[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6630952,"mediaKeyId","2688496-7c25403339ffa62b1d241b4787e6ee9e","parentId",2688496,"title","Mayor praises emergency response after storm, highlights shelter use, grants and downtown demolition","audioSeconds",222,"startMs",444000,"endMs",666000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2688496-7c25403339ffa62b1d241b4787e6ee9e&start=444&end=666","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2688496-7c25403339ffa62b1d241b4787e6ee9e/thumbnail_444000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6630952/Jonesboro/Craighead-County/Arkansas/Mayor-praises-emergency-response-after-storm-highlights-shelter-use-grants-and-downtown-demolition","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630952-f51ce973f2102a283dbbb37c4b5d0c1d/orig.mp4?Expires=1776147963&Signature=m9DKjfpBvzo6p1HpoYMyYZ8zDKDeB6xYYYgil2WhNjrrsK5R7TRIjLAeTKH~rBa8ZI5DK7dthEELzqK3akO7icJz-FoXEi7rtiGlKHDwIJ39shYCHDzqE9Ops3kUqfMOP2dgrQyjFSYuGfj~HjJpIWc38uxBostK0VaryGd3qQI1OQBDZFZq6ndZ61ABal6nVo6KEsvVbXpNRKLBFMaULdJsXBlCR8UwSCknU9oVx0UyZy5G5G7K2w42yoDPl0SwjO1qOS0QYGfvB6oSi4pZ7nI65JhYdEw8jHMCSdH4x6y9QWVGyHJXbg8xVcn43C9rDtBxCV~3LuUuaeC2JUR75A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Jonesboro","date","2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","article","Mayor Harold O'Kopenhaber used the March 18 Jonesboro City Council meeting to describe the city’s emergency response during a recent severe storm, to acknowledge staff and volunteers, and to report several community developments including grant awards and demolition work downtown.

\"I'm very proud of our first responders,\" Mayor Harold O'Kopenhaber said, describing mutual-aid assistance provided to nearby Paragould and noting that Jonesboro personnel and equipment assisted in the aftermath. The mayor said city crews and partners helped Paragould in cleanup operations and that shelters in Jonesboro housed 207 people during the event.

The mayor named specific city staff and partners in his remarks, thanking Chief Hamrick and Chief Elliott for response work and Ronnie Sturch for his team’s efforts. He said the city’s sirens had activated 16 times during the event and praised the organization of the emergency response.

On grants and city projects, O'Kopenhaber reported that Alejandra Morales from grants and Danny Kapalis from parks helped secure nearly $200,000 in outdoor recreation matching funds from the Arkansas Department of Heritage, Parks and Tourism for an inclusive playground at Allen Park. He also named John Kern as March employee of the month from the street department.

The mayor updated the council on downtown demolition at the building formerly known as the Citizens Bank building. He said crews had removed 262 tons of debris so far and that demolition of the taller portions of the structure was underway, with progress expected to continue quickly given forecasted high winds.

He noted community developments including the reopening of a Simmons Bank branch on Caraway Road, a new First Community Bank branch in Greensboro Village on East Johnson, and that Arkansas State University had broken ground on its College of Veterinary Medicine. The mayor also mentioned upcoming city services events, including a low-cost pet vaccination clinic that had reached capacity through pre-registration.

