City of Jonesboro Chief Operations Officer resigns

Will be effective March 16 (two weeks notice)

JONESBORO, Ark. – City of Jonesboro Chief Operations Officer Ed Tanner announced Friday his intentions to resign in order to take a private-sector position in the city, a press release by the city said late in the day.

Tanner held his position with the city since August 2016, overseeing a large portion of the city’s non-uniform employees, including the besieged directors of parks and recreation, Wixson Huffstetler, who resigned last month abruptly amid allegations of misconduct. Tanner also oversaw streets, sanitation, engineering, planning, JET bus service, E-911, facilities maintenance and inspections.

“I’m very grateful to the mayor and the City of Jonesboro for the opportunity they have given me and my family over the last 18 months,” Tanner said. “I’ve learned a tremendous amount about the city’s infrastructure and details of our quality of life operations. I’m most grateful to have worked with the professionals who serve our citizens day in and day out.”

Mayor Harold Perrin said Tanner handled the job with integrity and intensity.

“That’s a big job, and a lot of it is listening to people’s problems and helping them find solutions,” Perrin said. “It takes a special person of special character, and I hope now we can find someone to replace him with the qualities that Ed brought to that role.”

Tanner’s resignation will be effective March 16. The City will advertise the position in the coming weeks, the release concluded.