Joplin City Council Special Meeting – August 24, 2026

The Joplin City Council held a special meeting on August 24, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers. The meeting included public hearings on the FY2027 proposed budget and the property tax rate, discussion and final action on amended data center standards, and a closed session. Key decisions included adoption of the property tax levy, reversion of data center residential setbacks to 300 feet, and passage of the data center ordinance.

Routine Actions

• Approval of absence: A motion to approve Councilmember Cortez's absence passed 8–0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Rebecca Collins (Director, Joplin Sustainable Technology Alliance) spoke in favor of the amended data center standards. She emphasized that distance buffers alone are insufficient for noise control and urged adoption of strict performance metrics, including decibel limits. She also called for a future public transparency dashboard for real-time monitoring of air, water, and noise.
• Maurice Philson expressed a lack of confidence in federal, state, and local government, citing concerns about the federal deficit and a personal experience that eroded his trust.

Discussion Items

• FY2027 Proposed Budget (presented by Leslie Haas, City Accountant): The total proposed budget is $170.8 million, a decrease of $14.4 million from FY2026. The general fund (the main discretionary operating fund) comprises about 25% of the budget. Sales tax is the primary revenue source, with a budgeted 2% increase for FY2027. Key highlights include $51.4 million in capital expenditures, a 2% inflation adjustment for employees, step increases, and increased pension contribution rates. The budget draws on reserves for one-time Proposition Action expenditures. A five-year model projects negative fund balances in 2028 and 2029 if current trends continue. Councilmember Jackson inquired about franchise taxes (not collected from fiber optic providers) and fluctuations in police department funding; Councilmember Cows asked about the biggest financial risk (revenue growth outpacing expenditures).
• Property Tax Rate for 2026–2027 (presented by city staff): The proposed levy is 40.92 cents per $100 assessed valuation (city portion 17.1 cents, library portion 23.82 cents – unchanged from the prior year). Assessed valuations increased by 1.6% to $831.2 million, with new construction adding $10.6 million. The tax on a $100,000 home amounts to $77.75. No public comments were made.
• Data Center Standards (Amended Council Bill 2026-271): The council discussed the appropriate setback for data centers when adjacent to residential, church, daycare, or park uses. The ordinance had been amended at a prior meeting to increase the setback from 300 to 600 feet. Councilmember Bard moved to revert to the 300-foot setback, arguing that the 21 specific performance standards already provide sufficient protection. Councilmember Cows proposed a tiered approach (300 ft for residential/sensitive uses, 100 ft for commercial, M2 setbacks for industrial), but the motion to revert to 300 feet was approved. Councilmember Koppel and others debated the impact on a specific property near a railroad easement, but the majority favored a uniform 300-foot setback for residential and similar uses.

Key Outcomes

• Property Tax Levy Ordinance (Council Bill 2026-516): Approved on an expedited basis (8–0). The rate remains unchanged at 40.92 cents per $100 assessed valuation.
• Data Center Ordinance (Amended Council Bill 2026-271): A motion to amend Section 4 (residential setback) back to 300 feet passed 8–0. The re-amended ordinance was then adopted on final reading (8–0).
• Closed Session: A motion to enter closed session under state law for legal matters passed 8–0. The meeting adjourned at the end of closed session.