City Meeting - Regular Meeting

Good evening everybody. Let's go ahead and get the city of Jonesboro City Council meeting for March 24th, 2026. Call order. Roll call please. Andrea here. Rex here. Clayton here. Gerald here. will rise and say the pledge and rever you lead us in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Would you bow your heads with me? Gracious Father, we come before you today thanking you for the sunshine that we received and the warmer temperatures, but we also thank you for the opportunity to gather here this evening as the elected officials and the citizens of this great community. We pray your blessing on this meeting this evening. We pray for wisdom and understanding of the issues and the decisions that need to be made. And Father, we are mindful of those who are away this week due to spring break. We pray for families who are traveling. Keep them safe and their kids as well. bring them all home safely. And as we lead into the Easter weekend next week, Lord, may your blessing rest upon us. This I pray. Amen. Amen.

Item five, approval of the minutes for March 10th, 2026. I'll make the motion we a motion by second by Gerald. Roll call, please. Andrea, abstain. Rex, yes. Clayton. Hi, Gerald. And

does anybody from the board have any new business they'd like to bring up before we move on? Just the tip for everyone receive that. So, we just need to approve it. There's nothing to sign that just gives them permission to submit. Yeah, I'll I'll move we approve the tip report. I'll motion second for accepting report. Andrea I

Clayton I Gerald and Hi Sorry, I was I said, "Has anybody got anything now?" Board members got anything new you want to bring up tonight? I do. Yes. Where do I start? Uh, Easter Bunny, April 4th, 11 to 1. Get that gazebo. So, uh, we're doing okay on candy. We could use some a little bit more candy and some bigger eggs if you got them. I'm going to bring some grape. Okay. I got some candy in the office this morning. Okay, I'll get that.

Um, so firet truck rides, they'll bring the Easter Bunny, I assume, the fire truck like we normally do. So, good time. Bag bag of candy and eggs. And got it. Saturday, April the 4th. Day before Easter. Yep. It's always fun. The National Day of Prayer. Are we doing that this year, pastor? Yes. Yes, we are. Do you know that date or is it coming up? May you It's the first May first Thursday of May. I think it's May 7th this year. Okay. And you're you're doing that here for us, right? Yes. Okay. At noon.

Yeah. Lunch included or uh as long as you pay. I'll get something out. Okay. Didn't want to miss that. Yes. Thank you for asking. Jesus thanks you.

I got you. Sure. Well, this old business, the rest of it, my stuff can wait for redevelopment. Yeah, old business. I got something I'd like to bring up. Uh, I'd like to move forward with uh the 215 West 6 address, which is the fire department. There's a big part of back behind it. Somebody's approached us about purchasing part of that. We all we do is mow it. It doesn't do any good. Somebody's approached us about the part on the other side of the railroad track. I'd like to proceed with your permission to try to separate that,

either get find out what it's worth, see what we can do with it, and sell it, whatever. Get rid of tax. All there is like a cement slab or something like that. But behind the fire department, there's a large piece of back there. We I didn't know we owned it. There's no sense in us mowing it all the time. Yeah. Yeah. Because it goes back to the factory, but it needs to be parcled off. And the good thing about it is the garage that they have now is on our property by two or three feet and they'll tear that down and they'll clean that up. So that's the plan, but I want your permission to proceed about sec dissecting that up and then I would like to have the lawyer do the work and then send it to the redevelopment committee.

Yes. Yeah. I mean, what do you think, Britney? Do we What motion do we need? I would just say authorize the mayor to parcel the land. Yeah, I'll I'll make that motion. I'll second it. What was it? 215 West 6. Yeah. Yes. The project businesses the project over here we did meet with We should vote on that first. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not paying attention. That's okay. Has it been a second?

Yeah. I'm sorry. Roll call, please. Andrea. Hi, Rex. Hi, Clayton. Hi, Gerald. Hi. And hi. Sorry. No, you're right. Still new at it. The project we've been working on all over been working over here that we did meet with the the company or the people that own the land and uh it went pretty well. They're interested in getting their members to vote to sell the land to the city. Great. Excuse me. To the redevelopment. And u Gerald Greg, you have anything you want to add to that part?

