Joplin High School graduating seniors receive $2.5 million in scholarships

(From Joplin Schools)

The Class of 2026 is on the move! 

Scholarship amounts reported by students so far total more than $2.5M. These supportive awards were earned through academic, artistic, and athletic merit from colleges and universities; through the local A+ Schools program; from the Joplin Schools Foundation and Joplin Schools; and from many private donors who are passionate about sending our graduates out into the world with a hand-up to reach their goals.

Congratulations to these seniors! 

Whether you've been in Joplin Schools since kindergarten or you joined us along your elementary/secondary journey, we are incredibly proud of your accomplishments. We can't wait to see you walk across the stage this weekend!

Joplin Police seeking information on May 16, 2022 murder of Kenneth Matthews

(From the Joplin Police Department)

Today marks the fourth anniversary of the murder of Kenneth Jay Mathews. 

At 6:06 PM on May 16, 2022, Mr. Mathews was shot multiple times as he and a friend were walking in the 400 block of South Connor Avenue. He was a father, brother, and uncle, and a dear friend to many. 

Over the past four years, investigators have followed up on over 60 leads and interviewed nearly as many people in an attempt to identify and charge the suspect(s) in this case. 

While we have received several helpful tips from the community, we are still seeking information. If you have information regarding this case, please contact Detective Sergeant Jason Stump at (417) 623-3131 ext. 1620.

2022 Turner Report coverage of murder

Stotts City mayor announces initiatives to improve public trust

(From Stotts City Mayor Tracy Knight_

Mayor Tracy Knight today announced a series of transparency, accountability, and public engagement initiatives designed to address concerns identified in the recently released audit by the Missouri State Auditor’s Office and to strengthen public trust in city government.

Since taking office, Mayor Knight has prioritized improving public access to information, enhancing financial oversight, and increasing communication between city leadership and residents.

“As Mayor, I believe the residents of Stotts City deserve a government that is transparent, accountable, and accessible,” said Mayor Tracy Knight. “The recent audit identified areas where improvements are needed, and this administration is committed to taking meaningful action to address those concerns while building a stronger foundation for the future of our community.”

Transparency & Accountability Initiatives

The Mayor’s Office announced several immediate and ongoing initiatives, including:Establishment of standing administrative review processes for:

Sunshine Law requests and public records compliance

Financial reporting and documentation procedures

Monthly financial review and oversight practices

Meeting documentation and public accessibility standards

Development of enhanced public communication systems, including:

Expanded use of official city communication channels

Increased publication of public information and records when legally permissible

Implementation efforts to livestream City Council meetings to improve public access and community participation for residents unable to attend in person.

Continued review of internal administrative and operational procedures identified during the audit process to ensure compliance with applicable Missouri laws, financial reporting standards, and best practices for municipal governance.

Mayor’s Advisory Committee Meeting

Mayor Knight also announced that the newly established Mayor’s Advisory Committee will hold a public meeting on:

Monday, May 18, 2026
6:00 PM
First Baptist Church
Stotts City, Missouri

The meeting is intended to encourage community collaboration, gather resident input, and discuss constructive ideas related to city operations, transparency, infrastructure, and long-term community improvement efforts.

Community members are encouraged to attend and participate in the discussion.

Commitment to Public Trust

Mayor Knight emphasized that transparency and accountability will remain central priorities of the administration moving forward.

“Our goal is not simply to respond to the audit, but to create lasting systems that improve communication, strengthen oversight, and restore confidence in local government,” Knight said. “This administration is committed to moving Stotts City forward with professionalism, integrity, and openness.”

For additional information, residents are encouraged to follow the official City communication platforms and attend upcoming public meetings.

Missouri legislature ends 2026 session marked by GOP wins, fewer meltdowns

By Jason Hancock

Missouri Independent

The Missouri General Assembly adjourned Friday without the factional warfare and late-session meltdowns that have come to define the Capitol in recent years, ending a 2026 session marked less by dysfunction than by a return to legislative basics.

(Photo- State Rep. Brandon Phelps, a Republican from Warrensburg, smiles as the Missouri House tosses bills into the air at the adjournment of session Friday- Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).

