The Des Moines City Council convened on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, addressing a range of local issues that spanned environmental conservation, community pride, recreation, and municipal finance.
Key actions included approving a significant contract for the management of Steven J Underwood Park, advancing a new public safety sales tax, and celebrating the city’s official designation as the “Sixgill Shark Capital of the World.”
Additionally, the council heard an update on local volunteer opportunities focused on enhancing the habitat and educational outreach at Saltwater State Park.
Saltwater State Park Volunteer Opportunities
A volunteer from Friends of Saltwater State Park said the organization welcomes any volunteers for upcoming work parties. There is a native planting event on Sunday, Oct. 19, as well as ongoing salmon surveys through December. In addition to maintaining habitat, she said the organization also provides nature education for school groups, native plant identification, and low tide beach walks. See link above for more info.
Sixgill Shark Capital Of The World
The council heard a report from the MaST Center on their recent success in making Des Moines the official sixgill shark capital of the world. This deep sea predator does not often spend time in shallow waters, but it has been spotted many times by divers in Redondo. Though they rarely interact with humans, the sharks can be aggressive if provoked. The MaST site recommends that people do not feed, chase, or harass the sharks, which can grow up to 18 feet long.
The MaST Center saw its biggest crowds ever due to the enthusiasm for this shark, and the sixgill shark shirts they sell have been very popular. The new Sixgill Shark Day was celebrated with the first annual Shark in the Park festival, which was well attended and featured shark costumes, a mermaid, a dive event, and the unveiling of a new interpretive sign at Redondo Beach Park. The group also joined the Waterland Parade, winning prizes in multiple categories. This has brought significant media attention to the beach and the sharks, and there will likely be a push in the near future to give 6th Avenue the honorary name “Sixgill Shark Avenue”.
Steven J Underwood Park Private Management Contract
Council approved a contract with Perfect Game, a USA Baseball organization, to take over the management, improvement, and operation of Steven J Underwood Park for a renewable 10-year contract. The vote was 6:1, with Councilmember JC Harris opposed.
The park has three softball fields, and currently costs the city around $100,000 per year to maintain. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the park has been very underutilized. Perfect Game approached the city with the idea of getting the fields into playing condition and bringing their leagues to the area. They plan to put synthetic turf on the fields, with the work starting as soon as November. The fields could be completed by January or February, depending on the weather.
Councilmember Harris voted no due to his concerns about a convenience clause in the contract, which would cost Des Moines a significant sum should the city choose to cancel the contract early. However, Deputy Mayor Steinmetz pointed out that this clause is totally normal in a situation where one party is making a large investment, as Perfect Game will be in fixing up the park. If Perfect Game chooses to terminate the contract early, the city will not owe them anything.
Public Safety Sales Tax
The new 0.1% public safety sales tax passed its second reading by a unanimous vote. This tax will increase the cost to consumers by ten cents for every $100 dollars spent on taxable items. The revenue, likely around $450,000 per year, will be put in a special fund to make its use more transparent, and can only be spent on public safety.
Plans for the money include hiring a new police officer, reinstating Burien CARES animal control services, and paying for increasing public defender costs. In addition, once the tax is activated, the city will qualify for a new public safety grant program that could help pay for additional officers.
