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Baker Tilly recommends crew leads, mobile field tech and APWA-aligned policies in public works review
Summary
A Baker Tilly operational assessment recommended Joplin's public works document standard operating procedures, pursue APWA accreditation, implement Central Square asset management, deploy mobile devices for crews and create new positions (crew leads, management analyst, GIS specialist) to address workflow, succession and data needs.
JOPLIN CITY — Consultants from Baker Tilly presented an operational assessment of Joplin's public works department on July 14, recommending a mix of staffing, process and technology changes meant to strengthen long-term capacity and resilience.
Caitlin and Isaac, the Baker Tilly consultants, said the review focused on strategy, people, process and technology. Key recommendations included documenting standard operating procedures to support APWA (American Public Works Association) accreditation, implementing the Central Square enterprise asset management system already underway, equipping field crews with mobile devices to reduce duplicative data entry, and creating new roles: a set of crew-lead positions, a management analyst to steward the asset-management system and data analysis, and a GIS specialist.
Isaac said the peer benchmarking and retirement analysis informed recommendations: their analysis found roughly 50% of the positions in the examined public-works divisions will be eligible to retire by 2030 (an eligibility estimate used for succession planning, not a forecast that all will retire). The consultants recommended producing an implementation plan with short- and long-term steps tied to the Central Square rollout and workforce planning.
Council members pressed for cost estimates and questioned benchmarking data accuracy. The consultants did not provide a detailed cost figure at the session; they said costs and contract amendments would be part of next year's budget conversations. Councilmembers also urged caution on timing given the department's heavy ARPA workload and asked staff to prioritize what can be achieved without overtaxing personnel.
The mayor thanked the consultants and staff for the work. No staffing additions were approved at the meeting; the report will inform future budget and staffing decisions.
Sources: Baker Tilly presentation and Q&A during the Joplin City Council work session, July 14, 2025.
