resolution | Delta Digital News Service

Jonesboro City Council passes resolution for data tracking

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Brayden Morse

City hires company to compile citizen data

Delta Digital News Service

Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024

JONESBORO, Ark. – The Jonesboro City Council passed a resolution for data tracking on Tuesday that may concern citizens.

The resolution entered a contract with Placer Labs Inc. for data compiling software to provide vital information for grant writing efforts.

The data will be valuable for community development, advertising and promotion in the city. The contract will begin in February 2024 and terminate in February 2025.

Dr. Anthony Coleman, councilman for Ward 6, Position 1, wanted clarity on citizens having their phones tracked without their consent.

“This software potentially gathers information from our citizens to know where they are and their location. Is this a violation of the rights of a citizen to know where they are and what they are doing? I’d like someone to address the questioning regarding the concern to have a person’s phone tracked without their consent,” Coleman said.

“This software potentially gathers information from our citizens to know where they are and their location. Is this a violation of the rights of a citizen to know where they are and what they are doing? I’d like someone to address the questioning regarding the concern to have a person’s phone tracked without their consent,”
Dr. Anthony Coleman, Councilman for Ward 6, Position 1

Turns out, the software does not track personal data. Placer Labs Inc. cannot gather any personal information. The company uses third party apps on mobile devices that have been given permission to utilize.

The contract is $20,000 annually for five users that is 12 months long and renewable.

City Attorney Carol Duncan responded to a city chamber’s concern of the data and tracking within the city.

“If you’re on Facebook, you’ve agreed to let them collect your data. They already track you and everywhere you go. All this does is collect the data. It won’t tell me it’s you, but it’ll say you went to the park. We can use that data to say look at all of the people who came to the park and we should deserve this grant,” Duncan said.

“…All this does is collect the data. It won’t tell me it’s you, but it’ll say you went to the park. We can use that data to say look at all of the people who came to the park and we should deserve this grant,” Duncan said.
City Attorney Carol Duncan

The zoning ordinance provides changes in zoning boundaries from residential and commercial to commercial for property located at 915 Southwest Drive as requested by G.S. Brant Perkins.

Chris Gibson, councilman for Ward 3, Position 2, shared his concerns on the rezoning for the property.

“Safety is a big concern of mine. That is the worst area in Jonesboro in terms of traffic control, as we all know. I don’t know where my head is on this one, but that’s my biggest concern,” Gibson said.

“Safety is a big concern of mine. That is the worst area in Jonesboro in terms of traffic control, as we all know. I don’t know where my head is on this one, but that’s my biggest concern,”
Chris Gibson, Ward 3, Position 2

According to the Jonesboro Police Department, 53 motor vehicle accidents off 915 Southwest Drive occurred in 2023. Even though the accident total was provided, the council approved of the ordinance.

The council approved four ordinances for permits as well. A microbrewery restaurant private club permit for Defending Advancement Inc. and Lebowski’s Inc. will be located at 1514 Southern Ridge Blvd.

The Arts Annex, Inc. will relocate to 330 S. Main, as well as 1812 Pizza Company with no location set yet. The council also approved Southern BBQ Hilltop for a private club permit.

Four resolutions for properties located at 315 Welch, 405/411 McDaniel, 812 Creath and 1025/1029 Hope from Redbird Investments LLC were passed with only one discussion from the council regarding the purpose of attaining the properties.

Redbird Investments LLC will be used as inventory. If anyone in the area is interested in developing, the company will look into it.

The Jonesboro City Council will meet again February 20 at 5:30 p.m.

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Brayden Morse is a junior in the multimedia journalism program in the School of Media and Journalism at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. He can be reached at brayden.morse@smail.astate.edu.

Government

Cottage house ordinance tabled by jonesboro city council

Posted on March 8, 2021 by madjison

Maddison Smith
Delta Digital News Service

If passed, the ordinance, will allow cottage housing in Jonesboro. According to the city’s website , “The cottage house development is an alternative type of detached housing providing small residences for households of typically one to two individuals without undergoing the subdivision process.”

Before the floor was open to discussion from the council members, Mayor Harold Copenhaver made a statement in regards to the ordinance.

“I would like to thank the West End community to allow our staff to attend the West End neighborhood meeting on Sunday where they listed a few concerns regarding this ordinance,” Copenhaver said. “As a result of that meeting, Mr. Smith has some amendments he would like to propose to help address the questions he received.”

Director of Planning and Zoning Derrel Smith then spoke about the amendments in the ordinance.

The amendments include:

Only two houses can have the same design or layout.
The character of the cottage homes must blend in with the rest of the neighborhood.
All houses will be up to code in every aspect.

“The ordinance was first introduced in May 2020 after talking with realtors and developers in Jonesboro,” Smith said.

Council member representing Ward 2, position 1, Dr. Charles Coleman then motioned to postpone the ordinance temporarily to the first city council meeting in April. “So that some of these items can be addressed to the community because they still are not satisfied with the information,” Coleman said.

The council will need to vote on the amendments and then vote on the amended ordinance. The motion to postpone the ordinance was a 7-3 vote.

During the mayor’s report, Copenhaver spoke on the recent death of Sanitation Department Director Donny Gibson.

“Donny died in a tragic accident Feb. 17. He had people that really adored him and loved him in the city and in the staff. We continued to keep him and his family in our prayers … We will miss Donny,” Copenhaver said.

Copenhaver announced there will be a “mass vaccination” held at the Arkansas State University in the First National Bank arena from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 6. Copenhaver said, “I want to thank all of our healthcare partners, our hospitals, NYIT, health department, Arkansas State University and others.”

Other items on the agenda include:

Resolution to construct the Veterans’ Village community center; passed
Resolution to distribute funding through the Coronavirus aid, relief and economic security (CARES); carries to the next meeting
Ordinance to place various traffic signs at designated locations as determined by the traffic control committee; passed
Ordinance for the transfer of location of a private club permit for North Hills Social Club; passed