Public Works Council Committee - Regular Meeting

Oh, my goodness. Alright. It's 05:00. We're gonna go ahead and call the public works meeting to order. First item is attendance. Please mark your role when prompted. And we do have a quorum. Next item is approval of minutes. Minutes 20 five-twenty from Tuesday, 03/04/2025 meeting there in the packet. But I'll give you a second

and be ready to entertain the motion. I make a motion to approve unless there's a change to be noted. Second.

I have motion and second to approve the minutes unless there's, any noted change. Anyone on the committee have any change or questions regarding the minutes? If not, we do have a motion and a second. All those in favor, please, well, just mark your ballot. The minutes will be approved as next item is new business.

First item is ordinance to be introduced, an ordinance designating a Downtown Jonesboro alternative truck route, ordinance twenty five zero sixteen. Whereas limited road width and high pedestrian activity of the Downtown Jonesboro and North South Streets of Union, Main, And Church Street are not favorable for commercial truck through traffic, and whereas discussions with downtown property owners, businesses, and patrons have prompted research into reducing nonlocal large commercial truck traffic and whereas city Of Jonesboro in its nineteen o forty eight defines a truck as a commercial class class two or larger trucks or trailers as defined in ACA 20 seven-fourteen-601A3, whereas research and review of possible mitigations have been conducted by city staff and appointed city committees, and whereas it has been determined that in establishing a commercial truck route to bypass the core downtown streets of Union, Main, And Church from Highland Drive to Johnson Avenue would be in the best interest of public safety and local traffic flow, be it ordained by the city council of the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas section one. A commercial truck route shall be established to route nonlocal large commercial truck traffic away from downtown Jonesboro. Section two, commercial trucks will only be permitted on Main, Church, And Union Streets between Highland Drive and Johnson Avenue for local deliveries.

Section three, truck route signage shall be created and placed and reasonable notifications published that signify that the above designations. Section four, city council authorizes a fine structure enforceable on large commercial trucks entering the protected zone not in the process of a local delivery in the identified area as follows. First offense, dollars $2.50 fine. Second and third offense, 500 fine. Fourth offense and thereafter, $7.50 fine.

Mayor would like to make a comment on this. Thank you, councilman. Before we begin on the conversation, basically, the reason for this, obviously is the situation that we've been in the last several months with Downtown Jonesboro and seeing what we can do during this time, I think we listen to the community and I think this is a golden opportunity for us to make some adjustments. And with that, one of the key elements has been our rerouting of our large commercial trucks. And growing up here, you know that we still need delivery trucks downtown.

But with that, if you have delivery trucks and large commercial trucks on a narrow road such as Main Street at the same time, it can cause situations and when they turn and etcetera. So with that, Craig has rerouted the commercial trucks during this period of time with the assistance of RDOT other and other entities, and we've seen that it is a viable option to do so for Downtown Jonesboro. So I just wanted to say thank you for those that are in attendance this evening. Your input is going to be very critical on how this is delegated and how it moves forward to full city council hopefully after communication has been given. So thank you, councilman. Thank you, mayor.

We've read the ordinance. What's the pleasure of the committee? Well, let

me make a motion first. I make a motion we recommend to the full council and place on the next regular agenda.

Second.

Motion to second to forward the full council and place it on the next council agenda. Now, any now, anyone on the committee have any comments or questions regarding this ordinance? Yes,

sir. Mayor, do we need to walk this on tonight? No.

He just made the motion.

The I motion was to do next regular meeting.

That's okay. Be on the next regular meeting. I mean, there's no emergency clause in this. There's no emergency two weeks.

And Mayor Woolstow will be okay from a timing perspective of everything.

Yes. And I think too, I think there's gonna be plenty of discussion. I really think it's important that we all from downtown entities and everybody will really think this through. Readings will give us that.

Anybody else on the committee have questions or comments? If not, anyone in the public have any comments or questions regarding this ordinance? Yes, sir. Mr. Shatley, if you would state your name and address for the record, please, sir.

