Jasper continues levying $0.05 tax
Published 1:36 pm Wednesday, September 30, 2026
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At the regular, re-scheduled, meeting of the Jasper City Council on Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 6 p.m., the city council approved the levy of $0.05 tax as unchanged from last year.
As an update, Jasper mayor Michael Thomas is still coordinating a meeting of the city’s park & recreation committee. Fall soccer schedules have been set.
Thomas met with the engineering contractors on Sept. 10 to discuss the two ongoing projects — drainage improvement and wastewater treatment. The drainage project is estimated to be 81.4% complete, with the goal remaining to be done by the end of the month. Last month’s status was approximately 50% complete.
After looking at the work-to-date, Thomas and the city public works director met with the contractor and requested a change from a drainage ditch to a covered culvert for an additional length of the project. Although the change increased the cost of the project by $46,000, that funding was covered by the grant. No additional cost for the city.
Final inspection is currently scheduled for Oct. 8 at 11 a.m. A public hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Oct. 15, just prior to the regular scheduled city council meeting, for the public to share any concerns about the project prior to closing out the project.
Funding of up to $500,000 for phase II of the drainage project, through the ANRC (Arkansas Natural Resources Commission) — the same source for phase I won’t be open to apply for until Oct. 2027.
The wastewater project is approximately 67% complete as of Sept. 10. There is still an opportunity for further funding from ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) to cover all work initially approved in the original grant, some of which had to be removed due to increased costs. The city should know in November if it received funding.
Ordinance 2026-2, which would replace ordinances 2021-1 and 2025-1, thereby combining water and sewer rate ordinances, was read and approved for the first time. No rate or other change is involved in the combining of both original ordinances.
The fire department completed a Firewise project with the help of 15 volunteers including Boy Scouts and members of the Newton County CERT (Community Emergency Response Team). While there was a burn ban for the county, they responded to a trash pit fire. Additionally, they responded to two motorcycle accidents, found a propane leak at a home and got it fixed, four medical calls. They also removed a tree from a highway and provided traffic control during recent storms.
The regular October meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15 at 6:30 p.m., with the public hearing on the drainage project occurring at 6 p.m.
