The Joplin City Council met on Monday, October 21, 2024, at 6:00 PM in the 5th Floor Council Chambers. The meeting included an ARPA and grants update, several citizen requests regarding the Area Agency on Aging, Memorial Hall, and accountability, approval of a consent agenda, multiple emergency ordinances, first reading ordinances for property sales and infrastructure, and second/third reading approvals for the Tin Cup Trail and Bridge projects. Council also discussed next steps for Memorial Hall and directed staff to explore an urban archery program.
I want to call to order the regular meeting of the Joplin City Council. Mrs. Nosh. Gracious God, as we come to you this day to begin another session of the Joplin City Council, we ask that you impart upon us your wisdom and guidance so that we may promote justice, assist those in need, and provide for the overall well-being of the citizens of Joplin. Amen. Amen. Mrs. Carlin, I believe you have some special guests with us this evening. I do. I'd like to invite to the podium, Stephanie Brady, the executive director of the community clinic of Southwest Missouri to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. I just wanted to tell you the interesting thing to me is that the clinic is one of the only free clinics in the country that receives no governmental assistance and fund all their funding comes from grants, donors, and foundations. And that's pretty impressive considering that in 2023, they saw over 4,062 patients. They received third who received 13,260 prescriptions. They had 10,000 medical exams in their offices. They had 318 dental exams, 1,400 counseling visits, and 4,075 flu and COVID vaccinations. Now this more amazingly is done with a 100%, besides their 12 staff people, 100% volunteer team of doctors, practitioners, nurses, dentists, all volunteers that come in and serve their mission is to serve those that don't get care. And so those people might commonly be said to be low income or are working poor in our community. But 80% of their patients make too much money to qualify for state aid, and yet they cannot afford marketplace insurance. And so with uh over 81 medical volunteers, 20 non-medical volunteers, and a paid staff of 12. This represents an estimated savings to our community of over 16 million dollars. So we want to thank you for your leadership, Stephanie, and ask you to lead us in the pledge. One nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. That is a dedicated staff of 12 people over there that do yeoman's work to take care of the uninsured in our community, and we thank our community clinic here in Joplin. Roll call. Mr. Bard, present, Ms. Carlin, present, Mr. Koppel, Mr. Ditar, present, Dr. Farnham. Present, Mr. Jackson, present, Mr. Lawson, present, Mr. Shaw. Present. Mayor Cortez. Presenting the Mr. Mayor. Mr. Detar. I would like to make a motion to excuse Mr. Koppel. Second. Motions made and seconded for the excusal of Mr. Koppel's absence. Please vote. It's eight in favor with one absent. Presentations. ARPA and other grants update. Good evening, Mrs.