State of emergency to be declared in Joplin tonight, gatherings of 50 or more to be prohibited

The Joplin City Council will discuss an emergency resolution and ordinance prohibiting any public gatherings of 50 or more people when it meets during a special session 6 p.m. today at City Hall.

The ordinance reads as follows:

EMERGENCY GOVERNMENT PROCLAMATION OF STATE OF EMERGENCY IN CITY OF JOPLIN, STATE OF MISSOURI

WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, national and state emergencies were declared following the classification of COVID-19 as a pandemic, and; 

WHEREAS, the City of Joplin, Missouri, has or shortly will encounter exposure to COVID-19, which is a threat to the lives and property of the people of Joplin, Missouri, and; 









WHEREAS, it is appropriate and necessary to take action to reduce exposure to and the spread of COVID-19; NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gary L. Shaw, Mayor of Joplin, Missouri, pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Statutes of the State of Missouri and the Charter and Code of Ordinances of the City of Joplin, Missouri, hereby declare that a state of emergency exists in Joplin, Missouri, and I hereby invoke and declare in full force and effect in Joplin, Missouri, all laws of the State of Missouri, Counties of Jasper and Newton, and City of Joplin, including but not limited to any and all applicable emergency operations and disaster control plans, for the exercise of all necessary emergency authority for the protection of the lives and property of the people of Joplin, Missouri, and the restoration and continuance of local government with a minimum of interruption. 

Pursuant to Chapter 44 of the Revised Statutes of the State of Missouri, and other applicable law it is hereby ordered that: 

All public offices and employees of Joplin, Missouri are directed to exercise the utmost diligence in discharge of duties required of them for the duration of the emergency and in the execution of emergency laws, regulations, and directives, state and local.

The City Manager, or his designee, is hereby delegated the authority to direct emergency response efforts related to this event. 

All citizens are called upon and directed to comply with necessary measures, to cooperate fully with public officials and the Joplin-Jasper County Emergency Management Division forces in executing Emergency Operations Plans, and to obey and comply with the lawful directions of properly identified public offices.


COUNCIL BILL NO. 2020-002 

 AN ORDINANCE prohibiting any public gathering of 50 or more persons except for educational institutions, daycare facilities, and business operations in the corporate limits of the City of Joplin during the duration of the Mayor’s Emergency Government Proclamation of State of Emergency in City of Joplin, State of Missouri dated March 18, 2020, or any extension thereof; authorizing the Mayor to issue an order amending which public gatherings are prohibited to protect public health; establishing a penalty for violating the prohibition; and containing an emergency clause. 

WHEREAS, in December 2019, medical professional detected a novel coronavirus, now designated as “SARS-CoV-2,” which causes a disease known as “coronavirus disease 2019,” abbreviated and popularly known as “COVID-19”; and 

WHEREAS, on January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization Director General declared an outbreak of COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, advising countries to prepare for containment, detection, isolation and case management, contact tracing and prevention of onward spread of the disease; and 

WHEREAS, on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization Director General characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic; and 

WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, the President of the United States declared the COVID19 outbreak a national emergency; and 









WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, the Governor of the State of Missouri declared the COVID-19 outbreak a state emergency; and 

WHEREAS, COVID-19 is spread person to person through direct or close proximate contact and presents an imminent threat of widespread illness; and NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF JOPLIN, MISSOURI, as follows: 

Section 1. A “public gathering” for purposes of this Ordinance shall be defined as a planned or spontaneous event with a number of people in attendance that could facilitate the spread of a communicable disease. 

Section 2. City Council hereby prohibits any public gathering of 50 or more persons except for educational institutions, daycare facilities, and business operations in the corporate limits of the City of Joplin during the duration of the Mayor’s proclamation of civil emergency dated March 18, 2020, or any extension thereof. 

Section 3. During the duration of the Mayor’s proclamation of civil emergency dated March 18, 2020, or any extension thereof, City Council hereby authorizes the Mayor, after consultation with appropriate city, county, and state officials as determined within his discretion, to issue an order amending which public gatherings are prohibited, either in number or in type, if in his judgment the prohibition should be amended to protect public health. 

Section 4. No person shall fail, neglect, or refuse to comply with, or in any manner aid, assist, encourage, or countenance the commission or perpetration of a violation of this prohibition in this Ordinance or any subsequent order regarding public gatherings issued by the Mayor during the time said proclamation of civil emergency, or any extension thereof, shall be in effect. Any person who shall violate this provision shall, upon conviction, be punished as provided by Joplin City Code Section 1-5. 

Section 5. That the City hereby declares that this Ordinance, being an Ordinance relating to the immediate preservation of the public peace, property, health, safety or morals, is considered an emergency within the meaning of Section 2.12(1) of the Home Rule Charter of the City of Joplin, Missouri, and, as such, this Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon its passage. Specifically, large public gatherings will facilitate the spread of a communicable disease, COVID19.

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