Jonesboro City Council Censures Mayor Donya Sartor Over Exceeded Event Spending
The Jonesboro City Council has unanimously voted to formally censure Mayor Donya Sartor. This action follows a review that revealed spending on city-sponsored events, including the annual Juneteenth celebration, exceeded council-approved budget limits by more than $27,000. According to city records, the council had approved a $25,000 budget for the Juneteenth event, but expenses surpassed this amount, including over $22,000 for a hip-hop group, $15,000 for a gospel band, $3,000 for a flyover, and $2,000 for a drone display. Council members became aware of the overspending when the city's events budget line item showed a significant deficit. Additionally, for the Fourth of July event, some vendors were paid before council approval, and several contracts were not reviewed by the city attorney. Mayor Sartor defended her actions, stating the dispute was over how privately donated funds were accounted for, as her office secured over $40,000 in private sponsorships to offset costs for residents.
