Pine Bluff City Council unanimously approved a Sept. 21 resolution amending the 2026 municipal budget to provide an additional $54,000 for Code Enforcement, the Pine Bluff Commercial reported.
The package includes $3,000 for equipment and supplies, $3,000 for vehicle repair and maintenance, $3,000 for uniforms, $30,000 for lot clearance and $24,000 for demolition. Budget documents show a $9,000 reduction in capital purchases as part of the funding shift, producing a net $54,000 increase drawn from departmental transfers and undesignated funds.
The vote landed alongside a separate resolution authorizing nuisance-abatement costs to be assessed against property owners and certified to the Jefferson County Clerk and Tax Collector for collection like delinquent taxes (county keeps 3%). Resident John Fenley spoke against recurring mowing and abatement charges during public comment.
Officials have linked stronger code work to abandoned properties and the broader Clean Up Pine Bluff / Glow Up beautification push.
