Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Dec. 16, 2024 – The City Council is set to consider a resolution to condemn the old Citizens Bank building, among other things, at Tuesday’s meeting.
On the agenda is a resolution to condemn the old Citizens Bank building, located at the corner of Washington Avenue and Main Street. Condemning the building would allow for its demolition.
Bruce Burrow with One Main Square LLC owns the building, while Andy Smith with Laurel Park LLC owns the land the building sits on. In a news conference Oct. 18, Mayor Harold Copenhaver said any demolition costs would be presented to Burrow, Smith, and/or their legal counsels.
Since then, the City and Smith reached an agreement Nov. 30 in which Smith will allow the city to access his property to demolish the building.
Parts of Main Street have been shut down since Sept. 25 when a bulge was noticed on the side of the seven-story building. Since then, there have been alternate traffic patterns downtown and a protection wall installed in front of First Horizon Bank.
The condemnation resolution first went before the Public Safety Council Committee Nov. 19, where it passed unanimously. A 20-day condemnation notice had to be provided to Burrow, Smith and their legal counsels before it could go before the full City Council. The Dec. 17 meeting was the date that best matched that timeline.
The council will also consider condemning the following properties:
- 1406 W. Huntington Ave.
- 1411 Curtis Rd.
- 2021 Belt St.
- 3809 Griffin St.
There are multiple items on the consent agenda. Items on the consent agenda are considered to be routine business and are enacted by one motion of the City Council with no discussion. Items can be pulled from this agenda for discussion by a council member and placed on the regular agenda.
These items are submitting a RAISE Grant application to the Arkansas Department of Transportation, a resolution allowing the city to grant a utility easement to City Water and Light of Jonesboro, adopting a revised City of Jonesboro employee handbook, entering a contract for the City to acquire property located at 1700 Disciple Drive, and authorizing the City to enter a contract with Pareto Captive of Tennessee LLC and Blue Advantage to provide medical insurance for City employees in 2025.
In addition, there are multiple ordinances on first, second, or third reading.
An ordinance on first reading looks to amend sections of the Stormwater Drainage Design Manual. Another ordinance on first reading would authorize Las Brisas Bar and Grill, located at 3800 E. Johnson Ave., for a private club liquor license with the Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Division.
An ordinance on second reading looks to place various traffic signs across Jonesboro as determined by the Traffic Control Committee.
Finally, there are two ordinances on third reading. One of these ordinances would rezone residential property located at 5715 and 5719 E. Johnson Ave. to commercial.
The other ordinance looks to change zoning boundaries on property located at 3732 Industrial Drive from residential to industrial.
In the Mayor’s Reports, Copenhaver will present the City of Jonesboro’s financial statements from October.
The council will meet at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Center located at 300 S. Church St. The meeting will also be livestreamed on the City of Jonesboro Facebook page.