EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the final report from Interim City Manager Tim George:
City Manager Weekly Report for week ending Nov. 1, 2024
Welcome New City Manager Katherine Caffrey
On Monday, November 4th our new City Manager Katherine Caffrey will be sworn in to lead the City into the years ahead. Ms. Caffrey was unanimously selected by the City Council after an extensive recruitment and interview process that involved the entire community. Please reach out and engage when you can, she is excited to get to know our community and what makes it great!
November 5 is Election Day!
This coming Tuesday is the deadline to get your ballots in for the November 5 election. On the ballot this year in Des Moines is Proposition 1: Public Safety Levy Lid Lift. The State of Washington is ranked last in the nation for police officers per 1,000 residents and the City of Des Moines is well below the State average. Given this disparity, during the global pandemic, the Des Moines City Council made a strategic decision to utilize federal relief funds (ARPA) to hire additional police officers and support staff with a goal of aligning our department staffing with the state average and to increase public safety. The federal funds were temporary however, and will no longer be available after 2024. A long term funding source is needed in order to retain existing public safety service levels.
To ensure a sustainable funding source for retaining these officers and adding more public safety positions, the City Council has placed a Levy Lid Lift measure (Proposition 1) on the November 5 general election ballot.
If passed, the Levy funds would provide a dedicated source to retain existing police officer positions as well as add additional officers. The funding would also preserve our mental health crisis responder and crime analyst, also funded by ARPA, who have been crucial in providing compassionate responses to individuals facing homelessness, helping them access resources and shelter, and moving them off City streets and out of City parks. Without additional revenue, these vital roles will no longer be funded in 2025, therefore impacting the City’s ability to respond effectively to those in crisis.
The City has prepared an informational website on Proposition 1 which can be accessed here.
Get Involved! Sustainable Airport Master Plan Update
The Puget Sound region is expected to grow by another one million people by 2035. The Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) is the blueprint for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) development, guiding the strategic design and development to meet future forecasted demand.
The SAMP includes Near-Term Projects (NTPs) for SEA that are planned for construction upon completion of the environmental review and Commission approval. The SAMP also includes a Long-Term Vision for SEA.
Currently, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental review is underway, with the draft NEPA documentbeing released on Monday, Oct 21, 2024. The public comment period is open from October 21 through December 5, 2024. Commenting on a draft Environmental Assessment is an important way for the public to participate in the environmental review process and contribute to the decision-making process. You can submit comments throughout the comment period at a public meeting, online, by email, or postal mail.
There are four upcoming public meetings, including one in Des Moines on November 13th. Please attend, submit a public comment, and stay involved. More information can be found here.
Emergency Management – Power Outage Safety Tips
Power Outages can cause a number of safety concerns! Be prepared for inclement weather with these safety tips.
12th Annual Squid-A-Rama, Saturday November 23
Join us for the 12th Annual Squid-A-Rama, hosted by the MaST Center and the Des Moines Arts Commission.
Date: Saturday, November 23
Time: 4-7pm
Location: Des Moines Beach Park
Dive into a hands-on experience! Dissect squid and learn about these fascinating creatures, and then witness a live release of squid by local divers. Fun for all ages! Squid-A-Rama is a FREE community event focusing on the annual squid run that takes place each year in the Puget Sound. Hope to see you there!
2nd Grade Field Trip to City Hall!
This past week City Hall welcomed 30 second-graders from St. Philomena’s for a special field trip focused on city government. We kicked off the visit with a fun introduction to the basics of local government from Mayor Buxton. The students learned about the roles of the Mayor, City Council, and other important figures in our community. They learned about the Court, Emergency Management, and then toured through Human Resources and the City Manager’s office. Despite the rain, we made our way up to the Field House for all things Parks and Recreation, and then ended our tour with a visit to the Police Department. The highlight of the tour was the ongoing lively Q&A session, where the students asked many thoughtful and brutally honest questions.
Their enthusiasm and genuine interest reminded us of the importance of nurturing civic engagement from a young age. Thank you to all of our wonderful City of Des Moines staff for participating and making this a day to remember!
City Council Meeting Summary
There was no City Council meeting this week as the Council does not generally meet on the fifth Thursday of the month. The Council will also not meet next week.
Sports Update
How epic it would have been to close out the final sports update with a full recount of how the Seattle Mariners won the World Series and finally brought a baseball championship to the Northwest. It could have been a script for a movie. But this is Des Moines, not Hollywood, and in our ending the Mariners missed the playoffs entirely and went to Cabo over a month ago. Fittingly, it was Los Angeles who ended up taking home the title this week so congratulations to the Dodgers and their fans on winning their first real championship since 1988. The red hot Cougars have a bye this weekend while the Huskies take on the Trojans Saturday at Montlake and the Hawks battle the Rams at Lumen on Sunday. The Sounders take on Houston in game 2 of the Western Conference Playoffs on Sunday as well. Finally, since the 2024 Major League Baseball season wrapped up this week, and we are now officially in the “off-season,” it means we can now start looking ahead to Spring Training and the 2025 season. And based on what I’m seeing, I can confidently say, I think next year just might be the Mariners’ year.
Have a great weekend!
– Tim George