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Record of Proceedings

Joplin City Council Meeting Summary: August 17, 2026

City Council — Monday, August 17, 2026
BodyJoplin, Missouri
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, August 17, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:48:36

Original source
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0:03

Good evening, everyone.

0:05

We'll call this meeting to order.

0:10

May we have the invitation.

0:12

Gracious God, as we come to you this day to begin another session of the Joplin City Council, we ask that you impart impart upon us your wisdom and guidance so that we may promote justice, assist those in need, and provide for the overall well-being of the citizens of Joplin.

0:25

Amen.

0:26

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

0:27

Mr.

0:28

Cortez.

0:29

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me as we pledge allegiance to the United States of America.

0:36

And to the Republic for Richards.

0:48

Thank you.

0:48

Madam Clerk, roll call, please.

0:50

Mr.

0:50

Bard.

0:51

Mr.

0:52

Coppel.

0:53

Mr.

0:53

Cortez.

0:54

Mr.

0:54

Cows.

0:55

Present.

0:55

Mr.

0:55

Ditar.

0:56

Mr.

0:57

Jackson.

0:57

Present.

0:58

Mr.

0:58

Moran.

0:59

Present.

0:59

Ms.

0:59

Price.

1:00

Present, Mayor O'Brien.

1:02

Present.

1:03

Presentations.

1:05

Financial information update.

1:16

Good evening.

1:17

Good evening, Mayor, Council.

1:19

Tonight I'm going to present August sales tax, which is 10 months into the fiscal year for us.

1:47

And for the year, we are up eight point two percent.

2:01

So we're down for the year four point three nine.

2:07

One remitter uh is late, and one remitter uh has a credit uh with the state.

2:15

So uh eventually this will even back out, I assume.

2:21

Um any questions on the sales and use tax?

2:26

If not, I'll move to the general fund financials.

2:30

Uh this is through the end of July, so nine months, seventy-five percent of the year is complete.

2:37

Uh on the operating revenue.

2:40

Um we are uh our actuals are coming in over uh what we've budgeted, and our expenditures are coming in under.

2:52

Uh so right now we have a net operating gain of about eight hundred and eighty-one thousand.

2:59

Well, six hundred and seventeen thousand, which is about eight hundred and eighty-two thousand over what we projected at that point.

3:05

Our one-time revenue is under budget, though, by almost one point seven million, and our one-time expenditures are uh under budget uh by two point four million, uh, but we still have four point two million dollars in the outstanding encumbrances.

3:24

Uh that's the fire trucks uh plus some other uh purchases.

3:28

So we'll see how the next few months come in.

3:32

Any questions on the financials?

3:39

I see none.

3:40

Okay, thank you.

3:42

Thank you very much.

3:45

Finalization of consent agenda.

3:48

Uh council, does anyone have anything for the consent agenda?

3:54

Uh does anyone in the public have anything for consent agenda?

3:59

If not, I'll deem the consent agenda finalized.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Data Center Regulation████████████████████████24%
Procedural██████████████14%
Affordable Housing█████████9%
Public Engagement████████8%
Community Engagement██████6%
Budget Equity Analysis█████5%
Engineering And Infrastructure████4%
Public Safety████4%
Public Transportation███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Joplin City Council Meeting Summary: August 17, 2026

The Joplin City Council met on August 17, 2026, to address a full agenda including financial updates, a tiny home development for the homeless, multiple infrastructure contracts, and a highly debated ordinance regulating data centers. The meeting featured extensive public testimony on the data center ordinance, culminating in a 5-4 vote to amend setback requirements and pass the ordinance.

Consent Calendar

  • Routine approvals and unanimous actions were taken, including the finalization of the consent agenda (approved 9-0).

Financial Information Update

  • The city's financial director presented August sales tax data: year-to-date sales tax revenue is up 8.2% but down 4.39% for the year due to one late remitter and a credit. General fund financials through July show a net operating gain of approximately $881,000, though one-time revenues are under budget by $1.7 million with $4.2 million in encumbrances.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Public Information Office Reports: Cassie Fawcett reported on the successful Velo Solutions UCI Pump Track World Championships qualifier at Momentum Bike Park, which drew 94 cyclists despite 102°F heat. Joplin was one of four U.S. host cities. Upcoming public meetings on trolley route expansion and a JATSO bicycle/pedestrian survey were announced.
  • Data Center Ordinance (Council Bill 2026-271): 13 speakers addressed the council. The majority expressed opposition to the removal of the special use permit requirement and raised concerns about water usage, noise, light pollution, heat island effects, property value impacts, and lack of transparency. Speakers included:
    • Ellen Broglie: Cited a Gallup poll showing 71% opposition to data centers; raised concerns about heat island effect increasing ground temperatures by up to 16°F within six miles.
    • Kimberly Barker: Requested restoration of the special use permit for public hearings and oversight; noted she had submitted a records request.
    • Sue Godsea: Presented research on temperature increases (up to 48°F in some cases) and questioned closed-loop cooling reliability.
    • Ashley Gould: Questioned job numbers (10-15 vs. 300-1000) and emphasized need for transparency.
    • Julie Giblin: Urged special use permits, citing property value drops in other communities (e.g., Muskogee, OK where values dropped 35% within one mile).
    • Amanda Calderon Kidston: Argued removal of special use permit was done without public notice and pre-approves plans without public input.
    • Rebecca Collins (Joplin Sustainable Technology Alliance): Thanked council for environmental standards but urged a public compliance dashboard.
    • Others: Hannah Dyer, Michael Inn Pin You (who claimed rate hikes of 34-37% and criticized the 'by right' change), and Chris Stockton (who argued for evidence-based decisions and clarified that Stockton Lake water planning predates the data center project).
  • Tiny Home Development (Water Gardens): Bailey Duke and James Whitford presented the Freedom Village project, a 55-unit permanent supportive tiny home community for chronically homeless and disabled individuals. They emphasized private funding ($9 million raised), no federal assistance, and a 30-mile radius residency policy.