No, I think we made him an offer and and you know prior and and then they start talking about the you know the true value of it the assessed value. So we may end up having to pay a little more. We don't know yet but you know it is what it is a negotiation. Yeah. We did talk price for and we just told them that we weren't we weren't out to make any money as far as the city or redevelopment. We just wanted to get it to make it a smoother transition for that and that They also if if something happens and they back out, they want the right to first Yeah. to buy it back, you know, they don't mind it being a parking lot, but you know,

if somebody else came in a moose lodge or something like that, they may they want to buy it back as was their only thing, which I thought was fair. Yeah, that's reasonable. Yeah. Hopefully, we have a an offer we can respond to by the next redevelopment commission meeting. And the other parcel back here in the corner, the guy has He's in default of the loan back there and talked to them today. The guy that has it. They're going to come back with a price for it or Yeah. But I told them we we I needed to look at the one parcel for sure if the company comes here. Yes. I needed it for sure. And I wasn't so much interested in the other one, the other part, the blue house. Okay. I want to let you know I'm still negotiating with them on that. And I'm happy to meet

Yes.

with them if you want me to. Please just let me know. You got somebody will speak about the other parcel that you talked to the individual. Well, just that we have an agreement as to on the price of what he wants for it and I think I texted everybody and I think it's a fair price the mechanism for getting getting it. He wants to do it on a wholesale which might be the way to go with the other owners as well where we basically sign a contract that we to the developer of Dollar General. Then he I guess attorney can talk more about this. Basically, it gives us the right to sell it to a specific individual and then we buy it from the current owner. Again, he has the same issue that lodge has. He doesn't want something to go in that would compete against his

eventually his restaurant. Yeah. So, it's we got to work out the mechanism, but as far as he he is willing to work with us and we just got to work out that mechanism. You know, it's going pretty good. But I I just want to it's just there's a lot it's a puzzle. There's a lot of paralle we get this'll be the best this town in 20 years probably. So,

quick question, please. And maybe we should save it to redevelopment, but I had asked this question before. Did we ever find out what the square footage was was that of that parcel that was under consideration? And there's a reason I'm asking because that's part of the specifications for them bringing that building. There's certain specs that they have to bring them to a certain parcel or whatever. there's certain requirements and I've checked that twice um with corporate and I had talked to a couple people about it and so when I was checking out what the requirements for were to come to some place so many square footage first of all so I didn't know if anyone knew

I'm confused I mean what confused about what measured that yes with the developer right the developer says we have enough footage that's that's what I'm asking what the square footage of the parcel was. Well, there it's going to be multiple parcels. There's like four. Right. Right. I'm spec speaking of the specific one that I was asked to look into about about the parcel for the Dollar General when we were talking about looking down here. I was asking if anyone knew what the square footage was of that specific parcel when we were looking for one. Which specific parcel? The one from the BFW. the parking lot

working on multiple but that's my question my question was that I didn't have an answer for that's just what I'm asking 22,16 what I needed 22,176 that parcel 2216 thank you that's what I wanted by 2316 thank you that was my question I do if I mean we're I'd rather wait for redevelopment, but we're talking about it. So that's why I asked. Me personally, if if both parties are willing, I' I'd a lot prefer a right of first refusal because even if if we can get these multiple parcels, even if for some reason Dollar General

doesn't come through, there's a lot of other things that that those two own current owners would be okay with. And I'm fine with them keeping right of first refusal, but I'd hate for us to have to go through this again, right, six months from now for something else, you know, just because it was only authorized. So, I'm not saying I'm not willing to do like a wholesale, but yeah, I I mean, I'll talk to him, but I mean, if it comes down to it, I think that's what we got that's what we got to do. That's what we do,

right? But if he's okay either way and and just anytime and before we sell to anybody, he has the right to buy it back. Anything else on our old business? I have one more item. We brought cameras for the office here and nobody's came up with any alternative offers the amount of money or how do I say that? quotes quotes and I'd like to move forward with the cameras that that Jim has presented. We did have quotes, but they weren't as good. So, that's fine. If you want to Yeah, that's why I didn't present them. Okay.

Yeah, I'll make the motion we accept Jim's quote and move on. How much was it? I don't have it sitt

that would just be from general. Um, no. I would prefer taking that out of all of them. All three if I could. Can we not take it out of sewer? I mean, I'm a lot more concerned about the solveny of some of those accounts than others, right?

