Jonesboro City Council approves economic development contract, special election
by February 2, 2016 3:48 pm 156 views
A one-year contract with a regional economic development group received final approval Tuesday from Jonesboro council members while the path to electing a new council member later this year was set in stone.
Council members approved the $394,750 contract during the meeting at the Jonesboro Municipal Center. The contract with the Northeast Arkansas Industrial Development Commission, which expires Dec. 31, 2016, will cover a series of economic development issues with the city. They include working on a business retention/expansion program, workforce development as well attracting new business and industry.
Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin said the contract calls for the group to provide economic development services for the city and Craighead County. As part of the contract, the Northeast Arkansas Industrial Development Commission must present a report to city officials by Feb. 1, 2017 on the work done during 2016.
Perrin said the city’s contract is different than ones in Little Rock and North Little Rock, which are facing legal scrutiny. The Jonesboro contract calls for specifics to be included in the report, instead of giving the money directly to the group.
CITY COUNCIL VACANCY
The council also voted to set a May 10 special election to fill the Ward 6, Position 1 vacancy on the 12-member council. The filing period starts Wednesday (Feb. 10) and goes until March 11 at the Craighead County Clerk’s office in Jonesboro.
After the filing period is over, candidates will draw for ballot positions on March 15.
Under the resolution, a runoff would be held June 7 if no candidates receive 50.01% of the vote. The person elected will serve the unexpired term of Tim McCall, who resigned in January after moving out of the ward. The term is set to expire Dec. 31, 2018.
The council also approved a resolution honoring McCall for his work for the city. McCall was elected in 1998 and reelected in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014.
PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE
The council’s Public Works Committee voted to send to the full council a plan to donate a private road near the former NEA District Fairgrounds to the city. The committee heard from Little Rock attorney Rick Ramsey on the plan to donate the road, which is part of Lot 7.
The fairgrounds filed for Chapter 11 federal bankruptcy protection in 2015, citing overspending and countless lien claims, Ramsey said.
Ramsey, who is acting as a liquidating agent on the bankruptcy, told the committee that there was an offer for the land but that the road was not part of it. The road intersects Highland Drive and Red Wolf Boulevard. The council is expected to take up the issue at its Feb. 16 meeting.
Ramsey said he is seeking to wrap up the liquidation issues in federal court by the end of February.
In other action, the council approved a resolution honoring the Arkansas State University Red Wolves’ football team for their season. The team won the Sun Belt regular season championship and lost in the New Orleans Bowl to Louisiana Tech.