Republicans used their supermajorities to advance major pieces of Gov. Mike Kehoe’s agenda, including a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at expanding the sales tax to replace the income tax, a ban on intoxicating hemp products, a wide-ranging public safety package and new abortion legislation. Lawmakers also approved a $50.7 billion state budget and a health care bill expanding maternal care, contraception access and telehealth.

But the session’s defining feature may have been that the legislature mostly functioned.

“I think we can agree that this session was productive and resulted in monumental wins for many Missourians,” Kehoe told reporters Thursday. “While we may not always agree on every issue, I believe Missourians are best served when leaders show up, work hard and stay focused on results. This year, the General Assembly did exactly that.”

Even Democrats who opposed much of the Republican agenda acknowledged the legislature — and especially the Senate — operated more smoothly than it has in recent years.

“There’s a duality to it,” said state Sen. Stephen Webber, a Columbia Democrat. “I think we collaborated pretty well. I think it was more bipartisan than most people could probably imagine. But I’m also frustrated that there’s a lot of important things that could have been passed that weren’t.”

House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat, also pointed to bipartisan successes, including bills targeting sex trafficking, expanding benefits for veterans and allowing pregnant women to finalize divorces.

“I think it was fair to say that we had some good bipartisan successes this year,” Aune said.

But she said those successes were overshadowed by Republicans’ failure to pass broad affordability measures, especially property tax relief.

“This session has got to be considered a failure because of majority Republicans’ refusal to do anything to make life more affordable for Missouri families,” Aune said.

The relative calm marked a sharp departure from the tone surrounding recent sessions.

In 2023, the Missouri Senate collapsed into gridlock on the final day, derailing priorities amid Republican infighting. In 2024, a 41-hour filibuster by the Senate’s Freedom Caucus helped define another turbulent year. In 2025, Senate Republicans used a rarely invoked procedural move to cut off Democratic filibusters and pass measures rolling back voter-approved abortion rights and paid sick leave protections.

The 2026 session began with similar expectations of conflict. Instead, lawmakers got through the budget on time and gave Kehoe victories on taxes, public safety, abortion and hemp regulation. In fact, the legislature passed more policy bills this session than the last two combined.

But the final days were not without some drama.

Republican state Sens. Mike Moon of Ash Grove and Joe Nicola of Grain Valley used the filibuster to occasionally slow the chamber Thursday and Friday, upset at bills they believe violate a constitutional prohibition on including multiple subjects.

Moon was also frustrated that his proposal to enshrine fetal personhood in the Missouri Constitution never gained traction in the GOP-dominated Senate.

“I’m looking at it primarily from the moral aspect,” Moon said. “If we truly value lives, we should want to protect each and every one of them.”

Across the rotunda in the House, a wide-ranging education bill was scuttled in a committee Friday after its chairman, Republican state Rep. Jim Murphy of St. Louis County, was asked to kill it by the archbishop of St. Louis.

The reason for the archbishop’s opposition was a bipartisan provision in the bill stripping oversight of the state’s voucher program from State Treasurer Vivek Malek.

What passed

The centerpiece of the GOP agenda was a plan to ask voters to give lawmakers new authority to expand sales and use taxes in order to phase out the income tax. The proposal was the top priority for Kehoe and Republican leaders, who argued Missouri needs to join states that have moved away from taxing income.

“Missouri has an opportunity to join a growing number of states that have eliminated the state income tax,” said Senate Majority Leader Tony Luetkemeyer, a Parkville Republican.

Kehoe called the proposal “a transformational moment for our state.”

“It’s about more than just taxes,” he said. “It’s about growth. It’s really about competitiveness, and it’s about sending a message across the country that Missouri will compete and Missouri will win.”

Democrats argued the plan would shift costs onto working families, seniors and low-income Missourians by relying more heavily on consumption taxes. A lawsuit filed in Cole County after lawmakers approved the proposal argues it should be knocked off the ballot or have its summary rewritten because it bundles too many subjects together and uses misleading language.

