The Joplin City Council met on July 21, 2025, for a regular session that included presentations from the Kiwanis Club, semi-annual oversight committee reports, introduction of a new homelessness director, approval of a property sale and a sidewalk contract, and a citizen’s request regarding stormwater drainage issues. The council also discussed a potential native landscaping registry program. All votes were recorded with eight members present and one absent (Councilwoman Carlin was excused).
Want to call to order the regular meeting of Joplin City Council. 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. I want to invite forward to the microphone at this time, the Joplin Koanis Club. Come on down. That's pretty much everybody in here. Good, very good. We're prior to our group, so we wanted to have them here. The Kawanus Club was founded in May 17th, 1920, and is currently made up of 52 men and women, each of whom are active in the community. Since its founding, many members have served on the city council and many on the boards and commissions of the city. The club's charitable emphasis is aimed at children and youth and supporting their growth and development. The club meets each Tuesday at noon at the Joplin Elks Club. Its fundraisers include an annual golf tournament and a flag project that places and removes nations' flags on five holidays throughout the year for businesses and private homes. Its charitable programs include annual Christmas parties for selected Joplin Elementary Schools where lunches provided by the club and hats and gloves are distributed. The club also supports several children's programs in the region, including Children's Center, Children's Haven, Joplin Family Y, Boys and Girls Club of Southwest Missouri, Joplin Little League, and Softball, Joplin Little League Softball, Water Gardens, Safe Havens, Baby Box, Lafayette House, Missouri Southern State University Scholarships, Joplin High School Key Clubs, and others. Harvey, if you would take just a moment and tell us about some upcoming events you might be having. Yes, thank you, Mayor, Mayor Cortez, and uh other distinguished members of this body. It's indeed an honor for us all, six to some out of uh one of our members actually is in your body, Councilman Douglas Lawson. Another of our current roster, Dr. Benjamin Rosenberg, is a former councilman, I think, for two or three terms. He was also the school board for a couple. And he's currently on the MSSU board. So over the years, our members have been well involved in public service in the city, the county, or anything near it. Numerous boards, uh, Judge Damont, uh, former judge uh Chuck Brown here at the city, Sharon Democ, president of the school board formerly, presently on the school board, Martha Schroeder, John Hurd, and Riley Heard its president. Matt Harding, the assistant superintendent, is also one of our members. And that excuse me, on the side, while they're not here, they have a real heavy-duty meeting going on right now, analyzing the school uh facilities at the moment. Lots of community activists, such as uh Jim Flyshaker, uh current Joplin Sports Authority Director, uh, Jared Brugman, who was will follow me as president of the next term, uh, David Nierbor, former police chief here, Thomas Ross, former engineer in public works. Uh matter of fact, David is real, real active at the next level. He is the lieutenant governor of Arkansas and Missouri. All those clubs come under his Aegeas. Uh and as we said, as uh as Mayor Cortez act pointed out very succinctly. Uh our mission statement is children, kids always has been since the 20s. Uh, this is the oldest club in the state. We were the third founded, however, St. Louis and Kansas City dropped out for a while, so we're the oldest continuous, 105 years old. Um happened to rest a little bit. We saw a picture of recently. I couldn't help but get fond of it. It was in the 30s of taking a group of kids on a parade and to a picnic at Reading's Mills. So and they came from the orphanage here. There was an orphanage in those days. Uh, we're also involved in helping other clubs in the area last week. We're in nails show up and then refound their their uh their club. Interesting, they had more women than we do. So I said right away, you're ahead of us. That's one of the things I don't see uh council lady uh uh Carlin, but we we're trying to, if you can help us, we'll take more women, as a matter of fact. Uh and next week we'll be filling up backpacks. So that's a little about us. I'll be happy to answer any questions uh that you could have or any specifics.