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Public works reports airport, sewer, transit and recycling progress; elevator contract expected next meeting
Summary
Public works staff reported that airport ARFF operations moved into a new facility, passenger boarding bridges are under construction, sewer and wastewater projects are progressing, transit ridership has rebounded and recycling events continue; staff said an elevator modernization contract may come to the council at its next meeting.
Dan Johnson, the city’s public works presenter at the April 6 informal Joplin City Council meeting, provided a multi-topic update covering airport operations, street repairs, sewer maintenance, wastewater plant projects, transit ridership and recycling outreach.
Johnson said snow-removal and fire-rescue maintenance operations at Joplin Regional Airport have transitioned to the ARFF building and that passenger boarding bridges are under construction with contract completion anticipated in December. He briefed the council on street and stormwater work, noting a culvert replacement on the 500 block of High Street is awaiting delivery to complete repairs.
On equipment and winter response, Johnson said the department added a lowboy truck and trailer, replaced two medium dump trucks and added a 10-wheel dump truck with anti-ice capability. He reported that during a recent snow event the department used approximately 16,000 gallons of anti-ice, 55 tons of salt and logged about 3,300 miles on street sweepers.
Johnson reported 55 trouble calls for sanitary sewer maintenance this fiscal year and a high volume of locates (the transcript lists roughly 6,600–6,645 locates for sewer and stormwater), and said the department added a locator position to help manage that work. He described new tools including a camera truck and an easement machine that improves access for the jetter truck to backyard sewer lines.
Regarding wastewater facilities, Johnson said Shoal Creek’s east thickener was rehabilitated and Turkey Creek is nearing completion of replacement of filter media in four trickling filter towers; three operators earned D wastewater licenses. He reported the plants have treated "a little over 5,000,000,000 gallons" (as stated in the meeting) and said the department added a biosolids program supervisor position to oversee hauling, land application and documentation to meet Department of Natural Resources requirements.
Johnson said ARPA-funded projects at the Justice Center are complete with closeout documents prepared, City Hall elevators were completed and a 200-ton multi-stack chiller was installed; he added that elevator modernization at the Justice Center is scheduled for summer/fall and that staff may bring a contract to the council at the next meeting.
On transit, Johnson reported that after the trolley relaunch the system has provided more than 38,000 rides to date and is on track to exceed pre-shutdown service numbers; new transit software has improved mapping and operational efficiency. On solid waste, he said monthly recycling averages about 44 tons, the annual shred event was well attended, and last year’s tire drop-off collected over 1,400 tires and roughly 6,000 pounds of steel rims. Johnson also said the city’s recycling education and outreach campaign (REO) — including commercials and billboards — will continue through May 2027.
The mayor thanked Johnson. The informal meeting adjourned and the council planned to reconvene for its formal meeting 20 minutes later. No votes or motions related to these updates were recorded in the informal session.