The only legislation lawmakers must pass each year is the state budget. This year, that job came with tighter margins than lawmakers have grown accustomed to after several years of large surpluses.

Lawmakers approved a $50.7 billion spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1, trimming roughly $300 million from Kehoe’s general revenue proposal while using about $2.3 billion from accumulated surpluses. That leaves approximately $500 million available to help balance the budget when a new General Assembly convenes next year.

“This is a fiscally responsible budget for fiscal year 2027,” said House Budget Committee Chairman Dirk Deaton, a Seneca Republican who cannot return next year because of term limits. “Fiscal years 2028, 2029 as you go forward, those are going to have to be looked at individually, and they might have to make different decisions.”

Luetkemeyer pointed to the budget as evidence lawmakers were able to make hard choices despite diminished flexibility.

“Despite a tighter budget than last year, we still restored $79 million in disability services, $15 million in pregnancy resource centers and prohibited DEI funding in higher education,” he said.

Public safety was another area where Republicans claimed major victories.

Kehoe signed legislation he said would help “stop the revolving door of violent offenders,” strengthen sentence transparency and give the criminal justice system “the tools needed to keep dangerous individuals off of our community streets.”

Luetkemeyer said the public safety bill was focused on “protecting children, holding violent criminals accountable and reducing an early release for dangerous offenders.”

The package included a ban on nonconsensual distribution of intimate digital depictions, provisions allowing lifetime protection orders for victims of some felonies, a prohibition on cyberstalking and procedures for involuntary outpatient treatment of people with severe mental illness. Earlier in the session, Kehoe signed legislation aimed at cracking down on sex trafficking and helping law enforcement and first responders identify and prevent the crime.

Republicans also passed the “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act,” their signature abortion bill of the year. The legislation requires medical care for babies born alive after attempted abortions and creates criminal penalties for violations. Kehoe called it “another testament to Missouri’s pro-life values.”

Other measures drew broader support, including legislation clarifying that pregnancy cannot prevent a divorce from being finalized. Kehoe signed that bill in April, saying he was proud to ensure “pregnancy is never a barrier to prevent a woman from seeking a divorce in unsafe situations.”

The legislature also sent Kehoe a health care bill expanding women’s and maternal health coverage, increasing access to telehealth, allowing women with private insurance to obtain a yearlong supply of contraceptives and requiring licensed child care facilities to maintain allergy treatment policies.

Lawmakers also banned intoxicating hemp products, including THC seltzers and hemp-derived edibles that have proliferated in gas stations, liquor stores and smoke shops. The ban takes effect Nov. 12 and aligns state law with federal restrictions.

What failed

Property tax relief was one of the legislature’s clearest failures.

After both chambers spent the interim studying the issue, the House and Senate each passed bills requiring separate tax rates for different classes of property — residential, commercial, agricultural, personal and infrastructure — to avoid burden-shifting when one type of property rose in value faster than others.

But the chambers could not reconcile their differences. A final push to salvage pieces of the plan, including provisions allowing the minimum school levy to be reduced, failed near the end of session.

For Aune, the collapse of property tax legislation was one of the clearest examples of a session that functioned better than in recent years but failed to address what Democrats considered the most urgent issue facing families.

“On the first day of session, House Democrats said that the absolute top priority for this year must be providing much-needed relief to families struggling to keep up with the ever-rising prices of everything,” Aune said. “But Democrats don’t set the agenda.”

Aune said few constituents were asking lawmakers to eliminate the income tax or raise sales taxes. What they wanted, she said, was property tax relief.

“Republicans have supermajorities in both chambers,” Aune said. “If something doesn’t pass, it’s because they don’t want that to pass.”

Webber criticized House Republicans for blocking legislation that would have expanded arbitration rights for first responders, arguing lawmakers missed a chance to help police, firefighters and other emergency personnel negotiate over pay, benefits and workplace safety.

Efforts to restore Missouri’s presidential primary also collapsed. Missouri last held a presidential primary in 2020, and attempts this year to revive it were stripped out of a larger elections bill. A stand-alone version passed the House and cleared a Senate committee, but never reached the Senate floor.

