Public Works Council Committee Meeting - August 4, 2026
Public Works Council Committee Meeting - August 4, 2026
The Public Works Council Committee met on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at 5:00 PM at the Municipal Center in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The committee considered three resolutions and approved minutes from the previous meeting. All items were forwarded to the full City Council.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (MIN-26:059): The minutes from the July 7, 2026 Public Works Committee meeting were adopted by unanimous vote.
Discussion Items
Resolution RES-26:089 – Marion Berry Parkway Multiuse Trail Construction Administration and Inspection Services
- The committee voted to accept a fee proposal from Pickering Firm Incorporated for $100,000 to provide construction administration and inspection services for the Marion Berry Parkway Multiuse Trail project.
- Engineering staff reported that construction plans are 100% complete and the project is awaiting authorization from the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ADOT) to advertise for bids. The original budget was $1.5 million; current estimates are approximately $1.7 million, but a deductive alternate will be used to stay within budget.
- Dr. Com raised a question about a $303 discrepancy between the proposal ($100,000) and the contract ($99,696). Staff explained it is a cost-plus, hourly-rate contract, so the $100,000 is an estimate.
- The resolution passed and was forwarded to the full council.
Resolution RES-26:090 – Higginbottom Trail Professional Services Agreement with Bacon Farmer Workman Engineering & Testing, Inc.
- The committee voted to enter into a professional services agreement with Bacon Farmer Workman Engineering & Testing, Inc. for the design of the Higginbottom Trail. The contract amount is $131,839.77.
- Engineering staff noted the firm, which has an office in Paragould, was selected through a competitive process to help build engineering capacity in Jonesboro.
- Public commenter Patty Lack (4108 Ports Hill Road) noted that the resolution as presented did not state the dollar amount, though it was listed in the attached contract. She moved to amend the resolution to include the amount. The motion was seconded and adopted by voice vote.
- The amended resolution then passed and was forwarded to the full council.
Resolution RES-26:091 – Turtle Creek Wetland Partnership Affiliation Agreement with University of Arkansas
- The committee voted to enter into an affiliation agreement with the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, for the Turtle Creek Wetland Partnership. The resolution also amends the capital improvement budget to allocate $50,000 for the planning project.
- Staff explained that the project, championed by Keep Jonesboro Beautiful, aims to transform the underutilized Turtle Creek detention pond and wetland area into an outdoor classroom with boardwalks, aquatic research, and expanded wetlands. Outreach has been made to Middleton Schools and the STEM school.
- The resolution passed and was forwarded to the full council.
Key Outcomes
- All three resolutions (RES-26:089, RES-26:090, and RES-26:091) were approved by the committee and will be considered by the full City Council.
- In RES-26:090, an amendment was adopted to include the contract amount of $131,839.77 in the resolution text.
- No public comments were made on items not on the agenda. The meeting adjourned shortly after committee members confirmed no other business.
Meeting Transcript
Where do it? All right, it's five o'clock. We're gonna go ahead and call the uh public works council meeting to order. Um first item is approval of minutes, so please mark your attendance. No, I'm sorry, roll call. Please mark your attendance when posted. All right, tell me something else. Item is approval of minutes, minutes 26059 from the meeting on Tuesday, July 7th, 2026. Move to adopt. Second. Motion second to adopt any comments or questions by anyone on the committee. If not, please uh mark your vote. Okay, and those will be forwarded. Approved. Next item, new business resolution is to be introduced. Resolution 26089. Resolution by the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas to accept the attached fee proposal for construction administration and inspection services for the Marionbury Parkway multi-use trail project. Whereas Pickering Firm Incorporated was selected for the Marionbury Parkway multi-use trail project, whereas the city of Jonesburg desires to accept the attached fee proposal in the amount of a hundred thousand dollars for construction administration and inspection services, whereas funding for the execution of the fee proposal shall come from capital improvement budget and compensation shall be paid in accordance with the fee proposal. Now therefore be it resolved by the city council of the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas, Section One, that the City of Jonesboro hereby accepts the attached fee proposal from Pickering Firm Incorporated in the amount of a hundred thousand dollars for construction administration and inspection services for the Marion Barry Parkway multi-use trail project. Section two that funding for the execution of the fee proposal shall come from the capital improvement budget and compensation shall be paid in accordance with the fee proposal. Section three and mayor and city clerk are hereby authorized by city council for the city of Jonesburg to accept the fee proposal and direct the purchasing finance specialist to issue a purchase order. Motion second recommend for full council. Any comments or questions by anyone on the committee? Chairman. Yes, sir. Brian or Craig or whoever, I'd just be curious for an update on this and the next one. So I mean combine them all at once or do it on the second one or whatever on this and Higginbotham trail. On this project, we're waiting for authorization to advertise from our dot. As soon as we get that, we'll advertise for bids on it. Plans are 100%. Plans have been approved. We're just waiting on the last letter saying we can actually advertise the project. Then we're completely funded on this one. Uh we have the grant funding. We have some money in capital improvements. I believe there's an agreement with Arkansas State for the other portion of it of the funding. Um I don't have the answer to that question personally, but I think there's been some conversations had about that. Uh estimated cost. Um it's a one seven, something like that. So it's a little bit more than what it was originally estimated, but uh we'll have a deductive alternate in it to get us down below the 1.5, which was originally budgeted for the project. Um and then on Higginbottom Creek, there should be a resolution before you tonight to execute or to send a council uh design contract with a firm to design that project. Um so we're just getting in the kickoff stage. It'll be you know, it'll be this time next year, probably. Uh hopefully we'll be looking at going to construction. Thank you. Greg, if if you will. I I wasn't familiar with the engineers on the hick and bottom. Who who is that? Um it is it's uh a firm, they're they're multi-state firm, they have an office in Paragold. Um, they're doing plan review and stuff for Paragold.
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