Jonesboro leaders refine revenue-bond plan to fund Caraway Road, 9-1-1 center and pedestrian projects

Jonesboro officials outlined components of a proposed revenue bond package that would use franchise-fee revenues to finance road, public-safety and pedestrian projects and sought committee input ahead of a public hearing.

Mayor Harold Copeland Haber told the Finance and Administration Council Committee the city has recast cost estimates because construction costs have risen since the projects were first presented. “Construction estimates have increased since items were first presented a year ago,” the mayor said, adding the proposed bond would use the city’s existing franchise fees as the pledged revenue stream.

The mayor and staff described three priority projects under consideration: Caraway Road improvements, a new 9-1-1 dispatch and real-time intelligence center (with adjacent property for consolidated police operations), and a multi-site pedestrian/connectivity package. City staff estimated the Caraway Road segment at roughly $5 million to $5.5 million, saying the design calls for a five-lane cross section to Laderette Drive with a transition to three lanes toward Glen Place and a 10-foot multiuse trail on the west side. The mayor said RDOT has set aside about $30,000,000 for corridor improvements on Highway 555, with Caraway Road and Southwest Drive as priorities.

On the public-safety project, officials said the 9-1-1 and real-time intelligence center would be a regional asset serving county dispatch and neighboring jurisdictions. Chief Elliott and Ronnie Stearch joined the presentation; staff cited a planning estimate of $6,000,000 for the center and said the figure includes design and space needs identified by Brackett and Krenrich (architects). The mayor said the estimate “is based off recent facility growth studies.” Chief Elliott described the campus approach and phased plan: the bond would fund the initial building and acquisition of adjacent land, while later phases to consolidate patrol, detectives and support services would follow as funding allowed.

Committee members asked for more visuals and documentation ahead of the public hearing. One council member urged presentation materials similar to the virtual tour used for the Ridge Athletic Center, saying “the more information that we, the council, the public, can have to see what actually is going to result” helps public understanding. The mayor asked committee members what materials—boards, graphics or statistics—they would like at the hearing on the 20th.

City staff said bonds issued under the proposed authorization would have a three-year window in which funds must be appropriated and preferably spent, and that market timing sometimes requires waiving second and third readings to honor investor pricing. The mayor noted projected bond debt service around $1,000,000 annually, with a projected coverage ratio in the 1.2–1.3 range based on estimated franchise-fee receipts.

Supporters on the committee described the projects as timely and likely to materially change the city’s appearance and infrastructure within three years if funded; other members asked for clarity about phasing and whether additional city properties could be sold to offset costs. Several speakers emphasized that the bond is a revenue bond limited to franchise fee pledges, and that expanding the bond beyond that stream would require a different vehicle such as a general-obligation bond supported by taxes.

What’s next: staff will prepare visual materials and detailed informational packets for the public hearing scheduled for the 20th. Committee members asked staff and the architects to provide cost breakdowns, maps of the proposed pedestrian improvements, and conceptual renderings showing near-term and future phases.

The committee did not take a final vote on the bond package during the meeting; the record shows a staff briefing and direction to prepare materials for the public hearing.