Tag Archives: Mayor Harold Perrin

City Council Sings Praises Amid Crises

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By Tristan Bennett
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO – The Jonesboro city council showered the mayor, first responders and residences with praises in the wake of the EF-3 tornado and amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

The council held their first virtual meeting on April 7, 2020, in order to comply with social distancing guidelines. Councilmembers and residents alike shared their praises to the Jonesboro community for its resilience in these unprecedented times.

Councilmember John Street said, “The response from our neighbors in Northeast Arkansas was just unbelievable, overwhelming, and the spirit of the people in this city is not to be matched anywhere.”

Mayor Herald Perrin said in his mayor’s report that he has spoken with AML insurance adjusters about the condition of city property. It was determined that the flight station building, several traffic signals and a few vehicles were considered “total losses.”

The council along with the mayor’s office continue to work to provide support for residents following the March 28 tornado.

“There are a few homes in one section of the tornado area that did not have insurance on their homes, and we will be picking that debris up as well for public safety, peace, safety and health,” Perrin said. “Also, when they get ready to build and come back on that there will be no fee for the permits to get going on the property.”

The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality approved a new landfill site on Strawfloor Road to help the city dispose of the debris from the storm. Jonesboro will be receiving $362,524 from the CARE Act, and Perrin has asked the Arkansas Economic Development Commission for special consideration in regard to their $7.8 million fund for emergency services.

Councilmember David McClain said, “The Saturday that the tornado hit, our neighborhood was affected drastically, am I am truly grateful for everything you (Perrin) have helped us with as far as getting extra patrols out here and whatever we asked. I think you’ve helped make us feel safe.”

Also discussed in the meeting was the rezoning of 400 E. Highland in order to build a new hardware store to be built by Ditta Enterprises. There had been opposition from the public in previous council meetings, but the parties involved came to a compromise, and many from the neighborhood expressed support for the new store.

Carolyn Ponce, a resident of the neighborhood phoned in during the meeting to share her thoughts.

She said, “I think it’s wonderful that Jonesboro is trying to bring more small businesses to the town and not big box stores, and would absolutely love to see a smaller, home business in the Highland area.”

After some discussion, the amendment to the ordinance passed unanimously.

Other issues discussed included:

  • Condemning the property at 304 Warner St.
  • The purchase of the land at 409 N. Fisher St. from the Arkansas State Land Commissioner for $2,243.36 plus closing costs
  • Postponing the vote on the rezoning of 1130 Greensboro Rd. for 60 days as to accommodate public comments

City council meets remotely due to COVID-19

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By Krishnan Collins
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO –The Jonesboro City Council met April 7 in remote fashion during a time of uncertainty due to COVID-19 and the city is still healing after a tornado swept through the center of Jonesboro March 28. 

   The meeting diverted from the original agenda right at the start as resolution 20:044 had to be approved for the meeting to officially be able to take place remotely. Since restrictions surrounding COVID-19 limits the number of people that can be in one place, the resolution was proposed and passed. 

   Among many stipulations in the resolution included that members on the council must conduct meetings in ways where the media can still view due to freedom of information laws, electronic means can be used for video call or chat that is recordable and audible to all parties watching and participating in the meeting, and the mayor, city clerk, city attorney and commission chair must be physically present at the meeting place where it is being held. 

  Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin started the meeting by complementing first responders, the community and city employees as wells as reminding citizens to follow social distancing and health guidelines.

   “We’ve been through a lot,” Perrin said. “Our employees in all of our departments deserve your appreciation. They have worked tirelessly and hours with a remarkable attitude. Jonesboro residents have been strong and came to one other’s rescue. We are definitely a loving people in Jonesboro. The coronavirus and tornado have created a new landscape. Our duty is to adjust. I ask for patience as we adjust with each other. This is not a new future, it is simply a temporary fix. So please be kind and be patient. We are doing the work of the city and we cannot stand still. Life doesn’t work that way. But we are not weak. COVID and the other obstacles that are ahead of us, we must be smart, and we will definitely work together.”

   Perrin stressed the importance of wearing a mask when out in public. 

   “This is no time to worry about appearances,” Perrin said. “You look better with a mask.”

One issue on the agenda caused significant debate on the night, Ordinance 20:011. 

   The ordinance, submitted by Ditta Enterprises, proposed the rezoning of an area at 400 E. Highland Dr. The Ditta family wants to build a hardware store in the area. The hardware store received public support, with only a single dissent.

   Janet Gehring said during a past meeting that an ordinance had been passed in 2007 that stated no business could ever be built on that plot of land except for a bank. The plot of land is in a neighborhood surrounded by residents. Gehring said she would not want to live next to a hardware store and asked what was the point of making an ordinance if it was just going to be changed later. 

   “And, I think, I might ask you all, would you like to live by a hardware store and call that your neighbor?” Gehring asked. “Mr. Rogers probably would. Mr. Rogers probably would say won’t you be my neighbor, but I would say, please don’t be my neighbor. Please don’t be my neighbor.”

   It was pointed out that the ordinance had been passed in 2007 to stop a 24/7 fast food restaurant or convenience store from opening at the time and was argued that such an establishment would cause disturbances to residents in the neighborhood being that it would be open at all times of the night as well as the day. 

   It was also argued at the time a convenience store on Highland Drive would mean children would have to cross a major road to go to the restaurant or store and therefore could easily be struck by traffic. 

   However, it was argued at the meeting that zoning ordinances are not meant to be frozen in time and can change with the times of the city. The original ordinance was not meant to stop a local, family-run hardware store from being installed in the area. 

   According to Jim Gramling of Gramling Law Firm who represents Ditta enterprises, the Ditta family hosted a couple of neighborhood meetings where it invited residents who lived within 400 feet of the planned site to come and voice their objections to the family. 

  According to Gramling, the Ditta family made many adjustments from feedback at the first meeting and hosted a second meeting. 

   The ordinance was passed to allow rezoning. 

   Technical difficulties during the meeting along with lag times in public comment through social media, phone lines and email provided some challenges for city officials. 

   “It’s not going to be perfect,” Perrin said. “Any change this drastic is going to have glitches.”

Editor’s Note: Photo by Katie Moum on Unsplash

Suddenlink Reps Miss Connection with Disgruntled Customers

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By Chase Gage
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — The City of Jonesboro held a joint meeting with Suddenlink Thursday night to address numerous complaints by citizens. The St. Bernards Auditorium was at capacity; in fact, it was standing-room-only for disgruntled residents.

Hundreds of Jonesboro residents showed up to voice their complaints to media giant Suddenlink. Complaints ranged from wrongful charges to lack of competent service and were never in short supply.

“Our company has not delivered as it should. I want to apologize that it’s come to this. The crowd is evidence of how serious it is,” Brad Ayers — senior director of governmental affairs for Altice USA, the company that owns Suddenlink — said.

Hundreds filled the St. Bernard’s Auditorium for the meeting. Photo by Chase Gage.

Representatives from both Jonesboro and Suddenlink were available from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to answer questions and complaints submitted by customers. Ayers “promised” the company would address every complaint “within a week” of the meeting. Jonesboro’s communications director Bill Campbell read several of the complaints to the crowd.

The majority of the meeting consisted of Suddenlink representatives attempting to answer specific questions by residents, though they often received “corporate” answers instead of legitimate solutions. The crowd tried their best not to let the company off the hook.

Perhaps the loudest reaction of the night came when the company reluctantly revealed one of their call centers was located in South Africa; multiple complaints included call center employees not speaking fluent English.

“I can never get a real person on the phone, and when I do, they’re foreign and I can’t understand them,” Campbell read from a submitted complaint.

Further unrest ensued when a customer proclaimed “if you’re billing for services that aren’t provided, that’s a problem.” The statement was met with applause and a very audible “amen” from the back of the room.

“I’ve gotten your calls and emails. This (crowd) is evidence of what’s going on.” – Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin

State Senator John Cooper was in attendance as well to address his constituents and their frustrations.

“It looks to me like you’re trying to handle this with management. Personally, I would like to see highly trained people here to take care of this. It’s probably a little bigger than what you have here at this meeting tonight,” Cooper said to the Suddenlink representatives.

