Newly elected Council members sworn in; Cortez elected to serve as Mayor
During the April 2, 2024, General Election, citizens of Joplin voted on several Council positions and “Proposition Progress,” the Capital Improvements Sales Tax Renewal. On Monday, April 8, the Joplin City Council met at City Hall to receive the official election report, administer the Oaths of Office of the newly elected Council Members, and elect the 2024-2026 Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem.
Proposition Progress passed with nearly 61% approval receiving 2,143 “yes” and 1394 “no” votes.
For the Council’s General Seats, incumbent Keenan Cortez and Josh Bard were elected for a four-year term, and Doris Carlin was uncontested to complete a two-year term remaining after the resignation of Kate Spencer late last year.
Chuck Copple will retain his four-year seat as the Zone 2 council member, serving his second term in this role. He ran unopposed for this position. Ryan Jackson was uncontested to serve in the Zone 3 seat for a four-year term, following Phil Stinnett who chose not to run after serving a total of 20 years on Council. Municipal Court Judge John Podleski administered the Oath of Office to newly elected council members.
The newly seated Council proceeded with the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem election. Cortez was elected to serve as Mayor through the April 2026 election. Josh Detar was elected as Mayor Pro Tem for this period.
In other action, Doug Lawson was honored for his service as Mayor for the past two years, and outgoing Council Members Christina Williams, Phil Stinnett and Anthony Monteleone were recognized for their years of service. A reception honoring the Council concluded the evening.
BIOS
Keenan Cortez has been on the Council since 2019 and has served as Mayor Pro Tem for the past two years. He is employed by Freeman Health Systems as the patient experience manager for Crothall Healthcare. Prior to his Council service, Cortez sat on various City boards, including the Joplin Police Citizens Advisory Committee, Public Safety Sales Tax Task Force, and the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Josh Bard was elected to the second of two open general seats. He has been a Joplin resident for 47 years. Bard is a real estate agent for Keller Williams Elevate Realty and has served on the City’s Capital Improvements Sales Tax Oversight Committee for six years.
Doris Carlin has lived in Joplin for 43 years, and is the founding partner at Keller Williams Realty Elevate, a brokerage based in Joplin that services southwest Missouri, southeastern Kansas and northwest Arkansas. She has had her Missouri Broker License for over 30 years. She has served on multiple community boards including the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce, Community Housing Board, Joplin Industrial Development Authority, Missouri Real Estate Commission, Historic Murphysburg Residential District and numerous businesses’ boards. She and her husband, Gary Bandy, have a son, daughter-in-law, and grandbaby who live in Tulsa.
Chuck Copple has worked at Verisk Analytics for 11 years, after retiring from the Joplin Fire Department. He served a co-chairman of the Proposition B Sales Tax Citizens Committee and helped pass the one-half cent sales tax for the Joplin Police and Fire Pension Fund. He currently serves as the council liaison to the Joplin Sports Authority board.
Ryan Jackson has lived in Joplin for 38 years and works in business development. As a graduate of the University of Mississippi, he assists with student housing and student affairs as part of his leadership role in the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity Housing Corporation. Jackson is active with the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce and has served on area boards, including the Joplin Historical Society, American Red Cross, and Joplin Area Habitat for Humanity. Jackson has served on the City’s Planning and Zoning Commission and the Joplin Airport Board and has chaired the Sales Tax Oversight Committee and the Traffic Commission in past years.
Josh DeTar was elected to the Council in 2022. He is a lifelong resident of Joplin and attended Missouri Southern State University. Before his election to the Council, he served on the Joplin Parks and Recreation Board, the Citizens Committee for Parks and Stormwater Sales Tax Renewal, and the Memorial Hall Citizens Committee.
For more information about Joplin City Council, contact the City Clerk at 624-0820, ext. 1220.