Copenhaver to seek 2nd term as Jonesboro mayor

Jonesboro Mayor Harold Copenhaver will seek a second term. The former state representative was first elected to as Jonesboro mayor in 2020. No other candidates have announced their intentions to challenge Copenhaver. The filing deadline is Aug. 7.

“I love this city, I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished, and I’m excited about what we’re going to do next,” he said. “In the coming weeks, I will lay out more goals and plans as we create the Jonesboro of tomorrow.”

The mayor noted that during his term the city’s police and fire departments have both expanded and are fully staffed.

“We gave raises to our first responders and we added positions to meet our growing population,” Copenhaver said. “These critical employees were underpaid. Now they are among the most competitive in the state.”

During the last four years, the city opened a second public swimming pool, the first built in Jonesboro in decades, at Parker Park. The defunct YMCA has become the “Y” youth center, and new trails have been added at Craighead Forest. Multi-sport athletic fields at have also been built at Joe Mack Campbell Park.

“The next big thing will be the completion of one of the state’s finest sports complexes,” Copenhaver said. “It will be a regional attraction to host tournaments, but will also be a local hotspot for youth and adults to exercise, play and swim.”

Jonesboro is the largest city in Northeast Arkansas with more than 80,000 residents. On a daily basis that number can almost double as it serves as the home of Arkansas State University and it’s a regional hub for medical care and retail shopping for residents in adjacent counties. The city has about 600 employees.

Copenhaver said serving as mayor of the city he loves is a culmination of public service coupled with a career in the financial and insurance industries that maximizes his statewide connections and extensive relationships.

“I knew this was a big job when I took it on, but I pledged from Day One to put people over politics,” Copenhaver said. “I haven’t wavered from that, and I believe that’s the foundation for everything we’ve accomplished.”