I mean, that I don't know. I don't really want to waste time on it tonight, but these are things to consider before approving. It's her job to worry about it. 13,000 sounds closer to me. I think you're right. I think it was more like that. While she's looking, I see you guys talked about the Bailey property last meeting when I was out. Don't know. It's It's a mess back there.

Yeah, but he's cleaned it up a little bit. He has made some progress, I thought. Yeah. Somebody brought up. Well, I know. That's why I was just going to say I I've seen some progress down there. I mean, if we're going after somebody, we should go down to the guy down there in the corner. So, where we should go. I mean, my gosh, that place atrocious. I drove down there and and there's still a lot of stuff laying around. That's Bailey's. Yeah. The chiropractor. Yeah. But have you seen it? Did you see it last year at this time? Right. I mean, give the kid a chance. My opinion. So, what what property on the corner are you talking about? The guy cars. Yeah. I mean, they nothing been touching that place. At least this kid's trying. Mhm.

Sorry. You're okay, Britney. I 13 sounds right to me. He sent several emails. They're all separate, so I'm trying to write them all down. Most of it will come out of general. Yeah. Okay. Um, were there options on this one or there was just the one quote of what we're doing? Sorry.

No, you're okay. There was an option. Option two for the community building. Option one is a single drive system. This is the same system installed at the water plant. Option two is the same recorder that is in the fire department cameras. So doesn't have any of these labels. So if we wait till the next meeting. I can or I can go ahead and just approve what you guys think. What do you want to do? You want to wait

and I can see if Jen can be here to explain a little further if you would feel more comfortable. I'm on the fence, but if they're all comfortable with it, that's fine. We pass it tonight. I'm not going to make a deal about it. I'd rather wait. I'm sorry. Options again. Yeah, there's option one and two for the community build for the community building. And he's got them separated, but I can't separate them in the emails right now. It's taking too much time. Actually, we bring him in next. Sorry, mayor.

I mean, if he's coming next meeting, we can move. I don't think there's a motion tonight. All right. Anything else on our business reports and safety again? Good evening. Good evening.

Um, as I reported to the border works, um, the water treatment plant. Um, we're essentially done. We've prepared one last final punch list which includes some painting and just some cosmetic things, but the big thing would be to get the grading and seating done out there. Um, since the all the dirt has been moved from JC Knight or to JC Knight,

so now they can contractor can get in and grade that out and seat it. So, that's that's really the the big ticket item. Um, I did withhold the last pay app um just because I mentioned getting the contractor in here and talking to him over some issues that we had at the other plant that related to credits and some other things. So, um I've put that last pay app on hold until we can finalize that. I don't feel like it was a good idea to pay that. Um, so that'll give us an option to

So you have 18 items on this list. Some of these been completed or there still 18. So So those 18 items are the things that I went over today. And again, some of them are minor, some of them, right? I feel like set a hard date for those to be completed. Is that being unrealistic? I mean, I think absolutely. Yeah. And I I think the contractor anticipated everything to be completed next week, but Okay.

Everyone, the engineer, myself, the contractor, the city, we just all need to what I would feel good is sitting down and going over these last items, which I had mentioned before. It's just getting everybody together. So that again, that's my goal before we make that final pay that final pay. So So let's get meeting We're also going to talk about the pumps and the other stuff. That's absolutely y definitely. I'd like to get this thing done by next meeting if I could. Yes. Okay. We'll get that meeting scheduled the next week and if anyone wants to attend that. Oh, I'd love to. Yes. Okay. Perfect.

Thank you. Um so, as I mentioned, JC and I, they moved the dirt. Um they're six loads shy of completing that. Um I did talk to the contractor today. He's trucking that dirt in tomorrow. So um in addition to filling that in. Um he's going to get with Quinton and address some of the parking lot areas just to put some millings in there because of we had to do some trenching across there and there is an area over by the the front door that they want to put some millings in. So I I I I feel like the contractor's going really going above and beyond, but he's promised us he would do that. So we're going to hold to it. Yeah. How How about the fence? Is it gone yet?

No. It blew over. And then there's still stuff in that circle. I think it's historical societies or something. The fast the something. Well, yes, there's there's a few pieces there if if you so choose to keep those. I I did picked up the one piece of the cap and delivered it. But if there there are some items in that in the roundabout if you if you guys want those we can we can deliver them to look like the metal above the door. It's the it's the old tin set and some other piece some metal pieces. I mean they're bigger pieces. So is it the one that says Joe's room? Was it the one that was behind the JC?

