The Des Moines City Council met on Thursday night, Sept. 12, 2024 to discuss various community issues, including the reallocation of ARPA funds and the future of the passenger ferry project.
The council remained divided on the passenger ferry, with some members supporting continued investment and others expressing concerns about its economic viability.
Other topics discussed included the approval of a new employment agreement for the incoming city manager, and a vote to increase business license fees.
The meeting also featured reports on the success of National Night Out and the progress made under the new Recology contract.
Public Comments
One commenter asked whether the planned splash pad at the Marina Steps is really a good idea, after hearing reasons for not adding a splash pad at another city park. He said that instead of adding a splash pad, which has high maintenance costs, perhaps something like cabanas could go in, which the city could rent out as a new source of revenue.
Multiple speakers expressed concerns about the planned demolition of the historic Masonic Home. They spoke of the health hazards of demolishing an older building, such as the release of asbestos and heavy metal dust. They said these things hadn’t been properly addressed in the plan, and that preservation of the building would be safer and more beneficial for the community.
One speaker pleaded with the city to do something to reduce dangerous speeding along Marine View Drive near Saltwater State Park. He said he had to replace his fence multiple times after cars drove off the road into his yard. He also said the sound of speeding cars keeps him up at night, never knowing if it’s going to happen again.
National Night Out Success
Mayor Traci Buxton reported on the success of the Aug. 6 National Night Out, the annual community event to encourage public safety. She said that Des Moines has 37 different Block Watch groups who participated in the festivities.
Recology Report
It’s been one year since the new contract was signed with Recology, and the report was positive overall. Recology received 4.5 out of 5 stars on a recent customer satisfaction survey. They have been doing lots of community outreach, educating about how customers can reduce their garbage bill by recycling and composting appropriately. Recycling has increased by 11%, and composting by 17%.
In addition, in 2019, recycling was contaminated with garbage by 20%. Thanks to education efforts, that contamination rate has been reduced to 5%.
The Recology Store was also brought up as a great resource. This is a physical location where Des Moines residents can bring items like lightbulbs, batteries, and styrofoam for free recycling. The Recology Store is located in the Five Corners Shopping Center near Trader Joe’s and PCC in Burien. Store staff can also answer questions customers may have about Recology services. Recology offers quarterly tours of their facility to individuals as well as school groups.
ARPA Funds Reallocated
Council voted unanimously to reallocate the remaining ARPA funds. This decision was tabled during the last meeting when it seemed the council hoped for a better use of the funds. However, at this meeting it was agreed to spend the remaining money on SCORE jail costs ($266,000) police overtime ($200,000) crime analyst and mental health support positions ($144,000) and Field House play equipment ($5,000).
The cost of the SCORE jail was unusually high this year, but should return to normal next year. It is hoped that police won’t need to work so much overtime in future years. Ongoing funding of the crime analyst and mental health support positions depends on the passing of the public safety bill which will be on November’s ballot.
The ARPA money had been previously allocated for the Redondo marina tenant restroom ($400,000, which had bids coming in too high and has been put off for now) ADA compliance and traffic calming measures ($169,000, both of which will now be funded by the Redondo speed cameras) and unspent nonprofit ($25,000) and marina redevelopment materials ($20,000).
Passenger Ferry Consulting Contract Extended
The council voted 4–3 to extend the city’s contract with passenger ferry consultants. Councilmembers Gene Achziger, JC Harris, and Yoshiko Grace Matsui voted not to extend. They said the economic impact study should be completed before any more city money is spent on the passenger ferry project.
They also argued that the ferry has been promoted very differently over the years; as an economic driver and as multi-modal transportation, for example- and they thought it should only have one clear purpose. Councilmember Grace Matsui said it should not take years for an economic impact study to be performed. Harris argued that the city has a long history of aspirational projects that sound wonderful but don’t pan out. With no clear strategic plan for the city, they could not support the ferry project.
Councilmember Matt Mahoney argued that water taxis are coming and will happen regardless of Des Moines’ involvement, but that we should embrace this mode of transportation. He also reiterated that many local business owners shared that their sales were boosted during the trial passenger ferry season, and the following summer sales had gone back down without the ferry. He said that public support of the passenger ferry was almost universal.
Deputy Mayor Harry Steinmetz said that he thinks there is a lingering antagonism for the project because it was begun by former City Manager Michael Matthias. However, Steinmetz said, Matthias did have some good ideas and this is one of them. Mayor Traci Buxton said the ferry project is a community development strategy that falls under the banner of “placemaking”, which adds to economic vitality in numerous ways, without necessarily having a direct return on investment.
New City Manager Employment Agreement Passed
Council voted unanimously to the terms of the employment agreement with the new city manager. Katherine Caffrey will begin on Nov. 1, 2024, with a salary of $245,000 and one-time moving costs of $38,000. She agreed to waive her cost of living adjustments for her first two years with the city.
Councilmember Harris said he felt Caffrey drove a hard bargain during the salary negotiation process, and hopes that she utilizes those same skills on the city’s behalf. Deputy Mayor Steinmetz said he felt her salary is completely appropriate compared to neighboring cities and her level of experience. Councilmeber Grace Matsui shared that there has by and large been a great deal of consensus throughout the 9 month hiring process. Councilmember Mahoney said Caffrey had been his top choice amongst all the original candidates.
Business License Fees Increased
While not wanting to hinder business within the city, staff found that there is room to increase business license fees a bit. Des Moines business license fees are significantly lower than surrounding cities, at $75 annually for in-city businesses. For comparison, Federal Way charges $81, Seatac charges $100, Burien charges $150, and Kent charges $282 for each annual business license.
Staff recommended raising in-city business license fees to $100/year, and out of city businesses licenses from $100 to $140/year. This is expected to increase the total annual business license revenue from $228,950 to $401,580, and brings the fees a little more in line with area cities, though they’re still on the lower end. In addition, there was talk of creating an automatic small annual increase in the future, to keep up with inflation.
Video
Below is full video of the meeting:
