Joplin City Council Informal Meeting: Financial Update and Marketing Report – July 20, 2026
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Joplin City Council Informal Meeting – July 20, 2026
The Joplin City Council met informally on July 20, 2026, to receive a financial information update and an annual department update from the Marketing and Communications Department. The meeting included presentations from Ms. Haas (Finance) and Drew (Marketing Communications), with comments from council members. No formal votes were taken.
Financial Information Update
- Ms. Haas presented July sales tax figures, representing May sales. July sales tax collections were up almost 5.5% compared to July of last year; fiscal year-to-date collections are up over 3%.
- Use tax was up almost 24% for the month and up 7.7% for the year.
- Marijuana tax was down 57% due to a payment timing issue, but remains up 4.25% for the year.
- Review of third-quarter top 100 businesses: mall and restaurants doing better; discount stores down slightly; grocery stores up slightly; restaurants down slightly; construction/home improvement up considerably; motor vehicles up slightly; telephone/utilities down; hotel/motel up slightly; convenience stores down; 1717 up; general retail up; other up.
- Year-to-date through three quarters: mall essentially even; discount stores up; grocery/furniture/restaurants about the same; construction/home improvement up slightly; motor vehicles up slightly; telephone down; hotel/motel tax up slightly; convenience stores about even; North Park Crossing up slightly; 1717 down slightly; general retail up slightly; other up.
- General fund financials through June (eight months into the year): operating revenue over budget; operating expenditures under budget; one-time revenue under budget; one-time expenditures under budget; showing a gain of about $683,000; outstanding encumbrances of almost $3.9 million.
- No questions from council.
Marketing & Communications Department Update
- Drew presented the annual update, describing the department's mission to provide accurate, timely, and coordinated information to citizens, visitors, and potential residents.
- Team profiles: Cassie Fawcett (Public Information Officer), Tony Otero (Webmaster/Designer), Prince Wallace (Video Specialist), Emma Marsh (Communication Specialist).
- Media market: ~155,000 TV households; 151st largest market; 350,000–400,000 residents across four states; ~250 press releases/year; ~10 media requests/week.
- Print publications: 2025 annual report, 2024 and 2025 Guide to City Finances; quarterly newsletters mailed to almost 25,000 residential addresses.
- Email newsletters: July edition sent to nearly 29,000 addresses; 51% open rate; 2.8% click rate.
- Social media: 10 Facebook accounts; City Hall Facebook posts increased from 26 in Q1 to 85 in the last quarter after Emma joined.
- Website: 46% of visitors use mobile devices; new website launching November 19, transitioning to Drupal.
- Video production: 54 products delivered since July 2024; monthly Mayor's Community Update video series.
- Key campaigns: "Recycle Is How We Roll" ($1.5 million grant-funded campaign, plus $20,000/year from Skywest); Momentum Bike Park ($50,000 budget this year, seeking $123,000 for year two); recruitment ad campaign ($34,000 budget).
- Future initiatives: website phase two, text messaging integration, sponsorship/advertising opportunities, comprehensive marketing plans, and a five-year street plan communications effort.
Council Comments & Discussion
- Councilman Koppel noted the Health Department's Facebook page has few followers and suggested the city's main Facebook page could amplify important information such as mosquito fogging; Drew confirmed this is a strategy they use.
- Councilman Cows praised the department for effectively filling his calendar with Joplin activities, saying marketing has been very effective.
- Councilman Moran asked Drew what he is most proud of; Drew cited the talented team, the staff portal, publications, and video work.
Key Outcomes
- No formal votes or decisions were made during the informal session.
- Council received the financial update and the Marketing & Communications annual update.
- The meeting adjourned with a short break before the next formal session.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, we'll get started with the uh informal meeting here at 5 30. Uh Financial Information Update. Ms. Haas. Welcome. Good evening, Mayor. Council. Um tonight I'm going to present July sales tax. Um good month, uh, which really represents May sales. Uh so July of this year compared to July of last year. We're up almost five and a half percent. So for the fiscal year, we're up over three percent. On use tax, uh good month for use tax. We are up almost 24%. Uh so for the year we're up 7.7 percent. Uh marijuana tax. Uh this was a timing, timing payment timing issue. Uh so you can see uh we're down 57%. I'm sure that will catch up next month, uh, but we're still up for the year, uh, four and a quarter. And then this is uh the time to look at our third quarter for our top 100 businesses. Uh so our top 100 businesses represents the majority of our sales tax collections. And if we look at the third quarter. Um the mall uh is mall and restaurants are doing a little bit better the third quarter of this year than last year. Uh discount stores are down just a little bit. Uh grocery stores are up just a little bit, uh restaurants down just a little bit, construction and home improvement is up considerably over last year. Motor vehicles up just a little bit. Um telephone and utilities down uh for this year, hotel motel up just a little bit, convenience stores are down. Um just a little bit. Uh 1717 is is up uh for the quarter, general retail is up for the quarter, and other is up for the quarter. Um then if we look year to date, so this would be through three quarters. Uh the mall is essentially even with last year. Uh discount stores uh is up for this year over last year. Grocery stores are grocery stores and furniture stores are about the same as last year, along with restaurants. Construction and home improvement is up just a little bit, motor vehicles up just a little bit, telephone is down, hotel motel tax is up just a little bit, convenience stores are just about even. Um North Park Crossing is up just a little bit, 1717 for the year is down just a little bit. Uh general retail is up just a little bit, and other is up. Uh any questions on the quarterly information. Council, any questions? I see none. Okay. Uh we'll move to the general fund financials, which are through June. Uh so this is eight months into the year. So our operating revenue uh we are over budget at this point. Umperating expenditures, we are under budget at this point. Uh one-time revenue, uh, we are actually under budget, and one-time expenditures. We are under budget. Uh so right now we're still showing a gain of about six hundred and eighty-three thousand dollars, uh, but we have outstanding encumbrances of almost three point nine million dollars. Um so uh you can see our projections, and then uh you can see the graph. Uh by next month, I will be updating this to include uh the updated projections for estimated actuals and uh the proposed budget. Any questions on the financials?
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