Des Moines Register Staff Blogs » Des Moines City Hall & Polk County Government

Church fire update: Lighthouse pastor’s former assistant guilty of arson

Jeff Eckhoff — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:31:15 +0000

A man acknowledged by his own lawyer as “a very strange individual” who last fall announced to multiple people that he planned to burn down an unusual Des Moines church has been convicted of first-degree arson by a Polk County jury. James Anthony Galbo, also known as “Chief” by those who frequented Des Moines’ Lighthouse [...]

ISU study: Only two Iowa counties comply with state law requiring gender balance on boards

Jeff Eckhoff — Mon, 06 May 2013 20:54:22 +0000

Just two of Iowa’s 99 counties have reached gender balance on their county-appointed boards and commissions, according to a new report from the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics at Iowa State University and Friends of the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women. The report says Johnson and Van Buren are the [...]

Des Moines City Council to consider grant for Nollen Plaza

Emily Schettler — Sun, 05 May 2013 17:19:10 +0000

The Des Moines City Council will vote Monday on whether to provide a $400,000 development grant for improvements to Nollen Plaza, a block square park at Walnut and Third streets downtown. The council also will vote on a schematic design for the renovation, which includes improvements to the open plaza and an interactive fountain, according [...]

Uncle Sam to DSM: Knock it off with the utility franchise fee

Jeff Eckhoff — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:56:30 +0000

A controversial 5 percent tax on Des Moines utility bills – the one that’s been debated for eight years and has been through multiple trips to the Iowa Supreme Court – now has a new enemy: the United States government. Federal prosecutors acting on behalf of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs sued the city [...]

Des Moines conference preaches need for emergency plan pondering technology needs

Jeff Eckhoff — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:02:55 +0000

Have a well-tested back-up plan and protect your small businesses. That was the heart message this morning at a seminar on “Building Disaster Resilient Communities” held for roughly three dozen community and government leaders in a Polk County conference room. The event, held in the Des Moines offices of the Polk County Emergency Management Agency, [...]

Lawyer reprimanded for destroyed court papers slated to be appointed to Des Moines Water Works board

Jason Clayworth — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 18:09:12 +0000

A former Marion County assistant attorney reprimanded by the Iowa Supreme Court five years ago for removing trial information from a court file and destroying it is set to be appointed to the Des Moines Water Works Board tonight. The appointee, Marc Wallace, said the issue centers on what people familiar with the case would [...]

Downtown land swap OK’d

Jeff Eckhoff — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:39:34 +0000

Polk County supervisors tipped the first domino this morning in a three-way land swap that will create a new county courts building, give birth to a new downtown “Wellmark YMCA” and open up the site of the current Riverfront YMCA for a lucrative-but-not-yet-determined new development. Supervisors this morning finalized their portion of a three-way pact [...]

Polk County mobile speed cameras, on back order, now more advanced and expected in May

Jeff Eckhoff — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 18:56:25 +0000

Mobile speed cameras could come to rural Polk County highways as early as May 1 – and in a form far more advanced than what was first discussed by county officials nearly a year ago. Sheriff Bill McCarthy said his department hopes to have two mobile speed cameras up and operating soon on dangerous county [...]

Bridge construction to detour DART’s Route 11

Josh Hafner — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:57:45 +0000

The closure of the Grand Avenue bridge at 63rd Street between West Des Moines and Des Moines will detour one metro bus route for six months, the area’s public transit provider said in a release. Route 11 of the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority will run between the Valley Junction and downtown Des [...]

Polk County opening temporary property tax-paying station at River Place

Jeff Eckhoff — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 22:38:37 +0000

There’s another option coming for paying your Polk County property taxes. County Treasurer Mary Maloney has again set up a satellite station for paying the March installment of property taxes at Polk County River Place, 2309 Euclid Ave. The satellite station will be located in Room 6 on the east end of the building between [...]

