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Council directs staff to pursue option 1 for facility security upgrades, removes Joe Becker Stadium from current spending list
Summary
City staff presented a facilities security master plan based on CPTED audits, identifying about $1.7 million in priority items while the 2026 capital improvement sales tax includes $400,000; council signaled support for staff's option 1 to use the $400,000 now and phase remaining work and asked staff to remove Joe Becker Stadium from the current maintenance list.
City staff presented a facilities security master plan to the Joplin City Council on Feb. 9, explaining that CPTED (crime prevention through environmental design) audits yielded priority recommendations totaling just over $1.7 million while the city currently has $400,000 budgeted in the 2026 capital improvement sales tax building maintenance project.
The presenter described the plan’s scope and phasing options. "The total cost of the identified priority items... is just over $1,700,000," the presenter said, and staff outlined two funding approaches: option 1 would use this year's $400,000 and phase remaining projects across subsequent years; option 2 would advance some projects now by using general fund reserves. Staff recommended option 1 and advised against using general fund reserves at this point.
Two maintenance items were flagged as immediate needs with cost estimates: the Justice Center elevator (originally installed in 1967) needs modernization (estimated $200,000) and Fire Station 4 requires updated controllers (estimated $100,000). The presenter emphasized the plan also includes nonmonetary items such as employee education and training to improve facility safety.
Council members pressed staff on priorities and scope. One council member asked whether the Justice Center elevator is large enough for wheelchair access; staff confirmed it is. Council members raised concern that Joe Becker Stadium lighting is a large-ticket item and suggested the Parks Department should fund it rather than the building maintenance budget; staff agreed to remove Joe Becker from the list and treat it separately.
Information-technology staff and the chief described camera and license-plate-reader capabilities. Mark said the Justice Building’s analog cameras had been migrated to a Digital Watchdog system and that new servers and many camera upgrades have been installed; the city plans to extend the same system to parks. The police chief said the airport’s license plate reader is standalone at present and does not link into the city's system; linking it would add investigative value but could be budgeted under a different fund or in next year’s budget.
Council members signaled support for option 1, asked that the HR ceiling item remain a near-term priority if it does not make the current year cut, and requested staff pursue the access-control and camera upgrades while finding alternate arrangements for the stadium and airport items. Staff said they would follow the council's direction and begin implementation steps and employee training.
Staff will return with implementation details and budget timing as work is scheduled.