Andy Shatley, 2521 Rosewood Circle, chairman of our about to be codified, connectivity committee. As we all know that that shutting down Main Street from the construction and the demolition has caused some heartache for downtown businesses. However, I've heard from several people downtown, and one of silver linings from this storm really has been how peaceful it has been. There's been feedback to our committee to say, you know what, actually pedestrians, we feel really safe, although that has been deleterious to the business, but the pedestrians have felt very safe and it's created a different environment and a field. And a lot of businesses have come to us of our committee to say, can you look at how we can preserve some of the positives that's happened after this situation?

And this rerouting of large trucks that are barreling down through what we're trying to make as an entertainment area for pedestrians. Safety certainly seems like low hanging fruit to change the environment of downtown. There's lots of other conversations that have come to our committee. We talked about this and are planning on studying what we can do to support the environment for downtown businesses. But this seems to be the most obvious one right away. So appreciate you. Do you have any questions for me? But yeah, that's my 2¢.

Thank you, Ms. Shiley. Anyone else in public have any comments? Yes, ma'am. If you would state your name and address for the record, please.

Hi, Denise Goacher, 308 South Main Street. I'm just wondering if we could walk this over tonight as we're all worried that it will not happen quick enough before Maine opens again. So we're really trying to get it expedited because it has been the the trucking has been rerouted already. So we're hoping that those routes would remain as soon as Main Street opened again. We're thinking next week possibly.

From a procedural standpoint, it's gonna take six weeks from the time it goes council. So it's not gonna happen tonight either way.

No, no, no. I was just thinking, hoping to rush it through as far as time goes.

Like I say, it contains no emergency clause and there's no emergency that really exists that would warrant suspending the rules and placing it on the next

Well, I have to say as a a building owner on Maine, this is a very, very good ordinance. We purchased the building in 2020. My husband has had two semi trucks rip off his mirror off his truck twice. A city water and light truck sideswiped his truck. We see now that we have the balcony, we oversee the the walkways and the the big trucks. They don't stop for pedestrians at all. So, and that, I guess, it has been very quiet. It's been very wonderful. Our our buildings are not bouncing around anymore from the big trucks coming through which everyone knows are so old and even just the vibrations themselves can do damage. Thank you very much.

Thank you for your comments. Anyone else from the public? Well,

Before it, think Please state

your name and address for the record, please.

Tracy Burgess, 360 or 37 or 671. Sorry. I just got nervous. 671 Elm Street. What constitutes an emergency?

Normally, imminent life or danger to property or a person.

So rattling buildings is an emergency?

It may be pretty hard to argue that when it's been like that for the last however many years. You're only saying two weeks. The big thing is it gives the public time. So after tonight's meeting, it'll be on every media, every TV station in our area. It'll get quite a bit of publicity. You know, to suspend the rules, I mean, it appeared here on our agenda pretty short anyway. And then to suspend the rules and declare emergency and walk it on tonight would be

I know this is the second meeting about this that I've attended so I was

It's just wondering my second reading. It's the first time I've ever heard it or something.

Well, was when we put the speed bumps in. I think there was a meeting about

This won't even have a first reading until we have another council meeting in two weeks. That'll be the first reading

of that. Which is when?

'20 May 20. May 20? First official reading. And as Chris said, it'll be read three times. And it's been like that a long time. Trust me, it's it's good idea. I don't think anybody's fighting it or opposing it. So it's just

the procedural. Even if we were to walk it on tonight, it wouldn't pass at tonight's meeting. It has to be read over a six week period.

So it it is going to be at least the six week period.

Rereadings two weeks apart.

And and will the traffic flow stay the way it is before the reading or when this opens are we going to go back to?

I don't know what the schedule is to open the street but I would assume it would probably open back on Main Street within six weeks.

Within six weeks.

I would think so. Okay. Yes ma'am.

Thank you ma'am.

Thank you.

Alright. We have a motion and a second.

I'll mention something I'll bring up.

Go ahead.

This and John, you remember this several years ago. An idea was floated to make Main Street two way. Go back to it being two way and traffic traffic going going north north be be one one way way on Church Street. Do you recall that?

Yeah, that's been discussed several times, but it never did get enough traction. But I don't know. I guess

I mean, there are

happened there.