Update: Woman dies after car chase, crash

Jeff Eckhoff — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 22:30:27 +0000

A car chase ended in a crash and the death of a Des Moines woman early Sunday morning in Pleasant Hill, authorities say. The driver of a car that reportedly refused to stop for a Polk County deputy was identified as Melissa Sue Toillion, 29 of Des Moines. She was pronounced dead when authorities found [...]

Major trafficway between Des Moines and West Des Moines will close until fall for bridge rebuild

Josh Hafner — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 23:38:44 +0000

A major trafficway between Des Moines and West Des Moines will shut down until September after a city construction project begins this month. The city of Des Moines announced Thursday that the Grand Avenue Bridge crossing Walnut Creek at 63rd Street will close March 25 for reconstruction. The bridge, built in 1914, sees about 18,000 [...]

Botanical garden begins $11.6 million in renovations

Josh Hafner — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 16:48:27 +0000

Renovations to the newly rechristened Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden began Thursday as big developments often do, with officials in formal wear sticking shovels into dirt. But just where the center will go following $11.6 million in long-needed updates and new outdoor features remains to be seen, its leaders said at a ceremony. “There will [...]

Des Moines crews salt streets, wait for storm; DART reports no delays

Josh Hafner — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 13:48:45 +0000

A “good amount” of the de-icing agent applied to Des Moines’ main commuter streets overnight remains this morning, the city’s public works chief said, leaving crews monitoring the storm before applying a second coating. Interim Director Pat Kozitza said crews applied salt water to the city’s main snow routes as precipitation began last night and [...]

Des Moines council expresses more frustration over Class E liquor licenses

Josh Hafner — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 22:32:50 +0000

Watch a Kum & Go vice president question Des Moines’ liquor license rules and see one council member’s blunt reaction. An effort to curb the number of stores selling liquor in Des Moines came with unintended consequences, restricting competition between businesses and protecting so-called problem sites, a city councilman said this week. Other council members [...]

Court papers: Des Moines police suspected meth during search of David Flores vehicle

Jeff Eckhoff — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 20:36:23 +0000

A search warrant made public this week shows Des Moines police had suspicions of methamphetamine dealing when they stopped David Flores on Feb. 14 for driving a vehicle with a cracked windshield. Police ultimately seized some rolling papers and a copy of High Times magazine from the vehicle, but no meth. Court paperwork attached to a search warrant issued [...]

With end in sight, Des Moines preps for residential snow plowing

Josh Hafner — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 17:59:52 +0000

Des Moines road crews are making their final plows through the city’s primary streets before moving into neighborhoods by early afternoon Wednesday, the public works department said. Interim Director Pat Kozitza plans for his crews to finish plowing the residential areas within a 24-hour period. Once curb-to-curb plowing officially begins in neighborhoods this afternoon, no [...]

Updated: Polk County road crews report blowing snow, covered signals

Jeff Eckhoff — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:20:30 +0000

Updated 4:20 p.m – Travelers on rural county roads should expect to find swirling, slipper snow for the forseeable future and act accordingly, officials said this afternoon. Polk County Engineer Kurt Bailey said road crews are keeping up with the newly falling snow but continue to fight winds on rural roadways. “That’s going to be [...]

Police vehicle spins off I-235 after collision, ends in ditch

Josh Hafner — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:30:12 +0000

A Des Moines police officer spun across I-235 and slid into a ditch Friday morning after another driver collided with the patrol car, police said. The officer behind the wheel, Scott Whittaker, was driving west in a central lane on I-235 to monitor traffic when a woman driving in the lane to Whittaker’s right lost [...]

Des Moines snow ordinance in effect for residential streets at noon

Josh Hafner — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:09:48 +0000

The city of Des Moines’ snow ordinance will go live for residential streets starting at noon today, according to a release. Owners of vehicles parked in the street prior to curb-to-curb plowing by city crews risk receiving a fine from police. Des Moines’ new “odd/even” parking ordinance will go into effect for five neighborhoods identified [...]