I believe this is just that tin, you know. It's kind of the gutter the Okay. Kind of pieces. If you guys want them, we'll drive down there and take a look. Yeah. Take a look and we can deliver them. I just they were going to hang out in the back of my truck and I didn't really know. Yeah. I'm thrilled with the progress of JC and I glad. Thank you. Okay. Good. Um they're not but they don't understand that winter stopped everything. But I'm I'm very pleased. Yeah. I mean considering all the obstacles. Yeah, I know. I get it. And I've been I've been telling them and I've been defending the contractor like I was like you don't understand. They had to wait for the water plant. So

yeah. So I get it. I feel like we've covered all our bases with them. At least at the end it'll be a complete. Could you remind them they didn't pay a nickel on that whole piece on that whole project? Well students and 1900 teachers don't really care about very much. I think the administrators probably feel different than

Okay. parents and people that you know people around um CCMG um we are slated first out of the gates to get uh the paving and everything started on Water Street as you guys probably already know that's from 5th to 10th Street that's a widening so um I don't have a hard date on starting he did say the 1 of April so once I get that date we probably need to coordinate with Clinton and everyone to make sure we get if there's any road closures on that. But they cut two more. They quit. Sorry. Fourth. Okay. Yes.

And you know they cut two more trees down. Somebody went in over last they I saw that on the on the east side. They cut Yeah. fixing that house up and they cut it down last weekend. Yeah. That's outside of us. But that's good. Help the sidewalk. We were going to own that tree eventually. Yeah. Yeah. George was chained to it. I saw that.

So once I once I get some hard dates, I'll let you guys know. But I mean, there will be some there there will be some possible road closures along there because they got to start trenching and digging digging out the sidewalks and everything, especially the two foot of road on the west side. So

So that'll there'll be a little bit of congestion there. Um the CCMG 2026 that uh application opens up in July. So we're still slated to do 4th Avenue, Boyd Street, and Goo. That sound right, Mayor. Okay. So we'll get that application back in and get those hopefully improve on those. Um and then last, the sanitary sewer extension project. Um we are submitting that PE this week. um will the announcements in July for that? Um and I guess my my question mayor kind of it's a twofold with that. You with the annexation,

sorry. Um I've got a list of the property owners um that I I know we we passed out maps and we were looking at those areas, but I just I want to make sure that you'll be go over that. Um, and Ken will be he's coming over tomorrow. So, if you wanted to sit down and kind of I will go back over that, but we probably need to start setting some dates for public hearings. Um, but yeah, that's yours. Y

um, so that's that process will get started very soon. I think that's it. I did have I guess going back to the water plant, there is a dedication plaque that goes up and I've got everyone's names on that. I just I think I spelled everyone's names correctly. I just want to make sure I didn't um leave someone out or um before we get that bronze. We had we talked about a name. Yeah, he did. He misspelled his name. Sorry. Well, I'm glad you A J or a G. It is J.

I got in trouble for that. I'm sorry. Well, that's why I asked. Okay, perfect. Speaking of PL, they didn't take the old one down. They didn't take the PL off the plaque off the old one, did they? No. And we can probably have that moved over if you'd like. I'm look at that. I might do that. Find out. Yeah. Okay, that's all I have. If you guys have anything on that highway, the 20 move to 29 29 29 2029 bridge and discuss that. We don't think it's going to make it

and I didn't I'm sure you probably I wasn't in that meeting, but were they still discussing whether the two lanes, one lane or They're still discussing everything. They have it figured out. I think that's why the delay, but still it's it's going to be the gas city and I don't I don't take care of gas city, but that road needs to be paved and that's the that's the state's road. It's in bad shape with all the cuts and everything. So, anyway, yeah, 2029. So, good luck with that. Thank you. Any questions? Anybody else? Thanks, Brad. Thank you,

Brad. Annexation. We are moving forward attempting to annex out that way. U we met a couple weeks ago. We came up a couple battle plans here, public meetings. Uh I like for anybody that can when we have the meetings, you be there. I will make a public statement right now. I'll be remissing my duties as mayor of Jonesboro if I don't try annexation.

