Perrin Gives State Of The City Talk At NEA Political Animals
by January 23, 2015 7:34 pm 123 views
The city of Jonesboro was busy in 2014, seeing growth in both economics and activity, the city’s mayor said Friday.
Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin spoke to the NEA Political Animals club meeting at the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce office on Nettleton Avenue.
Perrin, who is in his second term, said he would not have it any other way.
Calling his talk, “Customer Service, Our Only Product”, Perrin said the city completed at least a dozen projects last year including moving into a new 65,000-square-foot municipal building on Church Street and a $1.5 million renovation of a former Army services building into a police station on Caraway Road.
A new fire station on Neely Road is also supposed to open next week, while Perrin said city officials have also worked to help quality of life issues.
“We have been extremely busy in 2014,” Perrin said. “We have 585 employees who are constantly working for you.”
INSPECTIONS SHOW GROWTH
Perrin said the city’s inspection office has also been busy in the past year or so.
The office did 330 inspections for new homes, 25 duplexes, 35 multi-family buildings and 47 new commercial buildings, totaling $125 million, in 2014, he said.
“We have about $15 million per month in permit requests,” Perrin said of the growth. “It has been amazing.”
The growth has been all over the city, said Perrin, noting work has also been done to install sewer lines on the south side of U.S. 63 to help attract business and homes alike.
However, with the growth, there have been concerns over infrastructure and in particular, traffic problems.
The city received a $1.5 million federal grant last year to do an environmental study to build an overpass across Highland Drive and Arkansas 18.
City officials were able to convince federal officials of the need after the federal officials saw a videotape. The videotape, Perrin said, showed a 58-minute delay of a train at the intersection.
The intersection is a major artery, heading into Jonesboro, from the east and connects the town with its industrial park.
Perrin said the videotape showed ambulances and fire trucks, looking for detours, as well as several young children walking in between the train tracks.
Other plans for 2015 include extending Parker Road near Southwest Drive, widening Caraway Road and building a roundabout at the intersection of Airport Road and Aggie Road, Perrin said.
MIRACLE LEAGUE
Perrin also spoke about the city’s Miracle League field.
The field for children and adults with disabilities opened in October. Perrin said city residents and businesses donated nearly $2.5 of the $3 million cost for the project, with some children donating their birthday money to help.
“It is what I am proud of the most,” Perrin said of the project and his time as mayor.