Joplin City Council Budget Work Session – September 24, 2024
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Joplin City Council Budget Work Session – September 24, 2024
This was the second night of the city's budget sessions, focusing on issues and options requiring council direction, as well as supplemental financial information. The council considered several funding requests for economic development, healthcare, homelessness, and police take-home vehicles, alongside a pay plan adjustment for general employees.
Public Comments
- Mary Price expressed strong support for police take-home vehicles, arguing that public safety should be prioritized over parks and other projects. She also referenced concerns about the public safety tax and an ongoing state audit, warning that citizens may vote against future tax renewals if police needs are not addressed.
- Mike Livingston urged the council to reconsider the demolition of Memorial Hall, suggesting phased renovations instead. He noted the building's structural soundness and questioned the haste of the decision.
Discussion Items
- Chamber of Commerce Contract Renewal ($222,000) and MoCAN Regional Partnership ($65,000): Travis and Amy from the Chamber and MoCAN presented highlights of the past year, including expansions (General Mills, etc.), workforce development, marketing campaigns (Livability.com, billboards, quarterly publications), and business retention efforts (82 BRE visits). They requested a total of $287,000, a $35,000 increase over the previous $252,000 contract. Amy outlined MoCAN's five-year capital campaign goals focused on workforce, site development, and regional marketing. Council members expressed support, with Mr. Lawson noting the regional benefit. A question was raised about utility partnerships. The mayor noted the city's general fund would fund the requests.
- Joplin Regional Alliance for Health (JRAH) Funding ($50,000/year for 5 years): Mr. Edwards explained that the JRAH would implement the Teconomy strategic plan, strengthening healthcare as a leading industry and addressing talent pipelines. Council members discussed the need to address the nursing shortage (estimated 150 nurses short at both hospitals). Ms. Carlin clarified that the $50,000 is separate from the previously funded $80,000 for the Teconomy study. The funding would come from the general use tax.
- Homelessness Initiative ($125,000/year for a Leadership Position): Mr. Edwards introduced the request for a program manager to coordinate efforts among the Regional Commission on Homelessness, Economic Security Corporation (ESC), and the homeless coalition. Tammy Walker from ESC noted that the position would raise the capacity of existing volunteer efforts. Council debated the cost, with Mr. Jackson questioning the $125,000 figure (compared to earlier estimates of $64,000) and expressing concern about effectiveness for public safety. Mr. Shaw supported the position as a way to better coordinate services. Mr. Bard worried about ongoing costs. The mayor noted that the position could eventually be self-funded through grants. A motion for one-year funding failed 4-4, then a motion for five-year funding at $125,000/year passed 5-3.
- General Employee Pay Plan Adjustment (2.5% Steps): Leslie presented the shift from a 3% step plan to a 2.5% step plan, effective November 1, 2024, as previously approved by council. The change reduces the maximum step by about 7.5-8%, affecting five employees above the maximum. The annual cost impact is $170,000 for the general fund (versus $150,000 for 3% steps). Mr. Koppel clarified the history of the step plan, noting that the council had already directed the change months ago. The motion to adopt the 2.5% step plan passed 8-0.
- Use Tax and Future Project Updates: Leslie provided an overview of use tax funds and pending commitments, including cost overruns on the 10 Cup Trail bridge ($1.1 million over budget), DORA, and potential overruns on the Ewert Splash Park. She also noted that Fire Station 3 replacement, Memorial Hall demolition, and other projects lack current funding. The council was informed that future discussions on funding sources (e.g., Prop B renewal, bonds) will be needed. No action was taken.
- Police Take-Home Vehicles: Mr. Edwards presented a cost analysis: purchasing 32 additional cars would cost $2.76 million (one-time) plus $1.14 million in annual ongoing costs (mechanic, radio services, fuel, maintenance, insurance). Several council members spoke in favor, citing officer retention, faster response times, and crime deterrence. Mr. Koppel proposed phasing the purchase over two or three years. Public comment from Mary Price strongly supported the vehicles. The council voted to direct staff to bring back a plan for purchasing 32 cars on a two-year and a three-year timeline by the end of the year. The motion passed 8-0.
- Lease vs. Purchase Informational: Leslie provided a summary of best practices, noting that the city uses all three methods (direct purchase, lease-purchase, and leasing) depending on the situation. No action required.
