Mayor Cortez talks last city council session of the year
Though Christmas is approaching quickly, there is still plenty of work to be done for the Joplin City Council. On Monday, Joplin Mayor Keenan Cortez stopped by the Morning Newswatch to talk about that very thing.
The final council meeting of the year takes place at 6 p.m. tonight on the 5th floor of City Hall in the council chambers.
One of the topics of discussion will be Memorial Hall, which may have a future in the city after all. The city council has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU), according to the mayor.
“Friends of Joplin Memorial Hall have come and presented to the council a plan,” Cortez said. “‘Here’s how we can breathe new life into this facility and bring programming back to it.’ We’ve taken a look at it. We’ve decided that, ‘yep, that could probably work. That’s a great idea. Let’s partner up on that public private partnership and let’s try over the next couple of years to breathe new life into this facility and bring it back. We can restore those memorials and we can also offer programming in Joplin Memorial Hall.'”
The MoMentum Bike Park has been open for roughly three weeks, officially since the Monday before Thanksgiving. In that short span, the community has certainly made the most of Joplin’s newest attraction.
“I have been out there when it’s been sub freezing temperatures and it doesn’t seem to bother the people that want to ride their bikes,” Cortez said. “It has been an absolutely great thing for our community. And if you’re a citizen and you want to just have your heart smile, just go out there, sit in your car and watch the kids for a little bit. They are having the time of their life. It’s wonderful. It’s a world-class facility.”
You may not have noticed, but there are quite a few roundabouts in Joplin and the surrounding communities, and more are on the way. Unfortunately, some of the roundabouts could use a little sprucing up, so the City of Joplin is looking into what that would take.
“Wouldn’t it be great this spring to be going up to one of those roundabouts and see all the blooms and blossoms of the springtime in our community?” Cortez said. “So, we’re gonna be taking a look at that. What can we do to beautify our roundabouts around town?”