Joplin Council to Weigh ICE Review, Pay Raises

Joplin’s City Council is preparing for a busy meeting, with residents expected to debate whether the city should explore joining the federal 287(g) immigration-enforcement program; no vote on the proposal is scheduled. The council will also consider a proposed $182.9 million budget, employee pay increases and a nearly $4 million MoDOT agreement for Interstate 44 improvements. Separately, city officials will hold a public meeting about rehabilitating the aging 6th Street and Virginia Avenue parking garage, which has structural and drainage problems; the project is expected to take about nine months if approved.