GEORGIA: The international company Owens Corning (OC) announced three weeks ago that it would bring 100 jobs and a $90 million investment to Joplin, the work to land the new operation was financed, in part, by an annual payment of $335,000 the city of Joplin makes to the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce for economic development.
Agreement and Ordinance for Economic Development Services 2016. Some council members said at the April meeting they had never seen copies of the monthly chamber bills citing how the $335,000 was being spent. The payments to the chamber were being authorized without council oversight.
O’Brian told council members that the chamber had been providing detailed invoices and copies of its bills to the city for years. O’Brian also gives the City Council quarterly updates on chamber projects as well as a yearly review at budget time. He is slated to present a quarterly update during Monday’s meeting of the council.
