Joplin City Council Informal Meeting - June 16, 2025
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Joplin City Council Informal Meeting - June 16, 2025
The Joplin City Council met informally on June 16, 2025, to receive a financial update from Finance Director Leslie Hawes, a quarterly update from Downtown Joplin Alliance Executive Director Lori Hahn, and to make numerous appointments to boards and commissions.
Financial Information Update
- Finance Director Leslie Hawes presented the June sales tax information. Sales tax receipts for June were up compared to June 2024, and year-to-date sales tax is up 1.4%, though slightly below budget. Use tax for June was down 3% compared to June 2024, but year-to-date use tax is up 6%. Marijuana tax revenue was up for the month, partly due to timing. General fund operating revenue is $96,943 over year-to-date budget, while operating expenditures are $1.2 million under budget (much attributed to timing). One-time revenue is slightly under budget, and one-time expenditures are under budget. Overall net gain is ahead of budget, but timing factors are significant. Council member Cobble requested that future reports include projected growth/decline targets for comparison; Hawes agreed to update the format.
Downtown Joplin Alliance Quarterly Update
- Lori Hahn provided updates on downtown properties: Holcroft (8 condos, 2 apartments) at Fourth and Virginia continues development with pre-selling; Pearl Brothers (doctor's office and pharmacy) work expected to begin August; US Bank building at Fourth and Maine is for sale with multiple parties interested; Carnegie building continues cleanup, windows boarded, environmental report received; state received a new submission on the depot property. Pennington Drug Company at 512 Virginia received two historic preservation awards. Beautification efforts include clean team volunteer groups, Freeman day of service, new downtown banners, and city staff planting flowers. The new business directory is live on the Downtown Joplin Alliance website, categorized by eat/shop/play. Ongoing events: Third Thursday (18th season, 146 vendors expected), Wine Share (first Friday), Empire Market updates (new staff Leanne with Fayetteville experience, produce coming slowly due to rain, completion of ARPA project bathrooms, paving, West Pavilion roof, walk-in cooler/freezer connected to Newton kitchen). Staff attended National Main Street Conference in Philadelphia; strategic planning session June 26; upcoming state conference in St. Charles. Council member Carlin asked about US Bank building contract (fell through) and depot submission review (city represented by Troy).
Board and Commission Appointments
- The council made numerous appointments via nominations and votes. Key discussions included residency requirements for the Airport Board (majority must be Joplin residents, but some argued for regional representation) and whether to prioritize new volunteers versus experienced members. All votes were recorded.
Key Outcomes
- ADA Board (3 seats): Carol Eck, Callie Sweet, and Linda Tucker each appointed 9-0.
- Airport Board (2 seats): Thomas Christiansen appointed to first seat (6-3 over Harvey Hutchison). Second seat: After a paper ballot narrowed the field, Tom Robertson was appointed (5-0 electronic majority over Harvey Hutchison, Jeremy Jadwin, and David Weaver).
- Board of Health Physician: Dr. Safo appointed 9-0.
- Building Board of Appeals (1 seat): Rob O'Brien appointed (5-4 over Jayla Beckham).
- CVB Advisory Board – Hotel position: Ethan Tresmer appointed 9-0.
- Historic Preservation Board (2 seats): Diane Reed Adams appointed (5-4 over Michael Gregory and Hannah Provin); Hannah Provin appointed (5-4 over Michael Gregory).
- JRC Board (1 seat): Bethany McKenzie appointed (5-4 over Thomas Ross).
- JSA Board (1 seat): James Weber appointed 9-0.
- Parks and Recreation Board (2 seats): Heather Ogden appointed (8-1 over Drew Roy); Drew Roy appointed (8-1) after Christina Williams withdrew her nomination to instead apply for Solid Waste Commission.
- Planning and Zoning Board (1 seat): Crystal Harrington appointed (7-2 over Clayton Schilling).
- Solid Waste Advisory Commission (1 seat): Christina Williams appointed 9-0.
- Reappointments slate: Approved 9-0.
- The council will ratify all appointments at the later formal session.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the informal meeting of the Joplin City Council on this Monday, June the 16th, 2025. First item on our agenda today is a financial information update. Good evening, Mrs. Hawes. Good evening, Mayor. Council. I have the June sales tax information. We are actually up for June compared to June of last year. However, for the year, we are up one almost 1.4%. So not quite at what we budgeted yet. Use tax, however, is down for June compared to June of last year by three about 3%. We're still up 6% for the year. And then marijuana tax, we're up a lot for the month, but a lot of that is timing. If you look at May, some of it should have been posted in May. So it seems to be generally overall about what it has been in the past. Any question on the taxes before I move to the financials? Okay. On the general fund financials, if you look at the the columns, it says year-to-date budget and year to date actual. Total operating revenue, we are coming in over the year-to-date budget by about $96,943. Operating expenditures, we are under, so that's good. Over on revenue, under on expenditures by about 1.2 million. A lot of that is timing though. And then on the one-time revenue, we're actually under budget, just a little bit about $18,000, but that's pretty close. One-time expenditures. We are under budget. And so overall, our net gain is uh well ahead of budget, but as I mentioned, a lot of that is timing. And then the graph uh that shows our projections going out. Uh we are working on budget, so in the coming months we'll we'll have an updated graph and updated numbers. So with that, I'd be happy to answer any questions. Council, Mr. Cobble. Um Leslie, on the first page, you know, where we have the what our sales tax receipts are. Uh-huh. Would it be possible to add what our projected uh growth or decline is supposed to be for the year, just so it keeps it in our mind? Um, so we don't have to you know a remember for 12 months or B, we can kind of get a better feel for where we're at. Yeah, I actually want to change that last column. I've been meaning to do that, and I just I had a chance, but I actually want to change that last column. That last column really just doesn't mean anything. I actually want to I want to show where we are compared to budget. Um so we will we will get that updated. Okay, but yeah, just because we're projecting a two percent growth. So just somewhere on there, like in down in the yellow section or just somewhere. Yes, just a single line. This is hey, this is what we projected. Just yes, we'll we'll get this updated. Um I I have not been happy with with that very fact. So fantastic. Thank you, ma'am. Thanks, sir. Anyone else?
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