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Committee considers special permission for Mid South Auto Service after owner became city employee
Summary
The Finance Administration Council Committee reviewed Ordinance 25,034, which would authorize Mid South Auto Service—owned by city employee Justin Tittle—to provide auto repair services to the City of Jonesboro and forward the item to full council for action.
The Finance Administration Council Committee on an unspecified date reviewed Ordinance 25,034, which would give special permission for Mid South Auto Service, owned by Justin Tittle, to perform auto repair services for the City of Jonesboro.
The ordinance text read that Arkansas Code Annotated 1,442,107 provides that an interest in office or contracts is prohibited for any alderman, council member, official, or municipal employee, and that special permission is therefore required for Mid South Auto Service to provide services because Tittle is a city employee. The ordinance would authorize the City Council to permit Mid South Auto Service to provide auto repair services in accordance with the city's purchasing guidelines.
Committee members discussed whether Mid South had already been providing services to the city and for which departments. A committee member asked, "Has he already been providing services? Has Mid South already been providing service for the city?" A respondent said, "Yes, sir. Prior to him coming on as softball coordinator, Mid South has provided a percentage of auto repairs for city vehicles," and clarified that any city vehicle could potentially be sent there under the same procurement process used for other vendors.
Committee members also asked about the city's past practice when a vendor is owned by a city employee. A participant noted the city discloses such business interests and uses a standard agreement: "We do the same process… This is actually a copy of that agreement and adjusted to it, from another situation," and that state auditors ask for that documentation annually.
A motion was made and seconded to forward Ordinance 25,034 to the full City Council for consideration. The committee chair asked members to record their vote; the transcript does not record the result of that vote.
Why it matters: The ordinance addresses a routine procurement conflict-of-interest situation that the city must resolve transparently to comply with state law and audit expectations.
What happens next: The committee forwarded the ordinance to the full City Council for formal action and public record; the transcript does not contain the subsequent council vote or final disposition.
