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Residents raise questions about cash handling at park events as mayor touts growing parks and recycling participation
Summary
Resident raised concerns about ticketing and cash handling at Joe Mack Campbell Park events; mayor highlighted growing participation in parks programs, increased recycling and bulky-junk pickup, and a recent ribbon cutting for a recuperative care center. The bond task force will meet Sept. 30 to review engineering findings.
During the public-comment period, resident Patty Lack urged the city to consider moving to cashless payment systems for city-run events and facilities, citing recent moves by other venues and concerns about accuracy and receipts at Joe Mack Campbell Park events.
Lack said friends attending a May 31 event paid a $3 admission but that gate workers accepted $1 for another attendee and did not provide a receipt. She asked council whether the city can provide counts of attendees and receipts for gate collections and questioned who collects and counts cash at park events.
Mayor acknowledged the large weekend turnout at Joe Mack Campbell Park and other city facilities and reported participation statistics: about 1,200 soccer players at a recent recreational event, 350 players in flag football, 52 cheer participants, and a one-day baseball tournament that drew 34 teams. He said the Southside Complex hosted 43 teams over that same weekend. The mayor also said the Miracle League opened its season with Jonesboro Fire Department staff serving as buddies and that the Jonesboro Police Department will serve as buddies the following week.
On sanitation and recycling, the mayor said the city collected more than 100 tons last year and is at about 150 tons this year; bulky junk collections totaled 75 tons, glass recycling reached about 10 tons, and neighborhood cleanup efforts removed almost 80 tons. The mayor said those efforts have led to plans for more downtown events on Fridays before home football games.
Council member Emmerson reported that the bond task force meeting was tentatively rescheduled for Sept. 30 at 5:00 p.m. after engineering firm Brackett/Kindrich finalizes its report; the report was expected to be released to the committee before that meeting.
The mayor also noted the city held a ribbon cutting for St. Bernard’s new recuperative care center, a grant-funded program described as bridging hospital, behavioral health emergency care and homeless shelters with one-year follow-up to support permanent housing for participants.
No formal council action on cashless payments or concession accounting was recorded; the resident's comments were taken under public comment for council consideration.
