The Public Works Council Committee met on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at 5:00 PM at the Municipal Center. The committee approved the previous meeting's minutes and recommended three resolutions to the full City Council, all related to trail and wetland projects. All votes were 7-0 in favor.
RES-26:089 – Marion Berry Parkway Multiuse Trail Construction Administration & Inspection Services: Engineering Director Craig Light reported that the project is waiting for ARDOT authorization to advertise for bids; plans are 100% complete. The estimated project cost is about $1,700,000, with a deductible alternate to reduce it below the originally budgeted $1,500,000. Funding includes grant money, capital improvements, and an agreement with Arkansas State University. The fee proposal with Pickering Firm Inc. is for $100,000 (hourly, cost-plus). Councilmember Anthony Coleman asked about the $303 difference between the proposal and contract – Light explained it is an hourly estimate rounded up. Coleman also asked about reimbursable expenses (mileage, meals, lodging) not included in this local firm contract. Light confirmed that reimbursables are common for out-of-town firms. Councilmember Chris Moore noted that professional services contracts cannot be awarded based on price. The resolution was recommended to Council by a 7-0 vote.
RES-26:090 – Higginbottom Trail Design Services with Bacon Farmer Workman Engineering & Testing, Inc.: Light stated this is a design contract for the Higginbottom Creek Trail, which is in the kick-off stage; construction may begin about a year later. The firm has an office in Paragould and was selected by a committee to diversify engineering capacity in Jonesboro. The contract amount is $131,839.77. Following Patti Lack’s public comment, Councilmember Coleman moved to amend the resolution to include the dollar amount, seconded by Moore; the amendment passed unanimously. The main motion to recommend to Council then passed 7-0.
RES-26:091 – Turtle Creek Wetland Partnership with University of Arkansas (Fayetteville) and Capital Improvement Budget Amendment: Light explained that Keep Jonesboro Beautiful spearheaded this project. The plan is to develop a landscape architecture studio project at the Turtle Creek detention pond, creating an outdoor classroom with boardwalks, wetland expansion, and research on aquatic species. The project aims to better engage the community and utilize the existing trail and bridge. The budget is amended by $50,000 to fund the planning phase. The resolution was recommended to Council by a 7-0 vote.
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.