Joplin City Council Informal Meeting - April 20, 2026

This summary is based on the transcript of an informal meeting held on 2026-04-20 11:15:00+00:00; no agenda or minutes were provided. The meeting included a sales tax update and a parks and recreation department overview, with no formal votes recorded.

Sales Tax Update

• The finance presenter said April sales tax collections, based on February sales, were up 3.08 percent from the same month last year and up 3.02 percent for the year.
• Use tax was down 24.1 percent in April compared with an unusually large April last year, but remains up 4.4 percent for the year.
• Marijuana sales tax receipts were down about 16.7 percent in April and up 7.3 percent for the year; the presenter said recent monthly amounts had settled into a normal range.
• Council Member Koppel asked for the budget projection. The presenter recalled a 1.5 percent sales tax target and estimated the use tax and marijuana sales tax projections at either 3 or 5 percent each.

Discussion Items

Parks and Recreation Department Update

• Director Paul Bloomberg gave a department overview: 1,000 acres of parkland, 17 miles of trails, more than 20 playgrounds, 14 tennis courts, 8 pickleball courts, two aquatic centers, one golf course, and one dog park.
• 2025 activity included 404 shelter reservations, 51 golf tournaments, over 2,000 sports participants, more than 40,000 pool visitors, more than 34,000 rounds of golf, 44 pool parties, over 150 dog park memberships, about 15,000 Facebook followers, and close to 2,000 Instagram followers.
• The Momentum Bike Park has drawn close to 50,000 visitors since November. After a heavy rain event, the children's playground and skills area briefly collected water because of flooding but had largely cleared; the pump track and jump lines drained well, and the multi-surface trails stayed open.
• The Ewert Splash Park is expected to open around mid-October, about one month behind the original mid-September target because of supply chain delays; the project has also produced some contingency savings.
• The old wooden area at Cunningham Park has been replaced with a family game area with two professional-grade sand volleyball courts, future sports lighting, a water fountain, benches, a turf mound, horseshoe pits, cornhole, chess tables, and ping-pong tables.
• Landry Park is getting security lighting and camera infrastructure, with about 30 of 55 lights installed so far; lights will be set at 50 percent and will brighten as people walk underneath.
• Par Hill Park project will include three playgrounds for ages 2 to 5 and 5 to 12, ADA surfacing, accessible sidewalks, a multipurpose basketball court, fitness stations along the trail, and outdoor games.
• Other project updates included a cemetery improvement project, recent museum renovation, and plans to open a Grand Falls Trail project pending bid in June.

Council Questions and Safety Concerns

• Council Member Jackson asked about golf discounts for employees and veterans; Bloomberg said the program is being worked on, and the city manager expected the item to be presented at the next Council meeting.
• Council Member Koppel raised a safety concern at the Momentum Bike Park where riders were jumping off the pump area toward the walking path; staff said the area will be addressed with fencing and/or boulders.
• Council Member Bard asked about activity at Joe Becker Stadium. Bloomberg said the city is not in the middle of the contract between the tournament and the Joplin Outlaws, but has met with the affiliated party to stay informed..

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes, ordinances, resolutions, or action items were recorded.
• Staff will present full financials next month.
• The proposed golf discount program for employees and veterans will likely be brought to a future City Council meeting.
• Momentum Bike Park safety improvements will be made at the identified erosion area.