2023 is still young, but the first meeting of the Joplin city council takes place tonight. Items on the agenda include a salary increase for the city's firefighters. KRPS's Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.
Nearly four months to the day, during the first week of September last year, the Joplin city council approved, on an emergency
basis, an 11.7% pay increase for Joplin's police officers. The action by the city council came about a month after residents rejected a
proposition that would have substantially raised Joplin's property taxes to pay higher police salaries. About two weeks ago,
representatives with the city and TheJoplin Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 59agreed on an 11.2% wage increase that's in line
with the wage increases that police received last fall. The IAFF Local 59 overwhelmingly approved the plan, with 93% voting in
favor. If approved by the council tonight, it will also be on an emergency basis. The wage increases will bring Joplin's Fire staff's
salaries in line with neighboring departments. Leadership with Joplin Police and Fire have voiced their department's difficulty
hiring enough staff due to low pay. The formal portion of the Joplin city council gets underway tonight at 6. For 89 9 KRPS, I'm Fred Fletcher-Fierro
