Having already received a key to the city at a retirement get-together last week, former Joplin Health Director Dan Perkerek, the City Council at their meeting Monday night honored him one last time. KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.

Pekarek wrapped up a 35-year career on Monday. For 23 of those years, he was Joplin’s Health Director. He also served as Interim City Manager from March of 2019 to March of 2020. He was then named Assistant City Manager in June of 2020. During his time as Health Director, he worked with the Environmental Protection Agency to help establish the Jasper/Newton County community health collaborative and emergency healthcare coalition.

Pekarek spoke Monday night at the Joplin City Council meeting, “We know the things that get done, are the people, on the street that get those things done, it’s not the department heads. We may be there, at the top of the food chain so to speak in the department but we’re not the ones that get things done. It’s the folks that are out there doing things every day.” Last week Pekarek received the highest honor given by the Missouri Public Health Association, the W. Scott Johnson Award. For 89 9 KRPS, I’m Fred Fletcher-Fierro