Discussion Items

  • Tiny Home Site Plan (Case 028-26): The site plan for Water Gardens' 55 tiny homes (24 in phase 1) on 7 acres north of 14th Street and Minnesota Avenue was reviewed. Council discussed reduced setbacks (10 ft vs. 20 ft), parking (22 stalls for 55 units), and ADA accessibility. The planning commission had recommended approval 7-0. The council approved the site plan on first reading 8-1.
  • Police Vehicle Purchase (Council Bill 2026-617): Authorized $403,501 for seven Chevy Tahoe police vehicles. Councilmember Copeland questioned the timing, noting officers eligible for vehicles since July but vehicles not yet ordered. The expedited ordinance passed 9-0.
  • Other First Reading Ordinances: Passed unanimously (9-0) for:
    • Financial interest disclosure readoption (CB 2026-010)
    • MODOT transit operating assistance grant (CB 2026-141)
    • Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (CB 2026-142) – councilmember Copeland noted a math error in the collision rate average.
    • Sanitary sewer force main contract (CB 2026-143, $2,941,774)
    • Crane Drive interceptor sewer improvements (CB 2026-144, $1,731,130.82)
    • Public Works Center master plan design services (CB 2026-145, $236,140)
    • Sale of surplus property at 807 West Jung Boulevard for $1,206 (CB 2026-517)
    • Budget amendment for server replacement, jail sewer repair, and senior center HVAC (CB 2026-518)
  • Data Center Ordinance (CB 2026-271): Extensive council discussion. The ordinance originally included a special use permit requirement, but it was removed at the August 3 meeting. Councilmembers justified removal to provide certainty for developers and avoid political volatility. The public argued it removes oversight. Councilmember Cows proposed a motion to amend the setback from 300 ft to 600 ft from residential and public use areas, citing observations from a site visit to Smithville. The amendment passed 5-4. The amended ordinance then passed on second and third reading by the same 5-4 vote.

Key Outcomes

  • Tiny Home Development: Approved site plan on first reading (8-1). Will proceed to second and third readings.
  • Data Center Ordinance: Amended to require 600-foot setbacks from residential and public use areas (instead of 300 ft). Passed 5-4 on second and third reading.
  • Police Vehicle Purchase: Approved 9-0; city manager acknowledged need for proactive ordering.
  • All First Reading Ordinances: Passed 9-0 and advanced to second and third readings.
  • Surplus Property: Declared for auction on September 19, 2026, approved 9-0.
  • Closed Session: Approved 9-0 to discuss personnel matters.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening, everyone. We'll call this meeting to order. May we have the invitation. Gracious God, as we come to you this day to begin another session of the Joplin City Council, we ask that you impart impart upon us your wisdom and guidance so that we may promote justice, assist those in need, and provide for the overall well-being of the citizens of Joplin. Amen. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Mr. Cortez. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me as we pledge allegiance to the United States of America. And to the Republic for Richards. Thank you. Madam Clerk, roll call, please. Mr. Bard. Mr. Coppel. Mr. Cortez. Mr. Cows. Present. Mr. Ditar. Mr. Jackson. Present. Mr. Moran. Present. Ms. Price. Present, Mayor O'Brien. Present. Presentations. Financial information update. Good evening. Good evening, Mayor, Council. Tonight I'm going to present August sales tax, which is 10 months into the fiscal year for us. And for the year, we are up eight point two percent. So we're down for the year four point three nine. One remitter uh is late, and one remitter uh has a credit uh with the state. So uh eventually this will even back out, I assume. Um any questions on the sales and use tax? If not, I'll move to the general fund financials. Uh this is through the end of July, so nine months, seventy-five percent of the year is complete. Uh on the operating revenue. Um we are uh our actuals are coming in over uh what we've budgeted, and our expenditures are coming in under. Uh so right now we have a net operating gain of about eight hundred and eighty-one thousand. Well, six hundred and seventeen thousand, which is about eight hundred and eighty-two thousand over what we projected at that point. Our one-time revenue is under budget, though, by almost one point seven million, and our one-time expenditures are uh under budget uh by two point four million, uh, but we still have four point two million dollars in the outstanding encumbrances.

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