Jonesboro, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – The Jonesboro Advertising and Promotion (A&P) Commission heard some updates on upcoming projects, tax collections and cash positions, and more during its meeting Thursday.

Commissioners were presented updates on the commission’s tax collections and current estimated cash position. Commission chair Jerry Morgan said the estimated cash position for the 3% hotel tax at year end is around $126,000. For the 1% hotel tax, it was estimated to be around $349,000, and the 2% prepared foods tax was estimated to be $7,030,000 at year end.

So far, Morgan said, the 3% hotel tax had collected just over $688,000. The prepared foods tax had collected around $4.5 million, and the 1% hotel tax had collected around $229,000.

Revenue from 3% hotel tax is used to fund requests from organizations and events, while the 1% tax is used for various projects with the City of Jonesboro.

Proceeds from the prepared food tax are committed to the construction of the upcoming First Community Bank Sportsplex, which is currently under construction on Race Street and set to open to the public sometime during the first quarter of 2027.

| READ MORE: Construction, Event Booking, Sponsorship Updates on Jonesboro Sports Complex Presented During A&P Commission Meeting

Morgan noted that during the commission’s upcoming December meeting, it would award grant requests for various events and organizations designed to promote tourism to Jonesboro for 2027. The grant application portal is open, he said, and it can be accessed here.

“We’ve got to focus more and more so every year on the hotel component, with the sports complex coming in, that will definitely bring hotel visits and hotel stays and increase that funding to that account,” Morgan said.

In other business, the commission heard updates on a mosquito abatement request for proposal from its executive director Craig Rickert. Rickert noted that it is intended to be a collaboration between the City of Jonesboro, the A&P Commission, and Craighead County.

“We have gotten a couple companies that have reached out about the mosquito abatement ideas we’ve had to team with the city and the county and trying to see if there’s a way to expand what we’re already doing, the mitigation efforts we have,” Rickert said.

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Morgan noted that currently, the commission was looking to see if there were any companies interested in the proposal and submitting a bid for a contract.

“It might be the bids come in that are too high,” Morgan said. “We’re not seeking any treatment right now. We’re looking at methods to control mosquito population and see what we can do different.”

Morgan added that the idea was not intended to replace Vector Mosquito Control, with whom the City of Jonesboro contracts with for mosquito control, but rather, to look “outside the parameters of what we’re currently doing.”

He said a study would have to be conducted first, which was likely about six months out. That study would likely take about a year to complete, after which pricing for any proposed solutions would have to be determined.

“This is a very long-term project,” Morgan said.

Commissioners also approved a proposal to add a marketing specialist/events coordinator position to the A&P Commission.

The position would pay around $50,000 and would include duties such as assisting with grants requests and questions, serving as a liaison between the commission and commission-sponsored events, and more. Such tasks have historically fallen on Rickert. The A&P Commission would use existing funds to pay for the position.

“I found in the last couple of years, I spend a great deal of time working with those we do grants with, for their events, events we create on our own, and it is taking a significant amount of my time, and that time is coming away from administrative things that I need to do, events I can go after to try to bring to town,” Rickert said.

The commission also approved renewing its contract with Christy Appleton, which has a yearly toll of $12,000.

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