City hires company to compile citizen data

Delta Digital News Service

Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024

Brayden Morse | Contributor

JONESBORO, Ark. – The Jonesboro City Council passed a resolution for data tracking on Tuesday that may concern citizens.

The resolution entered a contract with Placer Labs Inc. for data compiling software to provide vital information for grant writing efforts. 

The data will be valuable for community development, advertising and promotion in the city. The contract will begin in February 2024 and terminate in February 2025.

Dr. Anthony Coleman, councilman for Ward 6, Position 1, wanted clarity on citizens having their phones tracked without their consent. 

Dr. Charles Coleman
Ward 2, Position 1

“This software potentially gathers information from our citizens to know where they are and their location. Is this a violation of the rights of a citizen to know where they are and what they are doing? I’d like someone to address the questioning regarding the concern to have a person’s phone tracked without their consent,” Coleman said. 

“This software potentially gathers information from our citizens to know where they are and their location. Is this a violation of the rights of a citizen to know where they are and what they are doing? I’d like someone to address the questioning regarding the concern to have a person’s phone tracked without their consent,”  

Dr. Anthony Coleman, Councilman for Ward 6, Position 1

Turns out, the software does not track personal data. Placer Labs Inc. cannot gather any personal information. The company uses third party apps on mobile devices that have been given permission to utilize. 

The contract is $20,000 annually for five users that is 12 months long and renewable.

City Attorney Carol Duncan responded to a city chamber’s concern of the data and tracking within the city. 

“If you’re on Facebook, you’ve agreed to let them collect your data. They already track you and everywhere you go. All this does is collect the data. It won’t tell me it’s you, but it’ll say you went to the park. We can use that data to say look at all of the people who came to the park and we should deserve this grant,” Duncan said. 

“…All this does is collect the data. It won’t tell me it’s you, but it’ll say you went to the park. We can use that data to say look at all of the people who came to the park and we should deserve this grant,” Duncan said. 

City Attorney Carol Duncan

The zoning ordinance provides changes in zoning boundaries from residential and commercial to commercial for property located at 915 Southwest Drive as requested by G.S. Brant Perkins.

Chris Gibson, councilman for Ward 3, Position 2, shared his concerns on the rezoning for the property.

“Safety is a big concern of mine. That is the worst area in Jonesboro in terms of traffic control, as we all know. I don’t know where my head is on this one, but that’s my biggest concern,” Gibson said. 

“Safety is a big concern of mine. That is the worst area in Jonesboro in terms of traffic control, as we all know. I don’t know where my head is on this one, but that’s my biggest concern,”

 Chris Gibson, Ward 3, Position 2

According to the Jonesboro Police Department, 53 motor vehicle accidents off 915 Southwest Drive occurred in 2023. Even though the accident total was provided, the council approved of the ordinance. 

The council approved four ordinances for permits as well. A microbrewery restaurant private club permit for Defending Advancement Inc. and Lebowski’s Inc. will be located at 1514 Southern Ridge Blvd. 

The Arts Annex, Inc. will relocate to 330 S. Main, as well as 1812 Pizza Company with no location set yet. The council also approved Southern BBQ Hilltop for a private club permit. 

Four resolutions for properties located at 315 Welch, 405/411 McDaniel, 812 Creath and 1025/1029 Hope from Redbird Investments LLC were passed with only one discussion from the council regarding the purpose of attaining the properties. 

Redbird Investments LLC will be used as inventory. If anyone in the area is interested in developing, the company will look into it. 

The Jonesboro City Council will meet again February 20 at 5:30 p.m.

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Brayden Morse is a junior in the multimedia journalism program in the School of Media and Journalism at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. He can be reached at [email protected].