State to consider $22.5 million in tax credits for Principal Financial’s $285 million modernization project

Donnelle Eller — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:40:14 +0000

Principal Financial Group seeks $22.5 million in state tax credits for its proposed $284.7 million investment to renovate its downtown Des Moines campus, state documents show. The retirement services company wants to modernize its downtown buildings, especially so they’re more appealing to information workers who seek high-tech, environmentally friendly spaces. Those workers now earn an [...]

Polk County crews load sand and salt, wait

Des Moines Register — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:17:10 +0000

Polk County’s road crews are loading treatment materials and waiting for snow to fall by 3 p.m., Engineer Kurt Bailey said Thursday morning. The county’s snow ordinance is expected to go into effect this evening, he said. The county’s crew of 40 members plans to begin plowing roads this afternoon into the evening, followed by [...]

Public works crews prepare for impending snow storm

Josh Hafner — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 00:38:41 +0000

White streaks of salt lined streets throughout Iowa Wednesday, the tell-tale signs of city workers hoping to stymie the effects of Thursday’s expected snow storm. In Des Moines, public works trucks began hauling tanks of salt and water throughout the city starting on Tuesday, splattering the lines of brine behind them. City crews have sprayed [...]

Judge: Des Moines doesn’t have to pay interest on $40M owed in franchise fee lawsuit

Jeff Eckhoff — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:56:17 +0000

Des Moines residents who paid an illegal franchise fee as part of their utility bills for five years aren’t legally entitled to prejudgment interest on a pending $40 million refund, a Polk County judge ruled Wednesday. Senior Judge Joel Novak denied the request for a roughly $11.5 million interest payment after finding that an Iowa [...]

Polk County Wednesday snow prep

Josh Hafner — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:39:17 +0000

Polk County workers are preparing snow maintenance vehicles ahead of Thursday’s anticipated storm and monitoring the weather forecast, Engineer Kurt Bailey said. County employees won’t work overnight, Bailey said, though he expects nearly 40 employees to be available as the storm hits tomorrow. High winds may stifle the county’s snow efforts, but Bailey hopes to make headway [...]

Des Moines council to vote on millions in potential housing funds

Josh Hafner — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 01:08:00 +0000

Two Des Moines housing proposals — one slated for the East Village and another for the River Bend neighborhood — may receive $3 million each in federal funds, but need City Council approval first. The council will vote Wednesday morning whether to submit the two projects to the state following recommendations from city staff. The [...]

Des Moines receives $4.3 million in Prairie Meadows profits

Josh Hafner — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 23:45:28 +0000

More than $4.3 million netted by Altoona’s Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino went to the city of Des Monies this year as a result of the casino’s profit-sharing deal with the city and Polk County. The annual payout went toward bridge and street improvements in the past, City Manager Rick Clark said this week in [...]

LaValles to run Principal Riverwalk concession, food carts beginning Earth Day, April 22

Perry Beeman — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 18:54:17 +0000

Veteran Des Moines chefs Michael and Lisa LaValle will run the food concession at the Hub Spot on the Principal Riverwalk, where beer, wine, and everything from Maytag Cheese to ice cream will be offered indoors and from outdoor carts beginning Earth Day, April 22. They’ll be teaming with up-and-coming chefs and their longtime friend [...]

Des Moines leaders defend Principal’s $238.5 million proposal

Josh Hafner — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 23:55:59 +0000

A financial deal from the city of Des Moines encouraging The Principal Financial Group’s plans for $238.5 million in downtown development met full acceptance from City Council tonight. At the Monday meeting, Council members and the city’s manager sought to calm hesitancies about the incentives deal while applauding the company’s implied commitment to revamping its [...]

Durham: State considering tax credits, no state loan or grant, for Principal Financial Group

Donnelle Eller — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 22:22:26 +0000

Iowa’s incentives to Principal Financial Group will not include a direct loan or grant for the financial services’ $238.5 million proposed renovation, said Debi Durham, the state’s economic development leader, today. Company and state development leaders are negotiating tax credits for the project, based on capital investment, and refunding sales and use taxes on products [...]

