Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – April 3, 2024 – The Jonesboro City Council heard an update on pedestrian and biking trails under construction in the city Tuesday, April 2.
Andy Shatley with the Connectivity Advisory Committee said the trail from the Marion Berry Parkway to downtown Jonesboro is progressing, with a wide sidewalk nearing completion down East Washington Avenue. The trail will go north and connect to Creath Avenue and head west to South Church Street.
He said this trail will allow Arkansas State University students walking access to downtown Jonesboro.
Other trails under consideration are a Culberhouse Shared Use path on South Culberhouse Street at Craighead Forest Park to Interstate 555, the Johnson Shared Use path, as well as a path connecting downtown Jonesboro to Joe Mack Park. Shatley said the trail to Joe Mack Park is a couple of years away, due to having to build crossings of several creeks along the way.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Shatley said, adding that little work has been done on this sort of infrastructure in the last 30-40 years.
In other business, the council heard the first reading of an ordinance to approve an interlocal agreement with Craighead County for continuing shared expenses for the Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library.
Craighead County Justice of the Peace Garrett Barnes spoke to the council, saying he thinks because the city provides $1.8 million annually to funding the library while the county contributes $750,000, that Mayor Harold Copenhaver should have more appointees to the library’s board of directors.
Currently, the county judge appoints four members of the board, and the mayor appoints the other three.
Barnes said that based on the revenue the library receives from both entities, the Jonesboro mayor should be able to appoint five board members and the Craighead County judge the other two.
Barnes made the same argument at the Craighead County Quorum Court meeting on Feb. 26, and County Judge Marvin Day disagreed with Barnes, saying he’s the county judge for the entire county, including Jonesboro.
The council also heard the second of three required readings of an ordinance granting approval for an alcohol permit for Brasas Mexican Grill on South Main Street, across from Jonesboro High School
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UPDATE 4/4/24: Craighead County Justice of the Peace Garrett Barnes contacted JonesboroRightNow to advise that he gave an incorrect total of the county’s part of the Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library’s revenues. The total in 2023 was $672,962.