Jonesborough council approves cultural arts board, annexation and other measures; resident raises water-billing delays

Jonesborough Town Council members voted Monday evening to create a Cultural Arts Board, approve annexation and initial zoning for the Reserves at Boones Creek development, and authorize several routine contracts and special-event permits. During public comment a Jonesborough water customer told the council that some customers are receiving bills too late to avoid shutoff notices; staff described steps already under way to address the mailing delays.

The council approved the ordinance creating the Cultural Arts Board on second and final reading. The council also approved a plan of services and a resolution to annex property associated with the Reserves at Boones Creek, and approved first-reading zoning of the annexed parcel as PRD (planned residential district). Councilors authorized the town's fiscal-year audit contract and a 2025 season agreement for Music on the Square, approved several special-event permits, and voted to contract with the Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) to recodify the town's municipal code. Councilors also approved creating a GIS/asset-management position in the water distribution department to inventory and map the town's infrastructure.

Why it matters: the Cultural Arts Board establishes a formal advisory body for arts programming; annexation and PRD zoning will allow the town to require infrastructure and site-plan standards for the new subdivision; and a GIS/asset-management role is intended to centralize records of water lines, valves, hydrants and meters to support operations, maintenance and emergency response.

Decisions and votes

The meeting featured multiple roll-call votes. Where the meeting transcript records individual roll-call responses, those names and votes are listed below; where no mover or seconder was stated on the record, that field is marked "not specified." All items below were approved unless otherwise noted.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance (second/final reading): Create Cultural Arts Board. Motion: "Move to approve as presented." Mover/Second: not specified. Vote (recorded): Alderman Causey —Aye; Alderman Counterman —Aye; Alderman Dixon —Aye; Alderman Wolf —Aye. Outcome: approved.

- Annexation: Plan of services and resolution to annex property associated with The Reserves at Boones Creek (parcel identified in county tax map). Motion: "Move to approve." Mover/Second: not specified. Vote (recorded): Alderman Causey —Aye; Alderman Counterman —Aye; Alderman Dixon —Aye; Alderman Wolf —Aye. Outcome: approved.

- Zoning (first reading): Zone annexed property PRD (planned residential district). Motion: "Move to approve." Mover/Second: not specified. Vote (recorded): recorded as carried on first reading. Outcome: approved on first reading (further readings expected per ordinance schedule).

- Audit contract: Approve FY 2024-25 audit contract with Blackburn, Childers & Stegall. Motion: "Move to approve as presented." Outcome: approved (roll call recorded as aye votes).

- Special-event permits: Approved Mill Springs Makers Fair and third-Thursday burger nights (Jonesboro Locally Grown), among other festival requests. Motion: "Move to approve as presented." Outcome: approved.

- Contract/agreement: Approve 2025 season agreement with Sam Love for Music on the Square. Motion: "Move to approve as presented." Outcome: approved.

- Resolution: Codify and revise town ordinances using Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) at a quoted cost ($7,300). Motion: "Move to approve as presented." Outcome: approved.

- Personnel/operations: Create a GIS/asset-management position within the water distribution department to inventory and manage the town's water infrastructure. Motion: "Approve this agenda item as presented." Outcome: approved.

- Appointment: Accept resignation of Glenn Rosenoff from the Jonesboro Repertory Theater board and appoint Ron Ponder to fill the vacancy. Motion: "Approve accepting resignation and appointing a new member." Vote (recorded): Alderman Causey —Aye; Alderman Counterman —Aye; Alderman Dixon —Aye; Alderman Wolf —Aye. Outcome: approved.

Public comment and staff response on water billing

During citizens' comments Emily Curran, who identified herself as a Jonesboro Water customer, told the council she received a January bill five days before its due date, paid it immediately, and still received a shutoff notice that arrived after the date listed for shutoff. "I received the shutoff notice on January 25," Curran said, "the date of shutoff ... was the 24th. So I received it a day after we were supposed to have been shut off." She said other customers reported similar problems on social media.

Town staff responded that the town mails bills roughly two weeks before a due date and that once the packet leaves the municipal office it passes to the U.S. Postal Service for delivery. A staff member (Janet) told the council: "We bill them out two weeks in advance. Once they leave our hands, we have no control." The town reported it has begun delivering outgoing mail to a nearby post office (Johnson City) to shorten the delivery route and said it is moving to new billing software that will allow customers who provide email addresses to receive e-bills. Staff also advised customers that bank online bill-pay services typically generate a mailed check and can take up to 10 days to arrive, and encouraged customers to use the town's website payment option or to pay in person if concerned about delivery times.

Other discussion items

- Infrastructure updates: Councilors reported the town submitted plans for a new water plant to the state revolving fund and the U.S. Department of Agriculture for review. Park improvements at Wetlands Waterpark (new lockers, three cabanas, LED exterior lighting, bridge replacement and kitchen equipment) were described as recently completed or in progress. The street department noted upcoming state paving on Highway 81 including Oak Grove Road and Boone's Creek Road.

- Public safety: Council members said Jonesborough's fire department responds to a large county area (the mayor stated the town responds to roughly 45 square miles outside the town's 5 square miles) and noted a 33% increase in calls since early 2022; the council said it is continuing discussions with Washington County about fire service needs.

- Downtown development: Aldermen reported ongoing building work on the former post office building downtown and a pending tenant (a steakhouse to be named Jackson's Prime) expected to open in the summer.

What the council directed next

Council members approved actions that will proceed to implementation steps: the cultural-arts ordinance takes effect per its terms; the annexation and zoning approvals begin the formal process for the Reserves at Boones Creek (with additional readings or conditions to follow as required); the MTAS codification contract will be executed; and staff were authorized to fill or post the new GIS/asset-management role so mapping and an asset-management system can be developed.

Meeting context and turnout

The meeting ran about one hour and included the mayor, vice mayor and multiple aldermen, staff reports and two citizens who signed up to speak. Several agenda items were handled on unanimous or near-unanimous voice or roll-call votes and the meeting concluded with routine approvals and announcements.

Ending

Councilors said they expect follow-up items in coming weeks as the town transitions to a new billing system, receives the state review of the water-plant plans, and proceeds with the MTAS codification and the Reserves at Boones Creek review. The council adjourned after a series of routine approvals and announcements.