The Jonesboro City Council has tabled an ordinance that would annex 20 acres into the city. The property in question is located in north Jonesboro near Highway 49. While 20 acres doesn’t sound like a lot of property, Jonesboro Fire Chief Kevin Miller told the Jonesboro City Council the city’s services already cover a huge area.
"We already cover at least 80 square miles of property in Jonesboro. While this 20 acres does not sound like a lot, this can open the door for larger annexations, which could cause problems for us in the future."
Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin agreed with Miller and stated that future annexations would put a tight squeeze on services.
"Either we stop d0ing these annexations, or in the very near future, we are building more fire stations, extending out services and hiring more people, which would be a huge expenditure for the city."
The city council tabled the annexation of the 20 acres until several studies were conducted, such as traffic, crime, and the effect on property value evaluations as a result of the proposed annexation.
