Joplin City Council sees Southern influence

Joplin+City+Council+candidates+Kyle+Prisock+%28left%29+and+Rylee+Hartwell+%28right%29+discuss+the+appointment+of+Joplin+pharmacuetical+professional+and+Missouri+Southern+alumn+Dan+McCreary+to+the+council.+Prisock+and+Hartwell+ran+to+fi+ll+the+vacant+seat+on+an+interim+basis+until+elections+are+held+in+April.

Brad Stout | The Chart

Joplin City Council candidates Kyle Prisock (left) and Rylee Hartwell (right) discuss the appointment of Joplin pharmacuetical professional and Missouri Southern alumn Dan McCreary to the council. Prisock and Hartwell ran to fi ll the vacant seat on an interim basis until elections are held in April.

The Joplin City Council appointed local businessman and Missouri Southern alumnus Dan McCreary as interim council member during its meeting Monday night, filling the vacant seat previously held by Councilman Mike Woolston. McCreary will serve the remainder of Woolston’s unexpired term until elections are held in April. Woolston was forced to step down last August after allegations were made against the former mayor involving four violations of the council’s code of ethics.

“I feel honored that they put their faith in me and can’t wait to get to work,” said McCreary.

Missouri Southern Student Senate President Kyle Prisock and Rylee Hartwell, freshman history major, are among the eight candidates vying for the seat. Each candidate made a five-minute presentation before the chamber and was asked to answer questions before the council members voted to make their selection.

“I think they did a great job and picked somebody that is very qualified, and hopefully he will serve the community well and represent the citizen’s interests,” said Hartwell. “I have all the faith in him and wish him well.”

Hartwell was the only Southern student candidate to garner an official nomination to be part of the voting process, because Prisock failed to make it to the election portion of the proceedings. Despite his nomination, Hartwell failed to garner a single vote.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity,” said Prisock. “I applied out of a sense of duty and service to the community and was glad to see others step up to the challenge as well.”

Undeterred by Monday night’s results, Prisock plans to run for the council seat again in April.

Hartwell, however, says he does not plan to run for the seat again but does want to continue to stay involved in the community in any way he can.

“My future plans include being involved in some level or another,” he said.” It’s important to get involved because your city needs you. Everybody, at some point in their lives, needs to serve their community, their state, their country. I don’t care which one of those you do, but it’s important at some point to serve. That’s why I tell people to get involved, because at the end of the day, it will bring you some fulfillment, and you will really enjoy it.”