Tornado response addressed in first virtual city council meeting

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - To practice good social distancing measures, the Jonesboro City Council held its first virtual meeting Tuesday night.

The virtual setting was the first order of business walked-on to the council agenda.

The resolution got the green light as the city adjusts to what they called a “new normal.”

City Council Meeting: April 7, 2020
City Council Meeting: April 7, 2020 For public information, comments, or questions: o E-mail CouncilComments@jonesboro.org; or, o Facebook Live comment; or, o Telephone to 870-336-7248 (Please use the other methods above if possible)
Posted by City of Jonesboro, AR - Government on Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Another ordinance walked on allows the mayor to declare an emergency curfew and waive the council’s vote.

Even though the council passed that ordinance, there was not a curfew in place by Tuesday night.

Council members spent part of the more than two-hour-long meeting reflecting on the response to the March 28 EF-3 tornado.

"The response from our neighbors and Northeast Arkansas was just unbelievable overwhelming," Alderman John Street said. "The spirit of the people in this city is not to be matched anywhere. I can't believe we were so fortunate to have no severe injures and no deaths. The hand of God was definitely on this city."

Street wasn’t alone.

Aldermans Joe Hefner and Bobby Long both spoke about the incredible response from the people of Jonesboro and, despite there still being a long road ahead, we are well on our way to recovery.