Cooper suggested a “task force” approach to solving the problems Jonesboro residents are facing.

“You’re welcome to contact me at any time over these issues. I will work with this company to improve the service,” Cooper said. Cooper can be contacted by phone at 870-761-0130 or by email at john.cooper@senate.ar.gov.

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An upset customer voiced their opinion on Suddenlink during the meeting Thursday night. Photo by Chase Gage.

Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin arranged the town-hall-style meeting after a Nov. 7 meeting with Suddenlink representatives. Prior to the initial meeting, Perrin receiving numerous calls and emails complaining about the company and “immediately” got on the phone to fix them. Perrin assured citizens that their voices were being heard and their issues would be addressed.

Perrin also made sure to point out Suddenlink does not have a franchise with the City of Jonesboro and that any claims otherwise are misinformation. Instead, Suddenlink has a franchise with the state of Arkansas. There are multiple cable and internet providers in the city, though Suddenlink serves the majority of the area.

“Send any unanswered questions to my office. This is a serious issue we need to resolve,” Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin said to open the meeting. “I’ve gotten your calls and emails. This (crowd) is evidence of what’s going on.”

The Jonesboro Mayor’s Office is located at 300 S. Church St. and can be contacted by phone at 870-932-1052 and via email at hperrin@jonesboro.org.

In the end, the meeting did little to resolve any issues despite the best efforts of the Suddenlink representatives. However, if their promise is fulfilled, the residents of Jonesboro will be taken care of in the near future.

“We’ve heard you loud and clear,” Ayers said in his closing statement. Whether or not they listened, though, is yet to be determined.

Organizations Seek to Help Area Homeless

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By Kimberely Blackburn
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO – With many of the Delta’s residents living without a home, area organizations assist in putting lives back together.

After being homeless for seven years, Travis Howard said he doesn’t like living on the streets. He said his parents raised him to live better than he currently does.

“My momma told me one time: ‘Before I die, I want to see you get better,'” Howard said. “(She said) I know it’s in you.”

The grandfather of three boys began coming to Jonesboro’s Helping Underserved Belong after its opening. The HUB assisted Howard in getting his birth certificate and insurance to help him find his way back from living on the streets.

Howard’s journey to homelessness began after he worked for many years in various jobs, including an assistant manager position. He said he attended two years of college and still likes to try and keep his mind sharp. He goes to the public library every day, reading newspapers.

Untreated physical and mental problems caused his downward spiral. He said he began drinking alcohol at the age of 13, but no one tried to get him into an alcohol-treatment program until he came to the HUB. Howard said he doesn’t blame others for his situation, he knows he can do better … but he needs help. Many, he said, don’t want to help, they just want to lock him up.

Providing Help

Kimberly Bartee, director of the HUB, said she hears stories similar to Howard’s too often. Many need help after a single event caused their lives to spiral out of control. She said after the HUB volunteers grow to know their guests as people, they begin to understand what needs to be done to truly help.

“They may have gone through drug rehab, but that was yesterday,” she said. “Who is that person today? Who do we want that person to be? Who does that person want to be?”

After being concerned with the homeless situation in Jonesboro, Mayor Harold Perrin created a task force in 2016 to determine how best to help. He said they created Jonesboro’s HUB after visiting a similar facility in Memphis. Perrin said while he plans to take the program further and build a shelter, more can be done now.

Hoping to help area panhandlers, Perrin said he authorized city employees to assist the homeless in finding work within the city organization. Finding a way to put them back into society will help them to help themselves, he said.

Director of Community Involvement Tiffny Calloway said Jonesboro receives Community Development Block Grant Funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This grant provides funding to aid in issues low-to-moderate income families face in their daily lives. She said the city allocated part of the funding to help Jonesboro’s homeless. These funds help fund the HUB and provide transportation and other basic services.

Jonesboro also received the Continuum of Care grant to provide housing and utility assistance to eight individuals for a year. Calloway said the grant will pay 100 percent of the utilities for the first few months, 75 percent for the next few months and gradually decrease to help the recipients get on their feet and save money.