I can't save the community. I can't set the rates properly. Everybody that lives within I mean one side of the street's Jonesboro, one side's Mil Township. It makes no sense. One house is Mil Township and next one's um Jonesboro, city of Jonesboro. It doesn't make any sense. Some are on sewage, some are not. It's just it's it needs to be fixed and this is the first step towards that and I don't think we'll get much objection, but we will get some fight over it. But I'd like to move forward with that and I hopefully that everybody in this room is with us on this. Do you have any dates for that? No, I don't. Yeah. West will come tomorrow. If you're red tomorrow, what time's it coming? Sometime

late morning. Late morning. That means two o'clock with them before. I agree with what you love what you're saying because you go out there and like you said someone's got water and it's hit and miss and it's like you go down six street this house in this one's in this one's out this where is and then just like down here on Main Street on Ninth Street well yeah 10th Street the back porching is in the county I never understand why they were different

here built the porch Well, the thing about I'm concerned about is is that we can provide a better service for the people out there. Plus, we can provide fire and we don't have to have two fire departments show up at a house because they don't know where it's located at. It's ours in Mil Township. We It's ridiculous to cross over each other like that for emergency purposes. Well, that's just like West 12th Street.

Yeah. that you make the curve and right there on the south side is county. So we go there and Mill's coming all the way for our town just to get a little block. But anyway, we we're going to try to save Jonesboro. Okay, court treasure, do you have anything tonight? Jesus. No, nothing. No. Okay, attorney, do you have anything on for the town council? No. Approval of the claims general fund in amount of $27,5770 needs approval.

I'll make a motion we approve the written second. I don't object to that. But what what did we send out? First class mail. All of our billing. Oh, all our billing. Okay. That's all we pay in. That's just our permit fee. Oh, okay. And then we pay the monthly postage. Gotcha. Okay, that makes more sense.

Yeah. I just interrupted the floor. Roll call, please. Andrea, hi. Rex. Hi. Clayton. Hi. Gerald. Hi. Andre. Hi. Thank you. Council. Public comments or questions? Anybody in the public would like to stand up and speak for the council here? They're more like more than welcome to stand up and introduce yourself and tell us where you live and where you're from.

My name is Jamie Moore. I'm a resident of Grant County on 600 North. I grew up in Blackford County. Um about 26 or 27 years ago, I moved to Grant County, made it my home. Um because at the time I was working in Cookamo as a police dispatcher. Um I wound up getting a job as a Grant County Sheriff's Deputy in 2001 and I did that for 12 and a half years. Uh towards the end of that uh 12 and a half years, I went to law school in Lancing, Michigan law school. I did that every weekend. while I was still working full-time, got my law degree and alls I wanted to do was prosecute criminal cases. So, I got on I went for a position and I got on the Grant County Prosecutor's Office. I spent the last 12 and a half years doing that. So, 25 years last month uh with Grant County and County government and now I'm running for uh Grant Spirit Court one judge on the Republican ticket. Um, I've been uh since June of last year doing that pretty aggressively. Uh, I found out that Judge Todd is no longer seeking re-election. He's going to retire. So, the day I found out, I ran down to the post office and filed my paperwork. I've been doing all the parades and all the other things that associated with running a campaign. Um, just today before we came here, we was uh in Jonesboro knocking on doors. probably hit about 20 doors before we came here. We'll go back out tonight and the last few days we've been doing the same thing in other communities. We're in Sweden and

I heard you were in Swazy. I heard. So, um that's me in a nutshell. There's there's a lot more to know about me. I'd be happy to talk to anybody afterwards who wants to talk. Now, the ballot's been set, right? Yes, the ballot is set. Was it yesterday that closed? Uh they actually closed a month or so ago. Yeah. Okay. So, everything they line it's it's who it is. It's it's a set ballot and the May 5th is the primary election and that's what's important for this race. Um there's still time in July to put somebody else on the ballot on the Democrat side, but that's a whole different process. As of right now, it looks like the primary is going to be the race and then

um nothing will happen except for final finalization in November. Good things. Well, thank you. Thank you. Any comments or questions from the board?

If I may. Sorry. I'm here every Friday also in this community. So, I'm kind of tied to this community. If anybody knows that, but I run karaoke over here at the Legion. I knew I knew you. That's where it is. I've been doing that for nine years. Every Friday. That's open to the public. Oh, any of you are welcome to come over and sing with us. Don't test me. Places.