Video lottery terminals met a similar fate. A proposal to legalize the machines — and create a new revenue stream for the state — died in a Senate committee with roughly two weeks left in session. The defeat came as Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has stepped up enforcement against unregulated machines already operating in gas stations and other retail locations.

Other priorities that failed included Medicaid work requirements, new artificial intelligence regulations and a proposal to grade public schools on an A-to-F scale.

For Kehoe, the session was evidence that the Capitol can still deliver.

“The session was about making Missouri safer, stronger and more competitive and more accountable to the people we serve,” he said. “It was about keeping our promises and laying a foundation for growth.”

The Independent’s Rudi Keller contributed to this story.

Three restaurants fail Joplin Health Department inspections

Three restaurants failed Joplin Health Department inspections this week, according to information posted on the department website. 

Mac's Stop, 703 W. 7th Street, Granny Shaffer's, 2728 N. Range Line Road, and Club 1201, 1201 E. 32nd Street failed their inspections, while 14 establishments received passing scores, including Granny Shaffer's Banquet Room.

Mac's Stop

Mac's Stop received priority violations for having raw shell eggs stored above less hazardous food in the fresh food cooler and for flies proliferating in the drain in the cabinet below the tea station.

Core violations were recorded for debris buildup on soda fountain surfaces behind the nozzles, debris accumulating on top of the ice machine and for having damaged cabinet trim and doors.

Granny Shaffer's

Granny Shaffer's received two priority violations and 10 core violations.

The priority violations were for having excessive ice accumulation on tater tots packaging in the walk-in freezer and for having a salad bag with a missing date marker.

Core violations were received for the following:

-Wiping cloth solution showed over 200 ppm and bleached the strip

-A container of raw meat was stored uncovered.

-The outdoor walk-in cooler and an upright freezer had ice accumulation.

-Door gasket seals on freezers were damaged.

-Food contact surfaces on plastic food storage bins were cracked and couldn't be properly cleaned or sanitized.

-Food contact surfaces of cutting boards were excessively scored and pose a risk of insufficient cleaning.

-Spoons in the service area were stored incorrectly.

-Knives used in food preparation were stored in the prep table cooler causing risk of contamination.

-The kitchen had chipped and damaged floor tiles.

-The vent covers in the kitchen had an accumulation of dust.

Club 1201

Club 1201 had two priority violations and eight core violations.

Priority violations were noted for having juice in the bar drop-in cooler being cold held above 41 degrees and food had improper or missing date markers.

The following core violations were reported:

-Food boxes were stored on the floor in the cooler and freezer.

-A wiping cloth was on the bar preparation area.

-The walk-in freezer had excessive condensation freezing.

-Gasket seals on the walk-in freezer were in disrepair.

-Wire racks had an accumulation of debris.

-The oven had an accumulation of food debris.

-The wall by the sink in the dishwashing department had openings.

-The floor tile in the kitchen was in disrepair.

***

The following establishments passed their inspections:

Target Starbucks, 3151 E. 7th Street

El Paisa Mexican Market, 2016 S. Main Street

Dude's Daylight Donuts, 2613 S. Main Street

Cramer's Range Line Meat Company, 1032 S. Range Line Road

McDonald's, 1123 S. Range Line Road

Walmart Supercenter Bakery/Deli, 2623 W. 7th Street

Granny Shaffer's Banquet, 2728 N. Range Line Road

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, 4010 S. Richard Joseph Boulevard

Taqueria La Heradura, 2330 S. Range Line Road (re-inspection)

Orient Express Delivery, 215 E. 20th Street

Aldi Food Market, 3205 E. 20th Street

CiCi's Pizza, 1602 S. Range Line Road

Independent Living Center Food Pantry, 2639 E. 34th Street

Hardee's, 4013 S. 43 Highway

Probable cause: Mercy athletic trainer sexually abused second Carthage High School student

 A Mercy athletic trainer who was charged a week ago with two felony counts of sexual contact with a student faces charges in connection with a second Carthage High School student.

The Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney filed two more felony counts against Ryan Keith Palmer, 53, Carthage- first-degree sexual abuse and sex with a student.

From the probable cause statement:

On May 6, 2026, the Carthage Police Department conducted an investigation into Ryan Palmer, an athletic trainer assigned to the Carthage R-9 School District. Palmer was employed through Mercy Health, an entity contracted to provide athletic training services to the school district.

After Palmer's initial arrest, Carthage detectives received information regarding additional possible victims. On May 10, 2026, detectives initiated a subsequent investigation and learned of Juvenile Victim 1, a student at Carthage High School who was under the age of 18.

During a forensic interview, the Juvenile Victim disclosed that Palmer removed her from class under the pretense of providing treatment for a reported back injury and took her to the training room, where she was alone with him.

Juvenile Victim 1 stated Palmer then touched her thighs, placed his hand underneath her shorts, and touched her private area/vagina.

Based on the disclosure, the touching described by the Juvenile Victim was not consistent with legitimate or necessary medical treatment that she had previously received or needed to receive, and the circumstances support that the contact was for Palmer's sexual gratification.

The probable cause statement also indicates that more charges may be coming against Palmer.

The defendant Ryan Palmer poses a substantial other person based on the nature and circumstances of the offenses. The defendant Ryan Palmer poses a substantial and ongoing danger to the community, particularly to juvenile students. 

The investigation has developed evidence of a prior victim as well as additional potential victims, demonstrating an apparent pattern of conduct rather than an isolated event. Palmer used his employment-related access to student-athletes to isolate a juvenile victim in a private school training room under the pretense of treatment, and the victim disclosed sexual contact that was not legitimate
or necessary medical care. 

Based on the nature of the offense, the defendant's position of trust, his access to minors, and the existence of multiple victims or potential victims. The defendant is currently being held on a $50,000 cash-only bond in Jasper County in reference to case number 26AO-CR00258.

Jasper County Circuit Court online records indicate Palmer also has a $50,000 bond on the latest case.

The case was investigated by the Carthage Police Department.

Information about the original charge against Palmer can be found at the link below.

 

Mercy Athletic trainer pleads not guilty to sex charge involving Carthage High School student

Lawsuit challenges Missouri ballot plan to phase out income tax, expand sales tax

By Jason Hancock

Missouri Independent

A lawsuit filed Wednesday seeks to knock a proposed constitutional amendment off Missouri’s 2026 ballot that would give lawmakers new power to expand sales taxes to eliminate the income tax, arguing legislators bundled too many subjects into one proposal and wrote misleading ballot language.

The lawsuit, filed in Cole County Circuit Court by attorney Chuck Hatfield on behalf of a Missouri resident, challenges a proposed ballot question that would ask voters to amend the Missouri Constitution to begin phasing out the state individual income tax.

The measure, approved by the legislature last month, is expected to appear on the November ballot unless Gov. Mike Kehoe moves it to another election. Kehoe has made eliminating the income tax one of his top priorities, arguing it would make Missouri more competitive with states that do not tax individual income.

But the lawsuit argues the proposal is constitutionally defective and should be blocked from any ballot. In the alternative, it asks the court to rewrite the summary statement voters would see.

The lawsuits central legal argument is that the proposal violates constitutional limits on ballot measures by including more than one subject and effectively amending multiple articles of the Missouri Constitution.

“This is precisely the logrolling harm the multi-article rule was designed to prevent,” the lawsuit argues, contending voters who support eliminating the income tax could be forced to also accept provisions they oppose, such as expanding the sales tax or changing how road funds and local taxes are handled.

The lawsuit also argues the proposal would improperly expand the constitutional role of the state auditor by requiring the office to calculate reduced tax rates triggered by the amendment. The petition contends that duty is not related to auditing the receipt or expenditure of public funds, which the Missouri Constitution says is the limit of the auditor’s authority.

Instead, the lawsuit argues, the amendment would give the auditor a new rate-setting or revenue-modeling role, including authority to calculate changes affecting tax rates set elsewhere in the constitution.

A spokesperson for Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who was among the named respondents in the lawsuit, did not respond to a request for comment.