Des Moines leaders praise $238.5 million Principal plan at presentation

Josh Hafner — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 18:16:09 +0000

The Principal Financial Group’s proposed $238.5 million renovation of its downtown Des Moines campus received praise from both the company and city council members this morning with otherwise no input from residents. The proposal marks the first step of a four-year, multi-phase plan to update three of Principal’s buildings to better reflect the “knowledge-based” employees it [...]

State incentives for Principal’s proposed $238 million renovation project under negotiations

Donnelle Eller — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 17:48:56 +0000

The amount of state incentives Principal Financial Group seeks for $238.5 million in proposed renovations is still under negotiation and is not yet available to the public, said Tina Hoffman, a spokeswoman for the state economic development authority, today. The retirement services company is weighing renovations to its downtown campus over the next decade that [...]

Des Moines Councilman Griess says he won’t seek re-election

Josh Hafner — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 18:39:40 +0000

Halley Griess, the youngest member of Des Moines City Council, announced Friday that he won’t seek re-election when his term expires at the end of 2013. A 23-year-old Griess won the chance to represent northwest Des Moines in 2009 while studying at Drake University. Four years later, he points to the challenge of balancing council [...]

Principal declares namesake, long-awaited Riverwalk open

Perry Beeman — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 19:35:57 +0000

The Principal Financial Group on Thursday declared the $70 million-plus Principal Riverwalk open and ready for bicyclists, walkers, runners, and later this spring, diners. The Hub Spot’s cafe near Court Avenue on the 1.2-mile loop trail should open later this spring, Principal announced. The financial firm that spearheaded and helped bankroll the massive riverfront rejuvenation [...]

Franchise fee lawyers agree on $40M refund; judge orders city to stop asking people to forgo it

Jeff Eckhoff — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 19:41:59 +0000

The City of Des Moines will have to repay at least $39.9 million that’s been deemed to be an illegal tax on Des Moines utility bills, according to newly filed documents in a longstanding lawsuit against the city’s utility “franchise fee.” An order signed last week by Senior Judge Joel Novak says both city attorneys [...]

Street closures, sidewalk cafes at Des Moines City Council tonight

Josh Hafner — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:04:29 +0000

The Des Moines City Council will weigh options on street closures, city sidewalk cafes and a new building in the East Village tonight at its meeting. Officials will consider city staffers’ recommendation to stall a Union Pacific Railroad request to close three east-side streets where they intersect with railroad tracks. City staffers want to meet [...]

Legislative coffee is Saturday in Windsor Heights

Janet Klockenga — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 20:29:54 +0000

The Windsor Heights Chamber of Commerce is planning its seventh annual legislative coffee session from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, in the 3E conference room, 953 73rd St. Invited are Sen. Charles Schneider, Rep. Chris Hagenow, Rep. Peter Cownie, and Polk County Supervisors Angela Connolly and Robert Brownell.

‘Free Ned’ tongue-in-cheek activists hit Nollen Plaza

Jeff Eckhoff — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 18:35:47 +0000

Motorists who pass Nollen Plaza in downtown Des Moines are accustomed to a certain amount of picketing and protesting as they pass the big green umbrella, but it’s rare when the protesters offer passers-by a free t-shirt. Roughly a dozen “activists” brought placards, pins and shirts to Des Moines on Friday as part of an [...]

Proposed downtown Des Moines ‘Wellmark YMCA’ moving forward

Jeff Eckhoff — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 23:02:13 +0000

Officials with the YMCA of Greater Des Moines believe they’re about six weeks away from having artist renderings of a new downtown “Wellmark YMCA.” Daryl Metzger, an architect and board member of the downtown Riverfront YMCA, said work to design the Y’s proposed new home in the former Polk County Convention Complex is proceeding better [...]

Des Moines Mayor joins gun control talks, presidential inauguration in D.C.

Josh Hafner — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 04:38:14 +0000

Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie spent part of this week and the last in Washington, D.C. listening to Vice President Joe Biden speak on gun control and watching President Barack Obama’s inauguration. Cownie, a vocal proponent of gun regulation and a visible supporter of the president, is tacking on a Washington conference on urban forestry [...]