The mayor’s comments were delivered as part of his report to the council; no formal council action was taken on the items he described during the meeting.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Jonesboro - City Council on 2025-03-18 5:30 PM - Mar 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Mayor Harold O'Kopenhaber commended city emergency teams for their response to a recent severe storm, reported shelters housing 207 people, noted $200,000 in outdoor-recreation matching grants for Allen Park, and updated the council on demolition progress at the former Citizens Bank building.","taxTitle","Jonesboro, Craighead County, Arkansas","taxId",3532,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6630957,"Jonesboro council sets drainage-easement hearing, adopts sidewalk exemption and approves sports-complex MOU",713,399000,1112000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2688496-7c25403339ffa62b1d241b4787e6ee9e&start=399&end=1112","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2688496-7c25403339ffa62b1d241b4787e6ee9e/thumbnail_399000.jpg","/articles/6630957/Jonesboro/Craighead-County/Arkansas/Jonesboro-council-sets-drainage-easement-hearing-adopts-sidewalk-exemption-and-approves-sports-complex-MOU","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630957-88e9703181958f470ddd58578178bcad/orig.mp4?Expires=1776147963&Signature=aZNFmOiY-zRhAq0h4tVs0~Wh~0gM957HVgt774ngsC7T6UPmU4wGuqV7BgU09DFm6d1O2~ZM-Um4bfWWca2ChsPzeeOpvl1gw5lwoHThz2M76WVYHHlR5RjEscgx40iW2uJx-hkA-IlUpqlOtT5tTfg7PdUEI8tkxMP2GDYVxLvJVaZ0lX55keFeKHqXLCxd8W9TqWjR0rNddPp0j1~zic3CUcOZzt6WS-Q~~khx70NY5hKbqZtVU52x0dWINEZtHEy98GtwPGJ59qtb~JS2JWy27GbnOOh23hbLprNfrtsQBMkrFdLhBI6qb1OkEhg7DQuBtGhS0~9X8525bSBOyA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Jonesboro City Council on March 18 voted to set a public hearing on a petition to abandon a drainage easement, approved an amendment to the city sidewalk ordinance to allow a contribution-in-lieu exemption for property in planned industrial parks, and passed a resolution authorizing a memorandum of understanding with the city Advertising and Promotion Commission related to financing a proposed sports complex.

The council directed the city clerk to publish notice of a public hearing on a petition from Craft and Tull requesting abandonment of a drainage easement in Lot 5 R, Block C, Southern Hills; the hearing was scheduled for April 1, 2025, at 4:45 p.m. at City Hall, 300 South Church. The council moved to adopt the resolution setting that hearing and approved it by voice vote with no recorded opposition.

The council adopted Ordinance 25-005 on third reading, amending Jonesboro Code section 117.33 OC (the sidewalk ordinance) to provide a contribution-in-lieu of construction exemption for property located in planned industrial parks. The ordinance was moved and seconded and carried by voice vote; no council discussion was recorded on the floor before the vote.

Council members also approved a resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk to enter a memorandum of understanding with the Jonesboro Advertising and Promotion Commission. The resolution affirms the city’s support for design, financing and leasing steps for a proposed sports complex project, describes a financing plan involving lease revenue bonds and a proposed term sheet from Capital 1 Public Funding LLC, and authorizes continued accounting and funds-management services by the city for the commission. The council moved to adopt the resolution, which passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition.

All formal votes on March 18 were taken by voice; the meeting record shows “aye” and no “nay” responses for the motions above. The council also moved Ordinance 25-008 (a revision of council rules and procedures) from second reading to a subsequent reading, and no final action on that ordinance occurred at this meeting.

Votes at a glance
- Resolution to set public hearing on abandonment of a drainage easement (Res. 25-026): Motion to adopt recorded by voice vote; hearing set for April 1, 2025, at 4:45 p.m.; mover/second not specified in the transcript.
- Ordinance 25-005 (sidewalk ordinance amendment, third reading): Moved and seconded; adopted by voice vote; mover/second not specified in the transcript.
- Resolution authorizing MOU with Jonesboro Advertising and Promotion Commission (resolution number not specified in the transcript, referred to on the record as a walk-on resolution): Moved and seconded; adopted by voice vote; mover/second not specified in the transcript.
- Ordinance 25-008 (city council rules and procedures): Moved from second reading to third reading; no final vote at this meeting.

Discussion versus decision
- The drainage-easement item: decision recorded was to set a public hearing; the council did not debate substance of the easement during this meeting.
- Ordinance 25-005: final adoption recorded; no floor discussion captured in the transcript.
- Sports-complex MOU: council adopted the resolution consenting to the financing approach and authorizing the mayor and city clerk to execute an MOU; the resolution contains detailed findings about financing steps, bond issuance, lease structure and intended use of advertising-and-promotion funds, but no council floor debate was recorded.

Next steps and public notice
- The city clerk was directed to publish the notice for the April 1 hearing on the drainage-easement petition. The MOU and ordinance actions authorize follow-up administrative steps (execution of the MOU and continued city accounting services) that staff will carry out under the authority granted by the council.

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Mayor praises emergency response after storm, highlights shelter use, grants and downtown demolition

Jonesboro council sets drainage-easement hearing, adopts sidewalk exemption and approves sports-complex MOU