upon signing this agreement, JCSBC will provide to the city current bylaws, financial review of expenditures and revenues from previous year with city parks director, assistant director for programs and mayor.

Number three was an annual review from a third party auditor.

Um, you know, a re as y'all may or may not know a review is a kind of a step below an audit, but the audit that was performed last year was the first time an audit's ever been performed on the city stars program.

Um the review was never done.

Um which is sad, like I said, this agreement has some good intentions, but it failed.

But the thing I want to stress is just because my opinion, um, I'm not an attorney, but if city employees are involved in every aspect of this agreement of of this entity, even though it's a separate C3, if you're the major stakeholder and it's your facilities that are being used, it's your employees that make up all but maybe one position on the board of directors, if there are allegations made, I think you have every right as the city as the mayor to ask questions.

Um I don't think you can I don't think it's right to put your you know, for lack of a better term, just say nope, that's a separate organization.

I I I can't do anything about it.

You have every right to ask questions, in my opinion.

If that if you don't, I mean you can force actions, you can ask for their board for things because you're the one with the facilities, you're the one with the the assets.

Um I think you know this was brought up originally back in, you know, to according to our little binder we got back in like April or so of 2003 or February of two 2023 is when the revolution started asking questions.

Um I'm disappointed that it's dragged on until April or Jack February of 2026 with really no resolution.

I think as the you know, I I've I've supported COP, um, he knows that, but I feel the CEO of the city, you shouldn't let things drag out that long.

You have to, I mean, you don't you don't not get back to people, it's our job or your job to make the hard decisions and not just I'll get back to you in a couple weeks and never get back to people.

Um I think that's one thing that definitely needs to be improved, and and that's let something fester and become a big it turned into a look from a little snowball into a big avalanche.

And now that we got the public here, you know, with eroded public trust, um, you know, just frustrated, you know, the problems have escalated.

Um and you know, I I don't take that lightly.

Um the other thing too is um, you know, obviously the the relationship between the mayor and the council is one that's built on trust.

I mean, we have to be transparent with each other, um, or else we're not gonna get anything done.

And you know, I I don't know if it was a misspeak or you just you read it wrong or what, but at the January 6th meeting, when you said that you had spoken to several members of the um Parsons Rec Advisory Board, um, I had people the next day come up to me and say, Joe, I I haven't spoken, I haven't spoken to the mayor about this.

Um what day did I do it?

It's a couple of weeks ago.

Um reference my notes here.

Uh it was January 21st.

I called nine members of that committee, and I didn't call Dr.

Coleman.

I mean, he's on that committee, you know, that advisory committee.

I called nine members, you know, after you had said you had spoken to several, um, and you had spoken to one.

I I would only only one told me he had spoken to you, um, and then one member has said they had spoken to Jim at a basketball game.

So, like I said, I don't know if that was a intentional or not intentional, but it it has raised questions in my mind about why you would say that over something so simple and trivial that you you didn't have to say that you say I meant to speak to him, I didn't get to it, but I mean, obviously, I just think there has to be we got to do better.

I said at the last meeting, there's plenty of opportunity for improvement, and I think that improvement comes from being better communication, open, honest, and and taking care of business.

We can't just keep kicking the cans down the road when you know when it's hard decisions.

I mean you gotta be the place where the buck stops here, and we gotta be open and transparent with us.

So that's all I have to say about that.

That's all I have to say about that right now.

Thank you.

Dr.

Anthony Coleman.

Yes, thank you.

Um so I like um some of my colleagues have shared, I think it was probably a good thing that I wasn't here that week.

Um I was late getting back to town and couldn't make it.

Uh, but it allowed me to um read, hear, listen uh without, and I'm gonna use this term perceptions because I am one guy that that understand perceptions and how people perceive because it doesn't not it doesn't necessarily give an indicator of who the man is or who the person is, and uh and I'm I understand that more than more than many because even sitting at this seat for the last four years almost, uh many have perceived me to lean certain ways and to have certain uh because I've had certain relationships that I have certain thoughts about whatever.

And I've shared with the mayor that uh even privately that I supported him and and we're with him and praying for.

So that's all I have been and all I have done.

