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This is a question I believe we need to begin asking honestly as a city:
Is Jonesboro experiencing a growth problem?
My answer is yes, but perhaps not in the way you might think.
Jonesboro’s problem is not that we are growing. New investment, redevelopment, stronger neighborhoods, increased business activity, and renewed interest in our city are all signs of progress. Recent population estimates place The City of Jonesboro at a little over 6,000 residents, and while we may still be a small city by population, the responsibilities and expectations of our municipal government continue to grow.
The challenge is making sure the capacity of our city government grows alongside the community it serves.
And right now, I believe we are experiencing growing pains.
Growth Is Outpacing Capacity
Jonesboro is a relatively small city government carrying increasingly large responsibilities.
Residents expect responsive services. Businesses need efficient permitting, licensing, inspections, and communication. Our Police Department must protect a changing community. Meanwhile, employees are responsible for finances, grants, contracts, records, personnel, procurement, communications, and the daily operations of the City.
Add economic development, downtown revitalization, beautification, youth engagement, infrastructure, public safety initiatives, neighborhood programs, and community events.
That is a lot of responsibility for a small organization.
Our 2026 budget anticipated approximately $8.74 million in current revenue.
But as we prepare for 2027, the question is not simply how much revenue we have.
The question is: How do we use it?
Are we investing those dollars in the people, systems, infrastructure, public safety, economic development, and services necessary to support a growing Jonesboro?
Growth requires more than revenue. It requires intentional decisions about where that revenue goes and why.
Our Employees and Systems Are Feeling It
When an organization is understaffed, good employees compensate.
They work longer. They take on additional responsibilities. They fill gaps. Eventually, one employee may be doing work that should be divided among multiple positions.
That may work temporarily, but it is not sustainable.
Eventually, we see slower response times, employee burnout, administrative bottlenecks, inconsistent communication, delayed projects, and important strategic work pushed aside because employees are simply trying to keep up.
That does not always mean someone is failing.
Sometimes the structure has failed to keep pace with the workload.
And staffing is only part of the equation.
Are our financial and project records centralized and easily accessible?
Do we have adequate checks and balances?
Are our purchasing and contracting processes clear?
Are employees cross-trained so critical responsibilities continue when someone is unavailable?
Are we using technology and automation effectively?
Are our departments structured for the Jonesboro we are becoming?
These are governance questions, and we have to address them.
Does Our Current Leadership Understand the Growth?
I believe this governing body does.
Over the past several months, Council has begun asking harder questions about how Jonesboro operates, how employees are supported, how taxpayer dollars are managed, and whether our existing systems can support where our city is headed.
We have already begun working to:
• Evaluate employee policies, workplace processes, and organizational structure
• Strengthen grievance procedures and employee accountability
• Examine staffing needs across departments
• Review financial controls, purchasing, contracts, and administrative processes
• Push for greater transparency surrounding public expenditures
• Improve communication between elected officials, employees, and residents
• Expand youth, neighborhood, beautification, and community engagement
• Evaluate technology, workspace, and infrastructure needs
We will not fix everything overnight.
But recognizing that our organization must evolve is an important beginning.
The 2027 Budget Must Look Different
Our next major opportunity is the 2027 budget.
I do not believe we should simply take last year’s numbers, make a few adjustments, and move forward.
We should build a budget around the Jonesboro we are becoming.
Where are employees stretched too thin?
Where are residents waiting too long?
Where are our systems failing?
Where are we spending money without seeing enough impact?
What investments today could prevent larger problems tomorrow?
And perhaps most importantly:
Do our spending priorities reflect your priorities?
No one person should determine the financial priorities of an entire city.
The City budget belongs to the community. Council has a responsibility to deliberate, ask questions, establish priorities, and make financial decisions collectively.
And residents must be part of that process.
Your Voice Matters
You are not an audience to your City government. You are part of it.
Tell us what your neighborhood needs.
Tell us where services are working and where they are not.
Tell us what you believe deserves greater investment.
As your elected representatives, we have an inside view of City operations. You experience the results of those operations every day.
Our responsibility is to bridge that gap.
You may tell us a service is taking too long. Internally, we may discover that one employee is doing the work of three.
You may tell us communication is inconsistent. Internally, we may discover that we have not adequately staffed communications.
You may ask why a neighborhood project remains unfinished. Internally, we may discover a staffing, procurement, funding, or administrative bottleneck.
You tell us what you are experiencing. We have a responsibility to determine why and work toward fixing it.
Growing With Intention
So, is Jonesboro experiencing growing pains?
Yes.
But growing pains also mean something important:
We are growing.
Now we have to make sure our government grows responsibly with our community.
Our staffing must evolve.
Our technology must evolve.
Our financial controls must evolve.
Our policies must evolve.
Our accountability must evolve.
And our leadership must evolve.
The 2027 budget gives us an opportunity to move from reacting to problems to preparing for what comes next.
I choose preparation.
I choose accountability.
I choose collaboration.
I choose thoughtful investment.
And I choose making sure residents have a seat at the table.
Because ultimately:
This is your City. These are your tax dollars. And this is your future.
Our responsibility is to build a government capable of serving all three.
That is how we continue Reshaping One Jonesboro.
Councilwoman Santia Fox 🧡
#ReshapingOneJonesboro #TheJonesboroBridge #CommunityFirst #LeadershipMatters #JonesboroGA #TransparencyMatters #GoodGovernance
