Joplin City Hall — Local services in Joplin

City Mayor and the counsel are looking at ways residents can pay for police and fire retirements. I guess more taxs. Make the police and fire invest in their own retirement like most people including Federal employee's. The city is increased 2024 sewer rates (5%), 2% higher than the seniors Cola, and others got as an annual increase. Why? The city sewer rate is based on water entering the sewer system using your water (American Water) bill. So you are taxed your water used then added to your sewer bill to charge you again then taxed again, Double tax. You are charged on your sewer bill by the city for water the water you drink, feed your dog, and water your yard. I have lived in 6 different states, and their sewer rates are flat fees. Normally around $15 to $25. I have not lived anywhere, where a city has so many taxes or so called bonds (still a tax). If you add them all together the tax rate in Joplin is 9.45% almost as high as NY. I left the area 35 years ago and moved back a few years ago. The population has grown by around 8,000. Mostly of the increase is from the current population having children. A few have moved here from the west and east coast. The city charges $48 a month for trash service. If you could go to Republic as an individual service, it's $45 every 3 months. Joplin can be a good place to move to if the current city leadership would quit wasting funds. The city inspector doesn't leave his office to check current building codes on new construction of home modifications. He says he trust the people doing the work. I had to bring my home up to code due to the bathroom exhaust vents being ducted to the roof eves. They are to be ducted to the roof as close to the fan as possible. The line should be insulated to prevent condensation and freezing droplets. All changes from electric heat to natural gas is usually inspected for carbon monoxide leaks. They then would check for the location of a carbon monoxide detector and proper placement, Not here. The local News agencies Don't question or address issues about how the city is governed because they don't want to make waves. The city is overall a safe place and does have crime just like any other place. But it sure has a lot of traffic accidents are usually caused by...

At Joplin City Finance department for paying trash and sewer the women working there are very unprofessional. I had went in there preito pay a huge chunk of my back bill. Due to being on one disability income and having to use economic security for other utilities we have struggled. That has been explained over and over to this office but they obviously don't care. Yesterday when I went in I paid the balance and asked about the next bill so we would stay caught up. Beitvery rude the woman, can't call any of them a lady because they didn't act like it, snapped this is your final bill. Funny thing is she was the one who took my payment for being shut off for being behind. Only utility who doesn't call first. Water department didn't knock on the door. Had they done that they would have found we had a huge chunk of the bill to pay and we did. Didn't matter. Got treated like dirt. On top of that has to pay them $97.54 for reconnecting when they're not the one to come out. They claim MAW set that amount yet MAW says not true. Someone is lying. Asked a different woman I wanted the policy given to me and snidely she responded I have to Google it myself. Supervisor decided finally to get involved after calling cops just because my voice carries. He proceeded to argue until finally he says he'll get me the copy. I told him they could have avoided the argument doing that in the first place. He stated it was my fault. I informed him I overheard every bit the women said derogatory about me and I plan on pursuing action if the City management doesn't. The city finance office deserves people who have a caring heart and professional attitude. I went in to pay up and get everything squared. They claim it's my fault I got upset. When you act unprofessional you're gonna get upset people especially when you believe we are below you. City management be aware this...

I have NEVER been so disrespected! I called to set up a payment arrangement, & Hannah gave me nothing but attitude. When i was being respectful. She kept saying “you can pay what is owed or be shut off.” I said I didn’t have it & that’s why I called it make a payment arrangement. According to them whenever you call & discuss a payment arrangement, means you are agreeing to pay X amount. Even though I said I would call back if I had the money to start one. But since I never called back, means I didn’t fulfill my part. When I let her know that she was highly unprofessional & very rude for no reason. She said to me “I’m sorry you feel like I’m being rude but you don’t accept less and that’s what you are trying to do.” When all I said was I didn’t have HALF of my total payment due & to see if there was something else I can do to help me get back on track. I’m very disappointed in how they treat their customers.. they really need...