The Des Moines City Council’s Thursday night, Nov. 21, 2024 meeting was marked by the long awaited swearing-in of new City Manager Katherine Caffrey.
Key topics included the approval of a property tax increase, a new warehouse tax, and funding for bird deterrent measures near the airport.
The council also announced a public meeting on the planned airport expansion, and recognized Small Business Saturday.
New City Manager Katherine Caffrey
The meeting began with the formal swearing-in of City Manager Katherine Caffrey. This was the first regular council meeting with Caffrey in her official capacity since she started working for the city earlier this month. Interim City Manager Tim George returned to his former position as City Attorney.
Those wishing to meet City Manager Caffrey in person will have many opportunities in the near future, including a Coffee with the City Manager event at North Hill Espresso. She will be there from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 25.
Public Meeting On Airport Expansion
During Caffrey’s first City Manager’s Report, she reminded people that Des Moines will be hosting a public meeting on the planned airport expansion. She said the goal of this meeting is to help inform people on how to make meaningful comments to the Port on the proposed expansion. The meeting is Tuesday, Dec. 3, from 6 to 7 p.m., and will be available online or in person.
Councilmember JC Harris expressed dismay at the paltry public engagement this time around, compared with the last time the airport was planning to expand. He said the impacts of this coming expansion will be huge.
Small Business Saturday
Mayor Traci Buxton read a proclamation recognizing Saturday, Nov. 30 as Small Business Saturday. This day was created in 2010 in order to support locally-owned small businesses. According to the proclamation, small businesses employ 46.8% of private sector employees. The vast majority of people who participate in Small Business Saturday say they will frequent those businesses again throughout the year, helping to boost the local economy.
$124,000 Required To Deter Birds From Pond
Councilmember JC Harris pulled an item from the consent agenda which none of the councilmembers seemed to be familiar with. This item asks for council approval to spend over $124,000 to purchase black plastic floating discs to cover a pond in order to be in compliance with FAA regulations.
The pond in question is a man-made drainage pond, and includes about 32,000 square feet of open water. This open water attracts birds, which are a problem for airplanes. According to regulations, Des Moines, which is responsible for the pond, is on the hook for costs associated with covering the body of water. Councilmember Harris described this as an unfunded mandate, and many other councilmembers had questions and concerns with the project.
Mayor Traci Buxton asked about pollution to the water from the plastics breaking down over time. She was reassured that the plastic discs will be chemically inert, and that the pond is not a natural habitat but a manmade stormwater collection pond. Councilmember Achziger expressed concerns about increasing the temperature of the water by floating a bunch of black plastic on the surface. The answer to this concern was unknown. Councilmember Yoshiko Grace Matsui suggested the black plastic discs could be printed with a 3-D printer for far cheaper. In the end, Council unanimously passed the motion, though they clearly wished there was another option.
Property Tax Increase
Council unanimously approved a 1.53% increase in property taxes concurrent with the limits set by the state. This is after two ballot measures for a levy lid lift, which would allow for a higher tax increase, failed to win voter support this year. However, Council agreed that the city needs to maximize what it can collect in order to remain viable and provide service to residents.
Water District 54 Franchise Fee
The council did not reach consensus on implementing a 6% franchise fee for Water District 54 (WD54). Councilmember Grace Matsui felt that the fee is essentially a tariff, and it will be passed straight to consumers.
Unlike other utilities, WD54 previously had an exemption from paying this fee. The rest of Council felt it was appropriate to bring it in line with other water and utility providers. WD54 has agreed to pay the franchise fee, in lieu of a tax on services which had been discussed prior, and which would cost them more. This will be on the next consent agenda.
Warehouse Square Footage Tax
Council gave unanimous approval to a square footage tax for warehouses. According to the presentation, several warehouses in the business park are paying zero dollars annually in B&O tax, and yet they still require services from the city. Instituting a square footage tax, in lieu of taxing them on gross receipts, makes more sense for these businesses.
The council was so supportive of this tax that they discussed raising it more than the suggested rate, and said there should be a way to ensure it is increased at regular intervals. City Manager Caffrey said she and city staff would look into the best method for implementing an annual rate increase, before the new tax has a second reading at the next meeting.