Des Moines collected $2.7 million from red light, speed cameras in 2012

Des Moines Register — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 19:47:54 +0000

The City of Des Moines collected more than $2.7 million in 2012 from red light and speed cameras operated in seven locations in the city. Overall for the year, 53,009 citations were issued; 41,854, or 78 percent of the citations have been paid, according to a release issued by the City of Des Moines today. [...]

Gun control and snow removal among today’s Des Moines City Council topics

Josh Hafner — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 17:49:45 +0000

A range of topics including gun control, community policing and the city’s snow removal efforts will go before Des Moines City Council tonight. Des Moines resident Gabriel Mark Lanz will address the council regarding gun control. Mayor Frank Cownie traveled with a member of the Des Moines Police Department to Minneapolis last week for an [...]

Polk leaders acknowledge need for conservation workers; don’t want to pay for them right away

Jeff Eckhoff — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 19:36:34 +0000

Polk County officials tentatively and informally agreed this morning to let the county’s conservation department hire two new administrators to help the agency begin work toward spending $50 million on protects tied to a Water and Land Legacy Bond issue approved by voters last November. The catch, for conservation officials, is that they’ll have to [...]

Frank Cownie to join in Midwest summit on guns, violence

Josh Hafner — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 01:48:03 +0000

Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie and a representative of the Des Moines Police Department will travel to Minneapolis on Thursday for an informal summit of municipal leaders on gun control and public violence, Cownie said. The summit will involve mayors and police officers from Midwestern states, Cownie said, and assess ideas and solutions on event [...]

Polk County starts with a balanced FY13-14 budget, waits to see what state will do

Jeff Eckhoff — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 17:50:15 +0000

One year after a massive deficit and declining property values prompted stiff job cuts, Polk County budget projections show much happier news for the year that begins July 1 – albeit news that’s marred by several looming question marks. Budget figures unveiled at a county supervisors’ meeting this morning show Polk is starting its annual [...]

City of Des Moines to collect tree debris

Josh Hafner — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 22:44:20 +0000

Des Moines’ Department of Public Works announced Friday it will begin taking residents’ dried-out tree trash following the holiday season. Residents must trim down debris into four foot lengths and pack it into 1.5-foot bundles before placing it on the curb with a “Compost It” sticker. Public works teams will pick the bundles up along [...]

Water main break repaired in northwest Des Moines

Josh Hafner — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 23:40:09 +0000

Des Moines Water Works crews repaired a “major” water main near 49th Street and Douglas Avenue that broke Wednesday afternoon, leaving 25 customers without water and many more with low pressure. Crews fixed the affected pipe by noon Thursday, about 12 hours later than expected, Water Works CEO Bill Stowe said. Workers generally place a [...]

Botanical center hand off means new improvements, leadership

Josh Hafner — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:06:44 +0000

Des Moines Water Works handed over the keys and its management of the metro’s botanical center to a nonprofit group Thursday, sparking a transition that will result in new leadership, a new staff and a new name. A nonprofit will manage the rebranded attraction as “The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden,” beginning a 75-year lease [...]

City aims to clear downtown snow berms by Monday

Joel Aschbrenner — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 04:51:30 +0000

If you’ve walked downtown lately, you’ve undoubtedly had to climb, hurdle or circumvent the berms of snow dividing the sidewalks and the streets. The good news is city crews started clearing them Thursday. The bad news is a snow storm expected to hit the city Friday morning will add to the mounds of snow and ice. The [...]

Polk County supervisors really aren’t grinches after all

Jeff Eckhoff — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:42:58 +0000

It turns out that you cannot always believe everything you read on the Internet. Polk County’s web site briefly Friday listed a weekly schedule that included a Polk Board of Supervisors meeting on the morning of Dec. 25. However, county officials, who normally release meeting agendas at noon on the previous Friday, missed that deadline [...]