Joplin City Council Regular Meeting - January 5, 2026

The Joplin City Council held its regular meeting on January 5, 2026, covering a wide range of topics including a presentation on the solid waste procurement process, the Chamber of Commerce quarterly update, the Charter Review Commission final report, multiple public hearings on zoning changes, and a series of ordinance approvals. The meeting also featured public comments on homelessness, food sharing, and the city's enforcement of camping ordinances, as well as a discussion on placing Proposition B (property sales tax renewal) on the ballot.

Consent Calendar

• Routine approvals of minutes and other items were approved as finalized (9-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• On Charter Review:
  • Dr. Diane Reed Adams requested that the charter be reviewed in full, not limited to a few issues, and that gendered language be updated (e.g., he/she, council member).
  • Tom Robertson urged the council to postpone putting the charter recommendations on the ballot until a full review is completed, citing concerns about the limited scope and the need for more time to address issues like the four-year residency requirement for council candidates.
• On Homelessness and Food Sharing (Hopeful Bites):
  • Teresa McCoy expressed support for Hopeful Bites, stating that the city should not interfere with citizens feeding the homeless and that citations appear to be about embarrassment rather than public safety.
  • Andrew Leeds raised constitutional concerns about vague enforcement of camping ordinances, destruction of property, and unequal treatment of the homeless. He made a formal Sunshine Law request for records on enforcement.
  • Sabrina Cole argued that the camping ordinances are not about camping but about criminalizing homelessness, and that the city is targeting vulnerable people.
  • William Lee cited scripture and argued that the city is weaponizing laws against the homeless and those who help them, calling for policies that actually address homelessness.
  • Chris Stockton countered that enforcing health and safety codes is moral and responsible, and that organized food sharing events are political demonstrations that use vulnerable people as props.

Discussion Items

• Solid Waste Procurement Process Presentation:
  • Consultant Julie (Burns & McDonald) presented options for the new solid waste contract, which expires June 30, 2026. Key decisions for council feedback included: universal vs. opt-in recycling, number of trash carts in base service (one or two), bulky item set-out frequency, and separate yard waste collection. Staff recommended seeing pricing for both options on each item. The contract will be for 5-7 years with possible renewals up to 10 years. Current recycling participation is 10%; universal recycling typically increases participation to 77%. The city has a $2 million EPA grant for recycling education.
  • Council members expressed support for universal recycling (Ms. Carlin, Mr. Ditar) and emphasized the importance of evaluating bidder track record, not just price (Mr. Koppel). Mayor Cortez asked about potential cost increases; the consultant noted that costs are likely to rise due to inflation.
• Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Update (Betsy Mince & Amy Kaufman):
  • Joplin's population is 53,090 (3.5% increase since 2020). Labor force participation rate is 61%, unemployment 4.6%, average earnings per job $60,001. Top industries: manufacturing, healthcare, retail. The Choose Joplin website and livability content reached 53,000 people in Q1. MoCAN reported active business development projects: Project Impact (85 jobs, food manufacturer), Project Porch Light ($750M investment, 1,400 jobs, three facilities), and Project Valkyrie (medical drone manufacturing). Member visits and site selector missions were highlighted.
• Charter Review Commission Final Report (Chuck Brown):
  • The commission recommended three changes to go to voters: (1) increase council pay from $5 to $25 per meeting, (2) reduce nominating petition signatures from 150 to 50 (25 from zone for zone seats), and (3) rename