Resident urges Jonesboro to modernize park fee collection, asks for better accounting

A Jonesboro resident urged the City Council on May 6 to move toward mostly cashless fee collection at city athletic facilities and to adopt stronger controls to account for gate and concession receipts.

Patty Lack, who identified herself as a resident of 4108 Forest Hill Road, told the council that spectators and grandparents who attend youth sporting events have raised concerns about the current cash-collection process. She said collectors at some facilities hand-collect admission fees without providing receipts or visible counting devices, and that season passes she has seen do not appear to be uniquely numbered.

"There's no receipt, no ticket given after they pay their fee, and there's not even a clicker that they see collecting or counting the number of visitors," Lack said. She described an instance at Allen Park where spectators paid $3 each and did not receive a receipt or see a count recorded.

Lack proposed several changes: establishing season passes available on the city website; issuing numbered season passes; allowing vendors or gate attendants to use handheld card readers; employing QR code payments; and offering a reduced price for grandparents. She said she was not making accusations but urged the city to improve accountability so budgeting can reflect actual facility usage.

The mayor acknowledged the comment and, earlier in the meeting during the zoning item, told a different commenter the city would "get back with you" when asked whether code enforcement had addressed prior commercial uses of a property; the transcript does not show a staff response to Lack's park-accounting requests at the meeting.

Lack's remarks will likely be routed to parks and recreation staff for follow-up. The transcript does not record a formal direction or vote on cashless payments or an immediate staff assignment during the May 6 meeting.