A Place to Stay

The HUB works with Mission Outreach in Paragould to provide emergency shelter for Jonesboro’s homeless. Program director Cheri Peters said they assist Northeast Arkansas and parts of Missouri in providing shelter for those who need it. The facility holds 58 individuals and they house men, women and families in separate dorms.

The philosophy of Mission Outreach seems similar to the HUB’s as they both seek to determine what each individual needs, and works with those in the community to provide services. Mission Outreach works with Families Inc. to provide counseling services and local government offices to find needed identification documents.

Peters said after an individual obtains an identification card, they must find employment within two weeks. Mission Outreach provides transportation to and from their work and each one must save 75 percent of their wages.

While not an emergency shelter, Jacob’s Place in Searcy assists area women and families needing help getting back on their feet. Melanie Kiihnl, program director, said Searcy Ministerial Alliance established the shelter after a Searcy High School student did a study on the homeless situation in the area. The 2007 study found 80 homeless families in White County.

Jacob’s Place houses up to 15 individuals and those seeking shelter must submit to a criminal background check and drug screen. Kiihnl said they try to work with other area programs to assist when an individual fails either test. She said they often work with Wilbur D. Mills drug-treatment facility when one fails a drug screen.

Those staying in Jacob’s Place must obtain a job and save 40 percent of their wages.

Both Mission Outreach and Jacob’s Place enforce strict rules and regulations upon those staying at their shelters. All must do chores and be inside the facility by curfew. Mission Outreach’s doors lock at 9 p.m., and Jacob’s Place residents must be back by 10 p.m. Peters said the rules help to maintain order and maintain relationships with other families living near the facility.

While Jonesboro officials currently search for a place to establish a homeless shelter, Perrin said he believes the citizens of Jonesboro will take care of the needs of their own.

Howard said he wished a shelter existed in Jonesboro. He said it’s difficult to get and keep employment when one cannot keep up with personal hygiene. He often attempts to clean up in area hospital bathrooms, but can only take what he calls “bird baths.”

Until the city completes a shelter, Bartee said HUB volunteers will continue to help those in need, whatever their situation.

“To the druggie on the street who has a habit that they cannot beat, we’ve got resources for you,” she said. “To the person who just lost their house in a fire, we’ve got resources for you. To the grandparent who needs custody of their grandchildren or whatever they should need, we’ve got resources for you.”

Listen to Howard’s full interview

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Editor’s Note: Featured photo by Jason Snyder [CC BY-SA 2.0]

Dog Park Awaits Donations

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By Katie Woodall
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO – Almost a year after plans for a dog park were unveiled, lack of funding still keeps the city from starting the groundwork.

Organizers presented plans for a dog park for Jonesboro at a late March 2016 meeting, after a group of citizens approached Mayor Harold Perrin and Parks and Recreation Director Wixon Huffstetler with the idea. The park will be located in Craighead Forest Park at Access 6 and be approximately 2 acres large. Huffstetler said the new park will cost nearly $150,000 to build and with no money in his budget for funding, donations for the project will be left up to the citizens.

“The city is going to donate the land. We’re going to do some site work, cutting down trees and getting the ground ready for grass and we’re doing the irrigation. Pretty much the grunt work for it,” Huffstetler said.

One concern voiced by Abby Landers, a local dog owner, remains the lack of awareness being raised for the park and its fundraising.

“I think they would have to put it right under the nose of the average citizen. I didn’t even know there were plans for a dog park at all,” Landers said.

While anyone may donate money, a citizen-led group of individuals has recently been talking with local businesses about sponsorships and major donations for the park. Gary Johnson, one of the citizens involved in talking with local businesses, said they hope to hear back from businesses soon.

Although getting the donations for the park is being left to the citizens, Huffstetler said raising the money can be done quickly.

“This town is so giving with projects like this. Personally, I think they can get the money raised by the middle of summer. We might be able to start the project this year,” Huffstetler said.

For more information on the dog park plans, visit www.jonesboro.org/449/Dog-Park-Information.

(NOTE: Graphic rendering courtesy of the Jonesboro Parks and Recreations Department)