Good evening.

I want to call to order the formal council meeting of the Joplin City Council on Monday, January 6, 2025.

Mrs.

Naj.

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, do you have some special guests with us this evening?

I do.

I'd like to welcome the Sentinels, which is a group I didn't really know much about until I went to Joplin Citizens Police Academy.

And I learned about this incredible group of people that are uniformed, you see their volunteers dedicated to making our community a safer place.

Each centennial volunteers to give a minimum of eight hours a month of their own time to provide valuable supplemental services to the Joplin Police Force.

They take up many tasks that allow our Joplin police officers to really focus on more public safety issues while they do things like community events, speaking engagements, uh vacation house checks, handicap parking violations, traffic controls, city park patrols, even helping boys and girls find their bicycles.

So they are our goodwill ambassadors for the Joplin Police Department, and they help us forge a valuable link between the police department and the community of Joplin.

So welcome this evening, Joplin Sentinels for your valuable assistance.

And if you would now do us the honor of leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Present presentations.

Oh, yeah.

You hand me that proclamation there, City Manager.

Come on, guys, come on in here.

Got some good stuff for you.

If I can get the team to just kind of line the well here on either side of your coach and I'm gonna tell all these wonderful folks in attendance why you're here.

This is a proclamation proclaiming November 8th as McCulloch Catholic Cross Country Day, whereas the McCauley Catholic High School Boys Cross Country team made history by winning a Class 1 state championship on November 8th, 2024, marking the first state championship of any sport in the school's history.

And whereas the Macaulay Catholic Girls Cross Country team also achieved remarkable success, placing third at the state competition, demonstrating their outstanding dedication and athletic excellence.

And whereas the achievements of these students' athletes reflect the values of hard work, perseverance, and teamwork instilled through Joplin Area Catholic schools, which strive to provide students with the foundation grounded in faith and excellence.

And whereas Coach Andy Youngworth has been recognized as co-coach of the year by the Class 1 Southwest Missouri's Cross Country Association, honoring his outstanding leadership and dedication to guiding these student athletes to success.

And whereas the Macaulay Catholic cross-country teams have brought immense pride to the Joplin Area Catholic schools and the broader Joplin community, serving as an inspiration to current and future generations.

Now, I therefore, Keenan T.

Cortez, Senior Mayor of Joplin, Missouri, do hereby proclaim November 8th, 2024 as Macaulay Catholic Macaulay Catholic Cross Country Day in the City of Joplin and urge all citizens of Joplin in joining and celebrating this historic accomplishment of these exceptional student athletes and their coach.

Now everybody in this chamber will get on their feet and applaud these young folks.

But uh just appreciate uh all the work that went into uh putting this proclamation together, but really it goes uh to the kids who competed um really ran all summer and all fall, did a great job.

So I we appreciate this.

On behalf of Macaulay Catholic, I uh accept the proclamation.

Finance committee presentation.

Good evening, Mr.

Alcorn.

How are you?

Outstanding.

We are looking forward to your presentation.

The floor is yours.

Well, good, thank you.

Good evening.

Good to see everybody again.

Happy New Year.

Um start off with some prepared remarks.

Our um committee would like to convey that we are always available and that we um would like to assist you in any financial analysis and providing financial options and recommendations.

With former CPAs, bankers, a Missouri Southern Finance professor, uh Freeman Hospital Financial Analyst, and a former veteran councilman.

I feel we have broad and experienced backgrounds to assist you.

Some of my committee members are here.

Would the committee members stand, please?

And August group.

Sorry.

The current project of reviewing the audited annual comprehensive financial report um was a new and learning experience, and I'm sorry it took us a little longer than we thought it was going to take, uh, but it just did for this first time.

We are open to suggestions and improvements from you for reviewing this for next time.

Um we hope next time we would start on this in the spring and have it done by late summer, early fall before you start the budget process.

I'd like to start by clarifying that we did not do a forensic analysis or review.

We accepted the numbers as presented, but have no reason to believe that they are not accurate.

I would note this report was reviewed by a new auditing firm, as you probably know this year from prior years.

Thus, a new set of eyes and the auditors gave us an unqualified opinion, which is always what you want.