Brookland, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – Voters approved restructuring and refinancing the City of Brookland’s municipal bonds, which will go toward paying for several projects throughout the city.

With the approval, the city now has funding for the second phases of construction of the sportsplex and municipal building, additional sewer improvements, and the installation of more storm shelters and sirens. Projects also include improving the intersection of Highway 49/School Street and Highway 49/Pine Log Road, and building a new city street to reduce school traffic congestion.

All bond projects total $27.555 million. The approval does not represent a tax increase for citizens.

“I’m just so humbled that the people had the belief in our city to move forward and have a vision that we all share,” Brookland Mayor Kenneth Jones told JRN. “We want Brookland to grow and be a bright, shining star of Northeast Arkansas, and that’s what they voted on.

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Jones previously told JRN that plans for the projects had already been drawn up. With the voters’ approval, work could begin around March 2027. The Arkansas Department of Transportation is expected to begin bid letting for the Highway 49/School Street intersection improvements in September 2027 or early 2028, and for the Highway 49/Pine Log Road improvements in April 2027.

For the sportsplex, Jones said that project is “shovel-ready” and that the second phase of the municipal center was “ready to go.” The bonds will be sold in January, and Jones estimated work to begin on these shovel-ready projects in March, weather permitting.

This is not the first time voters have approved restructuring the city’s municipal bonds to pay for projects. In 2021, voters approved the refinancing to pay for the first phase of the city’s sportsplex and municipal building, as well as sewer improvements.

“I’m hoping that this will be the last restructuring that we have to go to the citizens with,” Jones said. “I just want to thank the citizens for the support and the vision of making our community and quality of life better for all.”

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