And but when it comes to perceptions, it does make a difference.

And I say that because I'm gonna be honest with you, mayor, I was waiting for a response that week.

I wasn't here, so I couldn't have any opinion or know what happened or anything, but I was waiting for a response that said that indicated adamantly that's not true, or this is not me, or this is what happened, and I didn't get that.

And so I was left with my own mind to think whatever, based on based on the readings and the social media and all of that.

And uh, but I'll be honest with you.

One one thing that I do and I try to do is make decisions based on principle and facts.

And so I appreciate you for sharing today.

Uh that helps me to hear your side because while many are saying that it's a political, it's politically motivated, you know, some of the response that I heard, even on KIT mayor, some of that was it sounded politically motivated or political response.

And I just wanted to hear the man.

Hey, I did it, didn't do it, whatever.

Um so I'm just trying to figure out the actual facts.

And so whenever I look at all of this, I try to make it simple for me to understand.

And that is, did the mayor, did we as city or whatever officials, did we have the responsibility of I understand fiduciarily, maybe not, but to oversee and all of that.

When I made calls to register my son, register my grandson, all I saw was Jonesboro, Jonesboro City.

So for me, we do have a responsibility.

We do have something to say as it relates to the city stars, and maybe not handling a lot of it fiduciarily, but we do have a responsibility to share, to talk, to ask questions, to make certain that we are doing what's right for our children because my perception was that it was a Jonesboro City thing until I learned when I came to council, and I asked that question specifically, and it's on the record.

I asked it specifically about two years ago when I found out that City Stars was not run by the city, and so um, you know, my decisions, like I said, are not based and is not an indicator of the man, it's an indicator or it's based on leadership, and that's important to me.

And um that's all I have.

Thank you, Mr.

McLean, Miss Porker.

No, thank you, Mr.

Emerson.

Nothing at this time, thank you, Dr.

Charles Coleman.

Miss Williams, nothing, Mr.

Gibson.

I think pretty much everything on this particular topic has been hit on in my opinion.

I did have a couple of questions that I think have already been somewhat answered, but I do want to report that public services did meet today in conjunction with the parks advisory committee to kind of look at forging things moving forward.

Um the parks department was represented as well.

I think we've got a good platform to build on moving forward, and I'm very optimistic about our future, Mr.

Moore.

Okay, I'll just kind of bring it all to an end here.

It's it's important for our community that we restore trust between the council, the mayor's office, and the community.

The uh I think mistakes have been made here, Mr.

Mayor.

I think if you'd have read that statement a year ago that you read at the podium tonight, I don't think we'd be in the position we're in right now.

If not a year ago, when Patty Lack and Jeremy Terrell both came to this podium and they expressed concerns, if you'd have read that statement that you read tonight, we would not have this problem.

I I don't know why you didn't.

I would have, if I'd have been mayor, I would wanted to clear it up right then that we had no authority.

There have been uh people in the community that have been upset about it.

I think you should have addressed it sooner, but uh I think we have to find a way to move on, not to be off.

If you don't mind, counsel, um, I'd like to make some comments, and um I appreciate the input from City Council.

I strive every day to make the right decisions for this community, and we as council and the mayor's office and the city employees have worked hard together the last five years, and we need to continue moving forward.

I'm always up for constructive criticism, and it's hard for anybody to put themselves in anybody else's shoes.

This was not anything that I was aware of as far as it was all new to me as well.

I depend on my directors for their skill set, their leadership, and I apologize to this city council because the last thing I ever want to do is draw a wedge between us because that does not benefit our community.

I am excited though, from the standpoint we are now with City Stars under the leadership of Jim Stearns, very positive.

on my directors for their skill set their leadership and I apologize to this city council because the last thing I ever want to do is draw a wedge between us because that does not benefit our community I am excited though from the standpoint we are now with City Stars under the leadership of Jim Stearns very positive we have a good onset moving forward council so thank you again for your conversation tonight it was open it was apparent and I think you know me as who I am and I will take it to heart and I don't know of any leader that doesn't always want to improve so thank you next we'll move on to item 11 that's adjournment so move second all in favor say aye aye any opposed