You know, if you think about it, you have to it's kind of hard to think of, you know, imagine it or visualize it, but there are certain pluses to doing that. Like on Main Street, slowing traffic down, people on both sides, going, you know, going both ways. You can observe what's there and it's good for businesses that way, I think because if you're going north on Main Street, it's really hard to see what's on the the other side of the street well and you can observe more as far as the businesses are there going both, you know, two way. And and then you have the northern corridor of Church Street then can go over the bridge.

There was actually a a plan to go back to three lanes from Nettleton headed north also. Two lanes in a turn lane instead of four lanes there.

Don't mean to complicate things by throwing this in the mix, but I think this is a good time to kind of be thinking of alternatives because we those that haven't lived here for a long time may not recall how it was before and then some of the changes, you know, that have occurred. So I think it's good to kind understand that there are alternatives to the way the traffic pattern is downtown right now.

Yes sir, Councilman. Think too, Craig, are you in the room? I can't see. Yeah. Yes. I don't see, unless Craig tells otherwise why we couldn't keep up temporary alternate routes during that period of time to continue the detour through that process until it is finally confirmed by

question. So

that's

trailers will have a hard time taking a right turn there without taking up both lanes of traffic. So we may have to narrow Main Street down to one lane northbound to give the tractor trailers enough room to make a right turn during that six week period. But it could be possible. We can look at what the geometries would be. But that's the only concern is we're looking ultimate truck route being at Highland Drive, basically diverting tractor trailers down Highland to Red Wolf to Johnson and just missing the whole residential and downtown corridors. So

with the traffic on Southwest Drive, would it go east on Highland and hit Redwood and then go around?

Yeah, that would be the ultimate truck route. But we can look at short term, say it may take some narrowing, lane narrowing down to one lane. But if we're only talking six weeks, then it might be something that's doable. We can look into it.

Thank you. All right, we have a motion and a second on ordinance 25,016. All those up, please cast your vote. Well, that move forward to full council. Next item, resolution is being introduced.

Resolution 25,039, resolution to the city council of Jonesboro, Arkansas to accept a permanent construction easement at 1507 Wood Street for the purpose of constructing and maintaining sidewalk improvements, whereas the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas desires to accept the following described easement for the purpose of constructing and maintaining sidewalks improvements, part of Lot 2 of Park Edition, Jonesboro, Craig, Arkansas, being more particularly described as follows. Legal description follows, I will say containing eight zero eight square feet. Therefore, be it resolved by the city council for the city of Jonesboro that Well, can't find my other page. Have you got that? You got that handy?

You got that, April? The after section oh, section one, mayor and clerk oh, see. Yeah. Section one has only got one section. I'm sorry. The mayor and city clerk are hereby authorized to accept the easement described above.

Move to recommend the full council.

Do I have a second?

Second.

I have a motion second to forward the full council. Any comments or questions by anyone on the committee? Any comments or questions by anyone in the public? Patty, please state your name and address for the record, please.

Patty Lack, 4108 Forest Hill Road. I was just wondering is that there's four resolutions to put sidewalks. On this first resolution, there was no price on the easement and the offer. And then the other three is that it ranges they're all on the same side of the street. It's 15 o three, fifteen o five, fifteen o 71511. So they're all on the same side of the street. And I don't understand why one the bid is or the offer was $875 and the other one was $3,183 so

It would probably be a difference in the value of the property that was concerned but Yeah, square footage of it is one thing. It's a certain amount of price per square foot and various sizes amount to different properties. Mean, 100 square feet is going to be less than 400 square

So one must be a lot bigger than the other one. Yes. Okay. Thank you.

Anyone else from the public? If not, we have a motion and a second on resolution 25 or 39. Please cast your vote. Okay. And that will be forwarded full council.

Next item, 25 resolution 25,040, a resolution to the city council of Jonesboro, Arkansas authorizing the offer and acceptance for a permanent construction easement at 1503 Wood Street for the purpose of constructing and maintaining sidewalk improvements. Whereas city of Jonesboro, Arkansas desires to purchase the following described easement for the purpose of constructing and maintaining sidewalk improvements, a part of Lot 3 Park Additions, Jonesboro, Cricket County, Arkansas being more particularly described as follows. Legal description follows. This one I will also note, though, has 3,183 square feet. Whereas an offer has been made and accepted, sell the above described easement located at 1503 Wood Street for the price of $3,183 whereas the attached offer and acceptance will be executed upon passage of this resolution.