If passed, the proposal would direct lawmakers to set a revenue baseline and triggers for phased-in reductions in the top tax rate. It also allows five years for the legislature to write a new sales tax law, which must be directly tied to cuts in the top income tax rate in a manner supporters hope will not increase or decrease revenue.

Currently Missouri has an income tax with a top rate of 4.7% for taxable incomes greater than about $9,200 a year. The sales tax is 3% for general revenue, but earmarked state taxes and local options stack on top of that, creating a rate that is 7% to 8% in most locations and can be as much as 12% in some special districts.

The sales tax applies to physical goods and excludes services. The Missouri Constitution prohibits lawmakers from applying the sales tax to real estate transfers and any goods or services not currently taxed, but those provisions would not apply to any sales tax plan passed as a result of the constitutional amendment.

Missouri gets about 65% of its state revenue from income tax, about 22% from sales tax and the rest from other sources including a corporate income tax. To replace the revenue from the income tax without expanding coverage of the sales tax would increase the tax rate by as much as 8.5%.

State law exempts residential utility costs, prescription drugs and groceries from all or a portion of the current sales tax. There are also dozens of other sales tax exemptions, mainly tied to business operations as an economic development tool.

The lawsuit also challenges the ballot summary approved by lawmakers.

The summary asks voters whether the Missouri Constitution should be amended to “phase-out the individual income tax based on revenue growth,” “reduce personal property and other local taxes when local revenues increase,” “modify the sales and use tax to eliminate income tax and reduce local taxes” and “protect local funding for public schools and other purposes.”

The lawsuit argues that language is unfair and insufficient because it does not tell voters that the amendment would allow lawmakers to tax services now protected from sales taxes, would temporarily exempt certain tax increases from constitutional limits on new annual revenue and would permanently bar lawmakers from reimposing an individual income tax once it is eliminated.

The lawsuit takes particular aim at the word “modify,” arguing it fails to convey the breadth of the sales-tax authority voters would be granting lawmakers.

“A voter reading ‘modify the sales and use tax’ would not be apprised that the resolution authorizes the state to begin taxing services such as haircuts, legal fees, home repairs, medical services, accounting, and any other service currently exempt from sales tax,” the lawsuit states.

It also argues the phrase “protect local funding for public schools and other purposes” is argumentative because the word “protect” encourages support for the measure rather than neutrally describing what it does.

“If the people are allowed to have a fair vote, they’ll vote this amendment down,” Hatfield said in an interview Wednesday. “But the ballot summary the legislature wants to show them is just not fair or accurate.”

The governor called on lawmakers in January to place an income-tax phaseout on the ballot, saying voter approval would allow lawmakers to act next session.

Supporters of the amendment have argued that eliminating the income tax would help Missouri attract residents, jobs and investment. During debate over the proposal, Republicans framed it as a long-term economic growth strategy and a way to let Missourians keep more of what they earn.

Opponents have argued the plan would shift the tax burden toward sales taxes, raising costs for people who spend a larger share of their income on taxable goods and services. They have also warned that the ballot language does not make clear that voters would be authorizing a broader sales tax in order to replace revenue from the income tax.

The lawsuit asks the court to permanently block Hoskins from placing the measure on any ballot. If the court declines to do that, it asks for a new summary statement that “fairly and accurately conveys the central purpose and probable effects” of the amendment.

Agenda posted for Joplin City Council meeting

 JOPLIN CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING AGENDA
MONDAY, MAY 18, 2026
5th FLOOR COUNCIL CHAMBERS
602 S. MAIN ST. JOPLIN MO
6:00 P.M.

1.

Call To Order

Invocation
Pledge of Allegiance of the United States of America

2.

Roll Call

3.

Presentations

1.

Historic Preservation Month Proclamation

2.

National Public Works Week Proclamation 

3.

Semi-Annual Insurance Update By Segal

Documents:

1. CITY OF JOPLIN - 2026 BUDGET TO ACTUAL AND HDHP PLAN PRESENTATION 5.18.26.PDF

4.

