Joplin City Council Regular Meeting – November 18, 2024
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Joplin City Council Regular Meeting – November 18, 2024
The Joplin City Council met on November 18, 2024, at 5:00 PM (Central Time). The meeting opened with a prayer, pledge of allegiance, and a welcome to Community Support Services of Missouri. Roll call showed eight members present, with Mr. Jackson absent and excused. The council approved the consent agenda, heard public testimony, and voted on several ordinances and resolutions, including infrastructure projects, sewer rate adjustments, and a tax abatement for a downtown redevelopment.
Consent Calendar
- The consent agenda was finalized without objection and approved unanimously (8-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Mary Price (citizen) addressed the council for five minutes. She thanked the mayor and city manager for a recent meeting but expressed strong opposition to what she characterized as the city's over-reliance on tax abatements, ARPA matching funds, and public spending on amenities like parks. She argued these policies increase costs for residents, divert resources from schools, and could drive people out of Joplin. She urged the council to focus on livability, affordable taxes, and preserving local history.
Discussion Items
- Council Bill 2024-148 – Emergency ordinance approving an agreement with DE Plumbing and Heating Inc. for $2,588,561 for the Joplin ARPA Group B project (stormwater improvements). Staff presented the low bid, funded by parks/stormwater sales tax and ARPA. Council asked about scheduling and phasing. Approved 8-0.
- Council Bill 2024-152 – Emergency ordinance approving a $9,878,241.50 agreement with Emory Sapp and Sons Inc. for widening 20th Street from Schifferdecker Avenue to Central City Road. Funded by capital improvement sales tax and ARPA. Includes two roundabouts. Council discussed timeline (completion by Sept. 30, 2026), coordination with MoDOT, design standards, and impact on Twin Hills Country Club (existing entrance kept open during construction). Approved 8-0.
- Council Bills 2024-153, 154, 155 – Three emergency ordinances for professional engineering services (Olsen Associates) for the Pennsylvania Avenue Viaduct Removal, Willow Branch Stormwater Study, and Willow Branch 7th Street Improvements, totaling $1,777,750. These projects align with MoDOT's 7th Street reconstruction to add stormwater capacity. Council asked about bridge removal timeline (late winter/early spring 2025), and the decision on replacing the viaduct with an at-grade road. All three approved 8-0.
- Council Bill 2024-151 – Ordinance on first reading to adopt new sewer rates based on a rate study by Burns & McDonald. The average increase is 4% overall, with residential users seeing 2.7–3% and large users 4.2–5.4%. The rate structure shifts more cost to volumetric fees and includes a uniform industrial pretreatment fee. Council discussed the age of treatment plants, maintenance costs, and the gradual rate approach. Approved on first reading and advanced to second and third readings (8-0).
- Council Bill 2024-295 – Ordinance on first reading to approve a 25-year tax abatement (100% for 10 years, 50% for 15 years) for the Holcraft Stoltz Building (4014 S. Virginia Ave.), which will be converted into 10–12 apartments/condos with indoor parking. The abatement applies only to the increase in property taxes from the $3.7 million renovation. Council heard from the developer and planning staff, discussed whether the abatement transfers to new owners (it does), and noted the building's historical significance. Approved on first reading and advanced to second and third (8-0).
Key Outcomes
- All emergency ordinances (2024-148, 152, 153, 154, 155) were approved unanimously (8-0).
- Sewer rate ordinance (2024-151) and tax abatement ordinance (2024-295) were passed on first reading, advancing to second and third readings, both with 8-0 votes.
- Council recognized November as Entrepreneurs and Small Business Month.
- Mayor reported the passing of Dr. Bob Wilcoxon, a community philanthropist, and offered condolences.
- The meeting adjourned after wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening and welcome to the regular meeting of the Joplin City Council. I call this meeting to order. Mrs. Nosh. Eternal God, as we begin another meeting of the Joplin City Council, we ask that you invest in this body your strength and wisdom to fortify us and guide us so that we may enhance the prosperity of our community and improve the quality of life for those we serve. Amen. Amen. Mrs. Carlin. Would you like to welcome it? That's true. We'd like to welcome this evening. The community support services of Missouri. For over 40 years, the community support services of Missouri has provided services and programs to our community of over of their community of over 1,300 individuals with developmental disabilities and programs that serve infants to adults. The community support services exist to ensure that every member of our community has the opportunity to live up to their potential, improving their quality of life, their independence, and their meaningful inclusion in our community. Pledge of allegiance. And to Republic for which he stands one nation under God and indivisible liberty and justice for all. Thank you, baby. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mrs. Carlin. Thank you for community support services for coming out and seeing us this evening. And make sure that young man gets something extra special next. He did an outstanding job. Roll call. Mr. Bard. Present. Miss Carlin. Present. Mr. Coppel. Present. Mr. Detar. Present. Dr. Farnham. Present. Mr. Jackson. Mr. Lawson. Present. Mr. Shaw. Present. Mayor Cortez. Present. Mayor.
openpublica.com