Whereas the funding for the purpose shall come from capital improvement budget, now therefore be resolved by the city council of the city of Jones Boro that section one mayor and city clerk are hereby authorized to execute the documents necessary to effectuate this transaction for the easement described above.

I'd recommend to the full council. Second.

I have motion second to recommend and forward to full council any comments or questions by anyone on the committee? Any comments or questions by anyone in attendance in public or staff? If not, please cash your ballot. Resolution twenty five zero forty passes. It will be forward to full council.

Next item, resolution twenty five zero forty two, resolution of the city council of Jonesboro, Arkansas authorizing the offer and acceptance for a permanent construction easement at 1511 Wood Street for the purpose of constructing and maintaining sidewalk improvements, Whereas the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas desires to purchase the following described easement for the purpose of constructing and maintaining sidewalk improvements, part of Lot 6, love survey of the Northeast quarter of the Southeast quarter of Section 24 Township 14 North Range 3 East and part of Lot 4 of Love's survey of the Northwest quarter of the Southwest quarter of Section 19 Township 14 North Range 4 East, Jonesboro, Cregate County, Arkansas. Being more particularly described as follows. Legal description follows. It contains twelve twenty seven square feet, whereas the offer has been made and accepted to sell the above described easement located at 1511 Wood Street for the price of $12.27 dollars, whereas the attached offer and acceptance will be executed upon passage of this resolution. Whereas the funding for the purpose shall come from the capital improvement budget, now therefore be it resolved by the city council for the city of Jonesboro.

That section one, the mayor and city clerk are hereby authorized to execute the documents necessary to effectuate this transaction for the easement described above.

I have a motion to recommend to the full council.

Second.

I have a motion to recommend full council. Any comments or questions by anyone on the committee? Any comments or questions by anyone in the public or anyone in attendance? If not, please cast your ballot. And that resolution does pass before the full council.

Next item, resolution 25,043, resolutions of city council of Jonesboro, Arkansas authorizing the offer and acceptance for a permanent construction easement at 1505 Wood Street for the purpose of the construction and maintaining sidewalk improvements. Whereas the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas desires to purchase the following described easement for the purpose of constructing and maintaining sidewalk improvements, a part of Lot 3 Of Park Addition, Jonesboro, Cricket County, Arkansas being more particularly described as follows. Legal description follows containing eight seventy five square feet, whereas the attached offer and acceptance will be executed upon passage of this resolution, whereas the funding for the purchase shall come from the capital improvement budget. Now therefore be it resolved by the city council for the city of Jonesboro that section one, the mayor and city clerk are hereby authorized to execute the documents necessary to effectuate this transaction for the easement described above.

I make a motion recommended in full council. Second.

I have motion second to recommend full council forward to the next council meeting. Any comments or questions by anyone on the committee? Any comments or questions by anyone in attendance in the public? If not, please cast your ballot. Okay.

That resolution will be forwarded to full council. Next item, resolution 25,045, resolution requesting free utility services from City Water and Light for city owned property. Whereas the city of Jonesboro is requesting that City Water and Light provide free utilities at the following location, 1700, Dash 1 East Washington Avenue, Jonesboro sign. Now therefore, be it resolved by the city council for the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas that section one, that city water and light requested by this resolution to provide free utilities to the location listed above. Section two, to permit such services to be provided Illinois is Illinois.

Illinois. The a functions under authority to it by state law. What's the pleasure of the committee?

Motion recommended in full council. Second.

Motion second to recommend full council. Any comments or questions by anyone on the committee? Any questions or comments by anyone in the public or in attendance? Okay. If not, please cast your ballot.

And that resolution will forwarded to full counsel. Next item is pending items. I know of none. Next item, other business. Anyone have any other business before the committee? If not, next item is public comments. Comments from the public on any item that was not on tonight's agenda? Not the last item's adjournment. Second. Motion and second to adjourn. All in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? The meeting adjourned. Thank you.