FY 2025 Audit Presentation 

4.

Finalization Of Consent Agenda

5.

Reports And Communications

1.

News From The Public Information Officer 

6.

Citizen Requests And Petitions

1.

Maurice Filson 

2.

Frank Thompson 

3.

Chris Stockton

4.

Amanda Bearden 

7.

Public Hearings

8.

Consent Agenda

1.

Minutes Of The May 4, 2026, Joplin City Council Meeting 

Documents:

1. MAY 4, 2026 MINUTES.PDF

2.

COUNCIL BILL NO. 2026-006

AN ORDINANCE repealing and replacing the Joplin City Code, Chapter 114 - Traffic, Article III - Operation of Vehicles; Division 1. - Generally; Section 114-171 - Driving while intoxicated; driving with unlawful blood alcohol content, and repealing Section 114-172 - Driving while under the influence of drugs; and establishing a time for such ordinance to become effective.   

Documents:

1. CB2026-006.PDF

3.

COUNCIL BILL NO. 2026-266

AN ORDINANCE amending Ordinance No. 2022-119, passed by the Council of the City of Joplin, Missouri, August 1, 2022, by removing from District M-2 (Heavy Industrial) and District C-1 (Neighborhood Commercial) and include in District C-3 (Commercial) property as described below and generally known as 730 N Schifferdecker Ave, Jasper County, Missouri.

Documents:

1. CB2026-266.PDF

4.

COUNCIL BILL NO. 2026-268

AN ORDINANCE providing to vacate right-of-way for property known as Old McIntosh Cir., lying near property described as 3201 McIntosh Cir., City of Joplin, Newton County, Missouri.

Documents:

1. CB2026-268.PDF

5.

COUNCIL BILL NO. 2026-609

 AN ORDINANCE approving the applications of Tuff Bull Productions and Bright Futures/Safe and Sound Schools for utilization of FY2026 Festivals and Celebrations support pursuant to Ordinance No. 2000-148, as authorized by the voters on November 7, 2000; authorizing the City Manager to execute appropriate agreements with each such organization for the utilization of such funds.

Documents:

1. CB2026-609.PDF

9.

Resolutions

10.

Ordinances - Expedited

1.

COUNCIL BILL NO. 2026-511

AN ORDINANCE approving the Second Amendment to the 1717 Market Place Tax Increment Financing Plan; and containing an expedited clause. 

Documents:

1. CB 2026-511 SUMMARY 1717 MARKETPLACE SECOND AMENDMENT TO TIF PLAN.PDF
2. CB 2026-511 ORDINANCE APPROVING SECOND AMENDMENT TO 1717 MARKET PLACE TIF PLAN.PDF
3. CB 2026-511 EXHIBIT A 1717 MARKETPLACE SECOND AMENDMENT TO TIF PLAN.PDF

11.

Ordinances - First Reading

1.

COUNCIL BILL NO 2026-128

AN ORDINANCE approving the execution of an Occupancy License Agreement between Missouri & Northern Arkansas Railroad Company Inc. (MNA) and the City of Joplin, as it pertains to construction of an underground sanitary sewer pipeline crossing related to the 7th Street Sanitary Sewer Relocation Project across railroad right-of-way; establishing certain obligations for the continuation of the occupancy, including payment of an annual fee of Nine Hundred Sixty and 00/100 Dollars ($960.00); and authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute the same by and on behalf of the City of Joplin; and, setting a date when this Ordinance shall become effective. 

Documents:

1. CB2026-128 OCCUPANCY LICENSE AGMT 7TH ST SAN SWR RELO (MNA RR) SUMMARY.PDF
2. CB2026-128 OCCUPANCY LICENSE AGMT 7TH ST SAN SWR RELO (MNA RR) ORDINANCE (1).PDF
3. CB2026-128 OCCUPANCY LICENSE AGMT 7TH ST SAN SWR RELO (MNA RR) AGREEMENT.PDF
4. CB2026-128 OCCUPANCY LICENSE AGMT 7TH ST SAN SWR RELO (MNA RR) EXHIBIT MAP (1).PDF

2.

