Jonesboro Mayor Censured by City Council Over $27,000 Budget Overrun for Holiday Events
The Jonesboro City Council has unanimously voted to formally censure Mayor Donya Sartor following a review that revealed spending on city-sponsored events exceeded the council-approved budget by more than $27,000. The overspending was primarily linked to the city's annual Juneteenth celebration and Fourth of July event. For the Juneteenth event, the council had approved a $25,000 budget, but expenses included over $22,000 for hip-hop group Goodie Mob, $15,000 for a gospel band, $3,000 for a flyover, and $2,000 for a drone display. Councilwoman Santia Fox noted that council members became aware of the issue when the events budget line item went into a deficit. Mayor Sartor defended her actions, stating that the dispute stemmed from a disagreement over how privately donated funds, totaling over $40,000, were accounted for and whether they were subject to the original budget ceiling.