- Grant Project Operational Information: Leslie presented a table of grants and associated ongoing operational costs, noting that most grants were for previously committed projects. No action required.
Key Outcomes
- Chamber of Commerce Contract: Approved $222,000 for economic development services (8-0).
- MoCAN Regional Partnership: Approved $65,000 for regional economic development (8-0).
- Joplin Regional Alliance for Health: Approved $50,000 per year for five years (8-0).
- Homelessness Initiative: Approved $125,000 per year for five years to fund a leadership position (5-3).
- General Employee Pay Plan: Adopted the 2.5% step plan effective November 1, 2024 (8-0).
- Police Take-Home Vehicles: Directed staff to return with a plan for purchasing 32 cars on a two-year and three-year schedule by end of 2024 (8-0).
Meeting Transcript
I've got 545 if we want to start our work session, Mr. Edwards. Good evening, Mayor and Council. Welcome back to night two of our budget sessions. We have uh two uh significant items to go over tonight. One is what we call issues and options. Issues and options are those things that we need your uh direction or feedback on, or to uh cover information that's been discussed uh during the budget process. We'd like to get through that tonight, and then also uh in the past uh we've prepared what we call supplemental information. Uh that's uh some more uh financial uh information on the budget. Uh usually we haven't gone through uh that book uh cover to cover, but it's there, and if you have questions, uh we can certainly go over that information, we'll summarize it, uh, but it should be brief. So uh the first item that we would lead off with is uh issues and options. Uh the first item is the uh annual review of the chamber contract. Won't spoil any of uh Travis's great information. So we'll just get started and I'll uh turn it over to him. Welcome, Travis. Thank you. Thank you, Nick. Good evening, City Council. It's good to see you guys in a more casual setting than usual. I feel I feel like I'm not underdressed tonight. So uh so yeah, so thank you guys for this opportunity. Um I feel like we do great works, and this allowed this contract allows the city and the chamber to partner in the future forward of our local economy and our industries and our and the all for the benefit of our taxpaying residents. So um, on behalf of the chamber, it's my honor to come to you tonight and ask for renewal of this ongoing partnership that we've uh to be honest with you. I've only been here two a little over two years. I don't know how far back this contract goes. So um, but it's a relationship that's been in the works for a long period of time, and we hope to continue that. Um, really, this investment that the city makes in the form of this contract allows us to go on offense when it comes to building our future and and paving our way forward and job creation. Um it also allows us to do things that we couldn't do on our own. So the city by itself couldn't possibly do all the things that we are able to do. The chamber by itself couldn't possibly do the things that we do without the support of one another and leveraging one another's assets. So um just want to highlight that and just express our gratitude and appreciation for this partnership over the years and in the future. Also want to point out that this is not a membership, this is not a sponsorship. This truly is a contract for services, and the framework for this contract is also a reimbursement model. Um, so it's not a check that that you know gets doled out at the beginning of the fiscal year, and the chamber got to go and spends. So it is the chamber actually does the work, we spend the money, and then we submit that work in the form of invoices that the city staff reviews and then uh reimburses the the chamber in that amount. So um in the past, the contract for the last five years, as far as I know, the the amount has been 252,000. Um, I want to point out that because it's a reimbursement model, that doesn't necessarily mean that every penny will be spent just last year. In fact, the chamber was only reimbursed 216,000 just because we just didn't get uh everything um done that we thought we could do. So also want to make that point that when we we do these contracts, it's not that's the amount. So it's it's what we can get done and um and then reimbursed for. So with that, do I have a clicker or is that are you guys you're gonna do it, Leslie? Okay. Well, if you would kindly flip over to the next the next slide. Um, what you see here is just really the uh the victory lap segment of of some of the big highlights in the media from last year. Um these are the big wins, mostly expansions. For you know, you'll see the job numbers, the investment amount, and also just want to point out that point out that this is really the payoff of several years of work. So, General Mills, that actually was uh initiated well before I was here, actually before COVID, and they they had to put pop press pause, and then that came to fruition this year. Um, but all of these represent several years in the making. Um, just like this year, a lot of the activities we did in the business attraction um side and the job creation side, we won't see the the fruits of our labors maybe for another year, two years, possibly, possibly down the road. Um, so a great example of that is Project Buffalo.
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