Joplin City Council Regular Meeting - October 20, 2025

The Joplin City Council held its regular meeting on October 20, 2025, addressing a regional transit study, winter weather preparedness, concerns about homelessness, and the adoption of the fiscal year 2026 budget. The meeting included presentations, public comments, and votes on multiple ordinances.

Consent Calendar

• The consent agenda was finalized and approved unanimously (9-0) without discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Amanda Beardon (advocate for homeless) criticized the city's approach and presented evidence for Housing First, including that 90% of people remain stably housed after a year with voluntary services, and that upfront costs are offset by savings of up to $31,545 per person in emergency services over two years. She called for a permitted village as an interim solution. Council granted extra time for her to read a poem about police sweeps.
• Frank Thompson (citizen) cited the Missouri State Auditor’s report rating Joplin’s performance as “fair,” noting that 80% of ordinances in 2023 were passed as emergencies, $12.7 million in expenditures were not shown in the approved budget, and that credit card payments were not fully reconciled. He argued the city is rewriting the charter to shield actions.
• Sonya Fisher (resident) alleged excessive force during a recent arrest, including being placed in a restraining chair and having her skin ripped and jaw dislocated. She stated she intends to file a civil rights lawsuit.
• Josh Shackles (advocate) suggested adding signage for the camping ordinance and creating a safe parking lot for people sleeping in cars. He also thanked the mayor and police chief for meeting with advocates to clarify the ordinance.

Discussion Items

1. Regional Transit Study Update

• David Johnson (TransPro) presented the Joplin Regional Transit Study, funded by a federal grant. Key survey results: 82% of 241 online respondents agree the metro needs regional transit; 85% of a statistically valid phone survey (391 respondents) believe investing in transit is good for the community. Proposed governance: a Transportation Development District (TDD) combined with a nonprofit, funded by a half-cent sales tax covering Joplin and all of Jasper County. The plan would expand from 3 fixed routes to 7, increase frequency to every 30 minutes on some routes, add Saturday service, and connect to Carthage, Duquesne, and Dunweg. Estimated revenue: the half-cent would generate noticeable improvements. Council questions raised concerns about the boundary (Mr. Coppel suggested a smaller contiguous area covering only the urban core), service hours not matching 12-hour manufacturing shifts (current proposal 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.), and lack of consultation with major employers. Council directed staff to further engage employers and refine the boundary before finalizing an implementation plan due by end of 2025.

2. Winter Weather Preparedness

• Dan Johnson (Public Works) presented the snow and ice control program. The city has purchased 1,200 tons of road salt and 4,500 gallons of beet juice. Staffing: 25 operators, with 13 plows, and four fixed routes can be cleared in four hours. Pretreatment with brine/beet juice can be applied if pavement temperatures are above 15°F. New LED lights have been installed on all plows. Last season: two significant events—January 9-10 (3-5 inches) cleared in 24 hours; February 18-19 (6-10 inches) cleared in 36 hours. Council praised the team’s performance. Mr. Coppel suggested a toolbox contract for backup operators, but staff said current staffing is adequate. The goal is to keep arterial and collector streets passable; residential streets are not plowed due to narrowness and parked cars. New pickup plows will be used to clear snow berms at intersections.

3. Ordinance Prohibiting Unsanctioned Displacement of Transient Individuals

• The assistant city attorney presented Council Bill 2025-012, which prohibits transporting and dropping off homeless individuals from outside the city without proper arrangements (medical, shelter, court, etc.). Council discussed enforceability (Mr. Coppel noted difficulty, Mr. Lawson and Mr. Jackson argued it sends a message and has professional repercussions). Passed on first reading (9-0).

4. Budget Adoption and Related Ordinances

• City Finance Director Leslie Haas presented the FY2026 budget (total appropriations $185.2 million) and a budget amendment increasing expenditures by $6.5 million across all funds. The budget includes a 2% COLA for employees and adjustments for minimum wage compliance (House Bill 567) effective January 1, 2026. Cost: $18,000 for general employees, $147,000 for fire employees, and $56,000 for seasonal positions. The budget amendment covers items such as pension sales tax gap, stormwater projects, and general liability insurance. Council approved the budget (8-0-1, Mr. Coppel abstained) and the amendment (9-0). Also approved salary administration plans removing steps to comply with minimum wage, effective January 1 (8-0-1).

5. Other Items

• Approved animal shelter contract renewal with CPI-based fee increase (3.1%).
• Approved a purchase order for three Ford Ranger trucks ($113,168) for neighborhood services (under budget).
• Approved park security lighting project ($1.69 million) using reserves from the Parks and Stormwater Sales Tax Phase 2 (Council Bill 2025-620, passed 9-0).
• Approved a sponsorship agreement with the YMCA for the 10 Cup Trail (Council Bill 2025-619).
• Approved zoning code amendments (Council Bill 2025-279).

Key Outcomes

• Transit study: Council directed staff to engage employers and refine the proposed service boundary before final implementation.
• Winter prep: Council commended public works and noted new pickup plows to address snow berms at intersections.
• Anti-dumping ordinance: Passed first reading (9-0).
• Budget: Adopted FY2026 budget (8-0-1) and budget amendment (9-0).
• Salary plans: Approved minimum wage compliance adjustments, with a long-term solution needed to address compression.
• Dispatch staffing: Council directed the city manager to form a work group and bring expedited and long-term solutions to address critical understaffing (10 vacancies out of 20 positions).
• Closed session: Voted 9-0 to enter closed session for personnel matters.