Jonesboro committee approves track-work agreement with William Graham Jr. Inc., forwards measure to full council

Members of the Jonesboro Public Works Committee voted to forward to the full City Council a resolution authorizing the city to enter into an agreement with William Graham Jr., Inc. for track work on city-owned railroad right-of-way.

The resolution, introduced during the committee meeting, calls for professional services to install switch point items on the Cricket Technology Park industrial lead track from Station 2+05 (plus or minus) at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe mainline connection to Station 238+81, to repair the at-grade crossing at Frito-Lay Drive, and to replace four sets of No. 9 switch ties. The funding for the contract was identified as coming from the 2025 capital improvement budget; compensation will be paid according to the agreement.

The measure was moved and seconded at the committee meeting and members were asked to mark their ballots to forward the item to full council for final approval. A committee member asked about the cost of the agreement; Greg, a city staff member, responded that the total is $27,000, with roughly half allocated to design services and half to construction services. The resolution also authorizes the mayor and city clerk to execute all documents necessary to implement the agreement.

The committee also approved the minutes from its Feb. 4, 2025, meeting earlier in the session and then adjourned. No formal vote tallies for the resolution were recorded in the committee transcript provided; the record shows the committee moved to forward the resolution to full council.