Jonesboro mayor gives State of the City address

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - Jonesboro Mayor Harold Copenhaver delivered his State of the City address before the council on Tuesday.

He used the address on March 7 to reflect on various accomplishments, particularly the Real Time Crime Center used by the Jonesboro Police Department.

“As we progress and move forward to a real-time crime center facility, which is in the future, it’s important that we create a basis and that’s what we’ve done with over six hundred cameras,” Copenhaver said.

He added the Real Time Crime Center has been referenced in over 1,000 cases and that additional cameras would be added.

Another focus was on parks, with Copenhaver saying the city was investing $6 million in existing parks.

“We’re looking at parks in North Jonesboro. We’re looking at the addition of other dog parks as well,” he said.

Copenhaver said a new swimming pool was also coming to town.

Attention was brought to projects that benefit not only the residents in Jonesboro but its visitors as well.

“We’re looking at road expansion projects that are coming on as to partnership with the state of Arkansas and the city of Jonesboro,” he said.

Those projects included widening Harrisburg and Stadium Roads and an overpass on Airport Road.

The speech is normally given to the city council, but Copenhaver also plans to give it to the city on Wednesday, March 8, in front of community and business leaders.

“They want to see how we’re progressing and our thoughts and ideas for next year and beyond, but they also need to know what we’ve accomplished in the past year,” he said.

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