Special Called Meeting of Public Services Committee on February 4, 2026: Aligning Parks and Sports Tourism

This special called meeting of the Jonesboro Public Services Council Committee, held on February 4, 2026 (note: the minutes and transcript indicate the meeting occurred on February 3, 2026, creating a discrepancy with the provided date), brought together the City Council committee, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and representatives from the A&P Commission and Public Facilities Board to discuss how to align city recreational sports and sports tourism efforts. The central theme was to create a parallel path for youth sports accessibility and sports tourism, with a focus on accountability, transparency, and collaboration after recent controversies surrounding City Stars.

Consent Calendar

• No consent calendar items were discussed; the meeting was a single discussion item.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Matt Daniel (civilian): Expressed support for a three-entity checks and balances system (A&P, Public Facilities Board, and City Council) to provide protection for the administration, parks department, and community. He advocated for a vendor model with tier-one priority vendors based on qualifications, and suggested that the city could run rec leagues while vendors handle tournaments.
• Unnamed parent: Stressed the importance of including active parents and school representatives on any future commission, as they are directly involved with the children.
• Aaron (city employee, possibly basketball coordinator): Voiced concern that if vendors take over the league operations, his job might be eliminated. The discussion clarified that the city would continue to run youth rec leagues.

Discussion Items

• Opening Remarks (Chairman Chris Gibson): Set the goal of aligning shared priorities between the Public Services Committee and the Parks and Rec Advisory Board to ensure infrastructure and programming for parks and sports tourism, focusing on the future rather than past controversies.
• David Daniel (Chairman, Parks and Rec Advisory Board): Described the board as a “cheerleading operation” with limited authority. He emphasized the need for unity around the Ridge Athletic Center, which must succeed. He outlined three financial scenarios for the Ridge: profit-making, break-even, or loss-making, and stressed the need for a “marriage” between the city and sports tourism vendors to ensure local youth are prioritized while also attracting out-of-town teams. He noted that the Icebreaker volleyball tournament (86 teams) could move to the Ridge, reducing school district liability.
• Jim Stearns (Parks and Rec Director): Presented a detailed report of parks events: 189 events last year, including 70 at Southside Softball Complex, 41 at Joe Mack Campbell, 22 at Craighead Forest Park, and 25 at Shooting Sports. He emphasized the department’s focus on youth sports accessibility and affordability. He noted the cost of tournaments (e.g., $2,200 per two-day tournament, $6,000 for mountain bike race) and the need to be better stewards of parks funds. He announced that the 2026 athletic schedule will be completed by March 1st, opening the facility calendar for other events. He also mentioned plans to hire a marketing/social media person, and was asked about ensuring bilingual outreach to the Hispanic community.
• Tom Fielder (A&P Commission): Noted that recent events provide an opportunity for a “reset.” He read an email from Matt Modelski (Chairman, Public Facilities Board) proposing a restructured Parks and Rec Board that would include 2-3 members from the A&P Commission, 2-3 from the Public Facilities Board, and the remainder from City Council. The proposed board would ensure youth sports programs are inclusive, transparent, and support sports tourism without displacing recreation. It would create standards for safety, transparency, and vendor accountability.
• City Attorney Carol Duncan: Confirmed that the current Parks and Rec Advisory Committee is a committee, not a commission, and any changes to membership or structure would require amending the original ordinance. She expressed concern about commingling A&P and Public Facilities Board members on a voting body due to bond financing arrangements for the Ridge, and recommended they seek approval from their private legal counsel. She also discussed existing policies on city employees working for vendors and noted that state law requires disclosure of business ownership but not necessarily for nonprofit jobs.
• Councilmember Dr. Charles Coleman: Called the financial management of City Stars an “elephant in the room” and stressed the need for clean audits and ethical practices. He advocated for a motion to either combine or restructure the committee with a clear timeline.
• Councilmember LJ Bryant: Made a motion to work toward establishing a separate sports commission, but no vote was taken as the meeting was a special called meeting. He later suggested that a sports tourism commission could focus on “heads in beds” while the Parks and Rec Committee continues to focus on the 10-year master park plan.
• Councilmember Joe Hafner and others: Discussed the practicality of vetting vendors and the risk of overstepping boundaries.
• Jay Clevenger (Advisory Board): Warned against both knee-jerk reactions and taking too long, noting that two weeks is insufficient time.
• Trey McKee (Advisory Board): Questioned who would control the City Stars money and who would take over the vendor role. City Attorney Duncan confirmed that the City Stars 501c3 voted to dissolve and turn over funds to the city, and youth sports are now under Parks and Rec.
• Marilyn Copeland (Advisory Board): Gave background on City Stars, originally created in 1999 by the four school districts as a sliding-scale scholarship program to ensure no child was excluded from sports due to income.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken as this was a special called meeting; all decisions were deferred to the next regular Public Services meeting in February 2026.
• Consensus on restructuring: Most participants agreed that the existing Parks and Rec Advisory Committee needs to be expanded to include representatives from the A&P Commission and the Public Facilities Board, though legal counsel must first clear the proposal for any voting conflicts.
• City Stars dissolution: The entity is officially dissolved, and its funds and operations have been absorbed by the city. Parks and Rec will continue youth sports with city-run programs, funded through the city budget and approved by the council.
• 2026 athletic schedule: Director Stearns committed to publishing the schedule by March 1, 2026, to allow outside vendors and organizations to book facilities.
• Next steps: The Public Services Committee will continue discussions, examine models from other cities, and work with legal counsel to draft any necessary ordinance amendments. The chairman will circulate Matt Modelski’s email to the group for further input.