COUNCIL BILL NO. 2026-261

AN ORDINANCE amending the Joplin Development Code, Ordinance No. 2022-119, passed by the Council of the City of Joplin, Missouri, August 1, 2022, being Appendix 29-A of the Joplin Municipal Code.

Documents:

1. 261SUMMARY.PDF
2. 010-26REPORT.PDF
3. 010MINUTES.PDF
4. 010-26APP.PDF
5. 261SLIDESHOW.PDF
6. CB2026-261.PDF

3.

COUNCIL BILL NO. 2026-611

AN ORDINANCE authorizing the City of Joplin to enter into an agreement with The Interlocal Purchasing System (TIPS) for the purchase of a 2019 Freightliner M2 4x4 Diesel Terex Hi-Ranger Aerial Device Bucket Truck through IEG Infrastructure Equipment Group for the not to exceed price of One Hundred Fifty-One Thousand Seven Hundred Seventy-Four Dollars and Fifty-Nine Cents ($151,774.59) and authorizing the City Manager to execute the same by and on behalf of the City of Joplin.

Documents:

1. SUMMARY FOR COUNCIL BILL NO. 2026-611 2019 FREIGHTLINER TEREX HI-RANGER AERIAL BUCKET TRUCK.PDF
2. EXHIBIT A - 2019 FREIGHTLINER M2 4X4 TEREX TC55-MH 25110 BUCKET TRUCK INVENTORY SPEC..PDF
3. EXHIBIT A CONTINUED - FREIGHTLINER TEREX SPECS..PDF
4. EXHIBIT B -TIPS AWARDED VENDOR CONTRACT WITH IEG.PDF
5. EXHIBIT C - IEG FINAL PURCHASE PRICE FOR 2019 FREIGHTLINER M2 4X4 TEREX TC55-MH 25110.PDF
6. COUNCIL BILL NO. 2026-611 PURCHASE OF 2019 FREIGHTLINER M2 4X4 DIESEL TEREX HI-RANGER AERIAL DEVICE BUCKET TRUCK.PDF

4.

COUNCIL BILL NO. 2026-612 

AN ORDINANCE authorizing the City of Joplin to enter into an agreement with Weatherproofing Technologies Inc. for the Roof Restoration and Repairs of the Joplin History and Mineral Museum through the Omnia Partners Cooperative in the amount of One Hundred Twenty-One Thousand Three Hundred Forty-Eight Dollars and Forty Cents ($121,348.40) and authorizing the City Manager to execute the same by and on behalf of the City of Joplin; and, setting a date when this Ordinance shall become effective.

Documents:

1. SUMMARY COUNCIL BILL NO. 2026-612 - ROOF RESTORATION AND REPAIRS JOPLIN HISTORY AND MINERAL MUSEUM.PDF
2. EXHIBIT A - WEATHERPROOFING TECHNOLOGIES INC. ROOF RESTORATION AND REPAIRS JOPLIN HISTORY AND MINERAL MUSEUM PROPOSAL.PDF
3. EXHIBIT B - WEATHERPROOFING TECHNOLOGIES INC. ROOF RESTORATION AND REPAIRS JOPLIN HISTORY AND MINERAL MUSEUM AGREEMENT.PDF
4. COUNCIL BILL NO. 2026-612 ROOF RESTORATION AND REPAIRS JOPLIN HISTORY AND MINERAL MUSEUM.PDF

12.

Ordinances - Second Reading And Third Reading

13.

Unfinished Business

14.

New Business

Webb City R-7 Board accepts 3 teacher resignations, hires 4 teachers

During its meeting this week, the Webb City R-7 Board of Education accepted resignations from three teachers and hired four teachers.

Teachers who submitted resignations were:

Carmi Hinman, first grade, Webster Primary Center

Dawn Cullmber, seventh grade science, junior high

Joseph Decker, physical education teacher, junior high.

Teachers hired were:

Roger Doman, sixth grade, middle school

Ella Gardner, sixth grade, middle school 

Jacobi Adelizzi, math, junior high

Lucas Hatfield, science, junior high