From celebrating the local haunt of deep-sea creatures to the global stage of the World Cup, the Mar. 12, 2026, Des Moines City Council meeting was a masterclass in balancing community character with civic pragmatism.
While the city prepares to “put itself on the map” by honoring the elusive Sixgill Shark and hosting local soccer fans this summer, councilmembers also navigated the finer points of holiday infrastructure and the necessary – if reluctant – realities of funding road maintenance.
Whether it’s the excitement of a new 50-foot holiday centerpiece or the practical sting of a car tab increase, the evening’s decisions underscored a city leaning into its identity while keeping its eyes on the budget.
Sixgill Shark News
Redondo Beach Drive South will now have the commemorative name “Sixgill Shark Way” in honor of the elusive deepwater sharks that congregate in the waters around the Redondo marina. These sharks have brought divers from near and far to experience a sighting. Erecting commemorative signs will cost the city around $500 in materials and staff time. One public commenter, who spoke in support of the commemorative name, said “last year’s proclamation put us in the news; this year’s renaming puts us on the map.” In addition, Des Moines will celebrate its second annual Shark In The Park festival on July 12.
FIFA World Cup Updates
The council heard a presentation on what neighboring cities are doing to celebrate the games, and capitalize on the increased crowds expected during this summer’s World Cup. Some major celebrations in Seattle have actually been canceled, due to fewer ticket sales and less enthusiasm than expected. One of the six Seattle matches, which was scheduled to have the Iranian team play, may be canceled. Egypt currently has a travel ban to the US, so there will be very few Egyptian fans present for their team’s match.
Locally, City Manager Katherine Caffrey said the city is partnering with Des Moines Theater to offer a free broadcast of the event on Friday, June 19. This is a holiday, so big crowds are expected, and the theater could see 500 attendees. While the viewing party is free, food and drinks will be available for purchase in the theater lobby. The city will pay a nominal cost for a viewing party license and marketing of the event.
Holiday Tree Potential
The council approved, in a 4-3 vote, spending an extra $10,000 to install footing and underground electrical accommodation for a 50-foot holiday tree at the future marina steps. The marina steps project has already begun its initial stages, with wall construction coming in April, then concrete walk and steps in July, and finally the finishing touches of a play area and water feature starting in October. The entire project should be complete by the end of the year, in time to host a tree lighting event.
There was discussion around purchasing an artificial tree for this purpose. An early purchase would come at a discount. The tree, which would be expected to last between 10 and 15 years, would cost $150,000. When amortized over its lifetime, this would come to $10,000 to $15,000 a year– much cheaper than the $40,000 to $50,000 each year for bringing in a live tree of that size. The council did not make a decision on the tree purchase yet, besides opting to build in the footings for it before the steps project is finished–when the work would be much harder and more costly. Councilmembers JC Harris and Pierre Blosse, along with Deputy Mayor Gene Achziger were against this expenditure, which comes from the Marina Steps contingency fund..
Car Tab Increase
The council unanimously approved a new $10 car tab fee, bringing the city’s total tab fee up from $40 to $50 per year. As Councilmember Blosse said, this is one of the only tools the city has to increase revenue, so he reluctantly supports the increase. Car tab fees are used for street maintenance and essential pavement repair.
Marine Swap Meet
Along with several other events this year, the 300-member Des Moines Yacht Club is hosting its annual Marine Swap Meet this Saturday, Mar. 14. The public is welcome to enjoy hunting for marine-themed treasures at the popular event.
