Joplin City Council candidate Q & A with Dave Woods w/ candidate interview audio

The readers of The Joplin Globe and online viewers at joplinglobe.com are a smart bunch of characters. So, when I put out a call for questions to ask the candidates seeking seats on the Joplin City Council and the Joplin R-8 Board of Education, I was not surprised when the questions we received were pretty darn inspired.

Questions for the council possibles concerned economic development, tax brakes for business at the expense of school district coffers, downtown revitalization, annexation, pot decriminalization and how we — not that ‘we’ have anything to do with it — elect Joplin’s mayor.

Joplin R-8 voters wanted to know the five candidates’ views on collective bargaining, bullying in schools, MAP testing, the Thomas White case and how they would handle complaints about administration, teachers and staff.

Candidates were not informed of the questions prior to setting down to record the interviews. Many of the questions I received touched on the same subjects, so I combined them and attempted to focus on what I believed was the author’s intent. I asked that the questions submitted were suitable for all candidates and not just jabs at individual personalities.

All of the Joplin City Council candidates in opposed races participated in a Q & A and those interviews are available via the links on the left.

Thanks,

Dave Woods

The Joplin Globe

joplinglobe.com

New Media Editor