Jonesboro City Council Says No To Group With Bloomberg Ties

The Jonesboro City Council overwhelmingly voted Tuesday night against a resolution to join a community volunteer service program, expressing problems with the political beliefs of the group’s founder.

The 10-2 vote against joining the Cities of Service group came after debate Nov. 18 as to whether or not the city should apply for a $30,000 grant from the group, founded by former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The council voted Nov. 18 to table discussion on the matter, in effect, allowing a deadline to apply for the money to lapse.

At the time, council members said Bloomberg’s views on issues like gun control and abortion were contrary to the views of most Jonesboro residents.

“I can’t sell my soul for $30,000,” council member Gene Vance said Nov. 18.

Vance said Tuesday that the arguments since that meeting have not swayed him.

“I just don’t feel comfortable with the group,” Vance said.

Council member Darrel Dover, who voted no along with Vance, said there was a lot of concern among council members about the group.

Council member Ann Williams, who voted yes on the resolution, said the city would not have been required to go along with any of the views of the group.

Williams said she was more concerned with how the city would be viewed by so-called Millennials.

“I am more concerned with the Millennials, who might think we are a city of stodgy, old people, a city of ‘no,'” Williams said, noting she believes the grant would have provided a good opportunity for the city.

Voting yes with Williams was council member Charles Frierson.

Voting no were Vance, Dover and council members Todd Burton, Tim McCall, Rennell Woods, Mitch Johnson, John Street, Chris Gibson, Dr. Charles Coleman and Chris Moore.

ARKANSAS SERVICES CENTER APPROVED
The council also voted Tuesday to approve a zoning request for a nearly 40-acre plot of land from R-1 single family district to a C-3 general commercial district.

The land along U.S. 63 at 2920 McClellan Drive was once the site of the Arkansas Services Center. The local offices of the Arkansas Department of Human Services and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission were located at the site for many years before being torn down in 2013.

The Metropolitan Area Planning Commission gave its go-ahead Nov. 10 after hearing from developer Carroll Caldwell.

Caldwell said at that meeting that it would be late 2015 or early 2016 before any announcement on businesses locating in the area.

OTHER ACTION
In other action, council members:

· Voted, by a voice vote, to table discussion on hiring a communications director for the city due to Mayor Harold Perrin being absent. Perrin was sick with the flu Monday and Tuesday.
· Voted, by a voice vote, to amend the city’s salary and administration plan to add a sex offender registration specialist position to the police department.
· Approved a resolution, waiving competitive bidding and authorizing a contract with Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield to provide insurance coverage for city employees in 2015.
· Approved a resolution, waiving competitive bidding and authorizing a contract with Delta Dental of Arkansas, based in Little Rock, to provide dental coverage for city employees in 2015.
· Accepted the bid of Tralan Engineering of Jonesboro, for $195,000, to buy the old Fire Station #5 at 2916 Wood St. in Jonesboro.