The city of Joplin announced Tuesday who will serve as a temporary council member after Kate Spencer resigned last month.
Spencer came into office last year with energy, focus, and an agenda to make Joplin a safer community and to increase the salaries of Joplin’s police officers and firefighters so that the city could calm the tide of turnover.
In November of 2022, the city and the union that represents Joplin’s police did just that, agreeing to a multi-year salary increase. And in January of this year, Joplin’s firefighters' union also announced a similar contract with the city.
Joplin Mayor Doug Lawson announced Spencer’s resignation just before a November 13 council meeting saying that quote, “It was for the sake of her family and her need to put her family and children first,” unquote.”
During their bi-weekly meeting Monday night the Joplin City Council selected former council person Anthony Monteleoneuntil April of next year when residents elect a new member of the city council who will serve out the remaining two years of Spencer’s four-year term.
The remaining time on Spencer’s term will be elected separately from theother four seats up for election in 2024.
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