Jonesboro City Council Meeting - September 1, 2026

The Jonesboro City Council met on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at 5:30 PM at the Municipal Center. Mayor Harold Copenhaver was out of town, and the meeting was conducted by a council member. The meeting covered consent agenda items, new ordinances including a proposed 0.625% sales tax for public safety, first and third reading ordinances, a detailed mayor's report on pedestrian safety initiatives, council reports, and public comments.

Consent Calendar

• MIN-26:078: Minutes from the August 18, 2026 City Council meeting were approved.
• RES-26:101: A resolution to permanently close the Airport Road (AR 351) at-grade intersection with the Union Pacific Railroad upon completion of a grade-separated crossing, referred from Public Safety Committee, was adopted.
• RES-26:102: Appointments and reappointments to boards and commissions as recommended by the Mayor were approved.
• RES-26:104: A budget amendment to purchase two 2026 Chevrolet 1500 crew cab 4x4 trucks for the Fire Department was approved. All items were adopted unanimously.

Resolutions Removed from Consent Agenda

• RES-26:103: A resolution requesting free utility services from City Water and Light for city-owned property. After a motion and second, it was adopted without discussion.

Discussion Items

• Introduction of New Ordinances (Sales Tax and Special Election)
  • ORD-26:034 (levying a city-wide 0.625% sales and use tax) and ORD-26:035 (calling a special election on the question) were introduced. Council suspended rules to waive second and third readings. Both were adopted after a motion and second. Public comments were taken:
    • James Owen Hines (508 Ridgecrest) clarified that the special election would be held concurrently with the November general election, which was confirmed.
    • Patty Latt (4108 Forest Hill Road) attempted to question the use of reserve funds but was ruled out of order by the chair, who stated that the only question before the council was whether to place the measure on the ballot.
• Ordinances on First Reading
  • ORD-26:031 (amending Chapter 2-87 to clarify how a council member may sponsor legislation) was introduced. A council member questioned whether the five-business-day timeline for the mayor to assign legislation to committee was sufficient, especially if the mayor is out of town. Staff indicated they would review the timeline with the administration. The ordinance passed first reading.
  • ORD-26:032 (amending Section 2-84 to add procedure for opening invocation during council meetings) was introduced and passed first reading without discussion.
  • ORD-26:033 (amending Sections 2-84 and 2-87 to correct outdated language and update notice timelines for special called committee meetings) was introduced and passed first reading without discussion.
• Unfinished Business – Second Reading
  • ORD-26:030 (zoning change from PD-M multi-family to PD-M commercial for property at 1411 Southern Ridge Boulevard, requested by Jeremy Bevill for Southern Hills Apartments Development, LLC) was adopted on second reading without opposition.
• Unfinished Business – Third Reading
  • ORD-26:023 (abandonment of a 15-foot alley between 1810 and 1812 Henry Street, requested by David Clifft) was adopted.
  • ORD-26:024 (placing various traffic signs as determined by the Traffic Control Committee) was adopted.
  • ORD-26:026 (private club permit for Encouraging Advancement, Inc. d/b/a Blazing Buffalo Sports Grill, located at 3310 Southwest Drive, Suite 7) was adopted. Public comment: James Hines spoke in opposition, stating the location is near his neighborhood and near Jonesboro High School, and urged the council to vote against it. The item passed.
  • ORD-26:027 (private club permit for Mataji LLC d/b/a My Place Hotel Jonesboro, located at 2905 Gilmore Drive) was adopted. Questions were raised about whether the hotel qualified under ABC regulations for a private club permit; staff confirmed it did, and ABC had provided the correct application. The item passed.
• Mayor's Report (presented by Brian, likely City Manager or Administration)
  • Brian reported on upcoming events: Barbeque Fest, and a potential public input meeting in council chambers to gather feedback on the master growth plan and public safety initiatives.
  • October is Pedestrian Safety Month; a citywide education campaign is planned, and additional pedestrian infrastructure on Johnson Avenue may be funded.
  • Statistics from Johnson Avenue's HAWK signal: since installation in May 2024, an average of 115-125 people per day use the crosswalk. Compliance is 74.67% (based on camera spot checks). Since the HAWK was installed, there have been no pedestrian fatalities on Johnson Avenue, compared to two fatalities in the 18 months prior.
  • Bridge repair near Johnson Avenue is nearly complete, using sidewalk in-lieu-of funds to fix a drop-off at the south side abutment.
  • The engineering department is studying conversion of downtown traffic signals to an "all-stop" (off-stop) configuration to prevent left-turn conflicts when pedestrians have a walk signal. Cost is estimated in the six-figure range; 30% plans are awaited.
  • A Safe Streets for All grant is moving forward, which will bring additional HAWK signals, rapid flashing beacons, LED lighting, and a lower speed limit to Johnson Avenue from Red Wolf to Main Street.
• City Council Reports
  • Multiple council members praised the "Safety First" initiative for getting the public safety sales tax question on the ballot, and thanked community advocates.
  • Council discussed pedestrian safety concerns downtown, referencing recent fatalities and a hit-and-run. Councilmember Bryant noted a joint special called meeting on pedestrian safety had been held.
  • Dr. Charles Coleman moved to move the scheduled council meeting from October 6 to October 8 (because October 6 is a national day), which was seconded and passed. An amendment to also move the Public Works Committee meeting was adopted. It was noted that October 8 conflicts with an Arkansas State home football game.

Public Comments & Testimony

• James Elwin Hines (508 Ridgecrest) spoke about Main Street traffic issues: drivers parking across crosswalks at intersections, causing confusion. He suggested education or enforcement.
• Debbie Haas (403 Bowling Lane) reported that her daughter Katie was struck by a car two weeks ago while legally crossing a downtown crosswalk with a pedestrian white light. Katie suffered PTSD and was not seriously injured. Haas called for improved pedestrian safety measures: marking downtown as a pedestrian-friendly area, lowering speed limits, adding speed bumps, increasing fines, more police presence, and public service announcements. She offered to volunteer or fundraise for safety improvements.
• Haley Knight Brock (2808 Spring Valley) spoke about the same incident (her friend Katie). She criticized the police report for stating "nothing further" despite a pedestrian being hit in a crosswalk with right-of-way. She urged the council and law enforcement to establish a clear and consistent process for pedestrian-vehicle collisions, including accountability for drivers. She called for prevention rather than reaction.
• Patty Latt (4108 Forest Hill Road) reiterated that the city's reserve fund has nearly $10 million more than necessary, as shown in the budget overview. She questioned why the city is asking voters for a new sales tax when existing reserves could be used for immediate safety needs.
• Jeb Spencer (701 South Floyd) commented on the video of the crash, stating the driver had a clear view and should have been checked for impairment; he expressed that drivers who cannot see pedestrians should not be allowed to drive.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda items (except RES-26:103) were approved unanimously; RES-26:103 was separately approved.
• ORD-26:034 and ORD-26:035 were introduced and passed on all three readings in a single meeting, placing a 0.625% sales and use tax question on the November 2026 ballot.
• Three ordinances (ORD-26:031, 032, 033) passed first reading and will proceed to second reading.
• ORD-26:030 (rezoning) passed second reading.
• Four ordinances (ORD-26:023, 024, 026, 027) passed third reading and were adopted.
• The City Council and Public Works Committee meetings originally scheduled for October 6, 2026 were moved to October 8, 2026.
• The administration will continue to pursue pedestrian safety improvements, including downtown signal upgrades and additional infrastructure on Johnson Avenue.