New City Hall, Police Department almost ready!

Excitement is in the air on Main Street in Cave City, as two historic building renovation projects near completion. The former Bank of Cave City (circa 1950) building at 201 South Main St. will soon house new City Hall administration offices. These will include offices of the mayor, water & sewer department, revenue office, and city finance manager. There will also be a large and small conference room. The former Cave City Lumber Company (circa 1958) building at 103 Union St., just behind the future City Hall, will soon house the Cave City Police Department. This building will include multiple offices, a large meeting and training room, secure storage areas, and more for the growing department.

Mayor Jonas Anderson stressed the importance of these projects in the overall vision of his administration to reinvest in the historic downtown section of the community, eventually transforming the entire city block into a “city square” styled space. Future plans include a new community center building and public swimming pool to be located adjacent to these two properties.

Anderson said he “cannot wait” to reveal these new buildings to the public. The city should be able to start moving into them within the next month or so, he said.

Mayor Anderson Joins National League of Cities' AI Advisory Committee

Mayor Anderson Joins National League of Cities’ AI Advisory Committee

Cave City, Arkansas - The National League of Cities (NLC) has launched an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Advisory Committee to help local leaders demystify, de-risk, and ultimately harness the opportunity that this rapidly evolving technology represents. Mayor Jonas Anderson was recently selected to be a member of the committee, a first for NLC, which is chaired by Savannah, Georgia Mayor Van Johnson and Tucson, Arizona Councilmember Nikki Lee.

Anderson, who also serves as Chief Technology Officer for the Bank of Cave City, has spent nearly two decades in a host of different technology support and management roles. Recognizing the transformative impact of AI across various sectors, local government being no exception, Anderson said he “understands the need for cities, towns, and villages to adapt to the changing technological landscape that is developing around this new technology,” adding that “It’s a true honor to have a seat at this table, and to contribute to this important discussion with municipal government colleagues from around the country.”

The NLC AI Advisory Committee is a key initiative in NLC's 100th-year celebration, signifying a commitment to preparing cities for the next century of growth. Along with NLC, Google is a founding partner of the Advisory Committee. By year's end, the Committee, in partnership with NLC and Google, will produce a summative playbook for cities nationwide that provides curated insights, strategies, and best practices for cities making use of artificial intelligence.

The Advisory Committee will serve as a platform for experts from various fields to come together, share insights, and explore innovative solutions for responsibly integrating AI into municipal practices. Mayor Anderson believes that this collaboration will foster a deeper understanding of AI's potential, enabling cities to build more vibrant economies and better serve their residents.

The Committee was launched as part of the key national priorities highlighted at this year’s Congressional City Conference in Washington D.C., where Mayor Anderson attended to help represent the state of Arkansas in his current role as president of it’s state municipal league.

Mayor Anderson appointed to national technology committee.

Cave City Mayor Jonas Anderson Appointed to Serve on National League of Cities Information Technology and Communications Committee.

Cave City, AR — Jonas Anderson, Mayor of Cave City, Arkansas, and current President of the Arkansas Municipal League, has been appointed to the National League of Cities (NLC) 2024 Information Technology and Communications Federal Advocacy Committee. Born and raised in Cave City, he has served as mayor since 2017, and served on the City Council beginning in 2010. He has also worked in the information technology field for the past sixteen years in a variety of roles, currently serving as Chief Technology Officer at the Bank of Cave City. The appointment was announced by NLC President Mayor David Sander of Rancho Cordova, CA. As a member of NLC’s Information Technology and Communications Committee, Mayor Anderson will play a key role in shaping NLC’s policy positions, and advocate on behalf of America’s cities, towns and villages before Congress, with the administration, and at home. 

In a statement, Anderson said: “It is such an honor to receive this appointment, and I am excited to contribute to the betterment of cities and towns across the country through this role. I will be an advocate for local decision making, because local communities should have the authority to do what’s best for our particular people and place. I look forward to working with my committee colleagues and sharing from my perspective as an IT professional and a small-town mayor. I’ll be telling the good story of my hometown, and of our great state, as much as possible, too!”

“NLC’s federal advocacy committees play an important role in helping policymakers in Washington understand the issues and challenges facing America’s cities, towns and villages at the local level,” said NLC President Mayor David Sander of Rancho Cordova, CA. “I’m thrilled to have Mayor Anderson serve on this committee and look forward to working with him to strengthen the federal-local partnership, and grow our common knowledge of the issues and opportunities facing our communities.”  

The leadership of this year’s committee will consist of Chair, Council Member Kevin Kramer, Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government, KY; Vice Chair, Mayor Donald Groesser, Ralston, NE; and Vice Chair, Mayor Bobby Scott, Center Point, AL.

For more information on NLC’s federal advocacy committees, visit: https://www.nlc.org/advocacy/federal-advocacy-committees/.

Cave City makes safety upgrade to traffic signal.

Thanks to our team, with assistance from Entergy and Edwards Electric, we’ll no longer be diverting personnel to traffic duty during a power outage situation (especially during storms). The light will now operate off of a generator setup that is very quiet, portable, and easy to connect and engage. It can be monitored from inside a vehicle, if needed, using a mobile app and Bluetooth connection.

Thanks especially to Adam Fitzsimmons for sourcing the generator locally and saving us hundreds of dollars on the purchase. And thanks to he and Dalton Corter for sweating it out this morning to ensure that traffic flow was safe during the install.