Some bits of business…
Future Agendas is the closest thing the City currently has to a calendar of upcoming City Council topics. It’s not dynamic, ie. you have to click it every time you want to see a new version. And it’s not always accurate. But until we develop a genuine calendar, this can be very useful if there is a particular issue you don’t want to miss.
Who is running?
You got your ballots? That’s not enough! Since I believe the airport and environment are the most important issue the City ever faces, here is a two-fer article from Sea-Tac Noise.Info, with their take on the races and. a great survey from the Defenders of Highline Forest!
| Position | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | *Harry Steinmetz (206) 387-1333 hsslaw@me.com https://www.steinmetzfordesmoines.com | David Denino (206) 414-8569 david.denino@gmail.com https://www.electdaviddenino.com/ | |
| 3 | *Gene Achziger (253) 941-3785 gene4DM2025@gmail.com | ||
| 5 | Pierre Blosse (346) 298-1984 pierre@pierrefordesmoines.com pierrefordesmoines.com | Lloyd Elliott Lytle Jr. (323) 605-5548 lloydelytle@gmail.com lytlefordesmoinescitycouncil.com | *Matt Mahoney did not file for re-election |
| 7 | Robyn Desimone info@desimonefordesmoines.com www.desimonefordesmoines.com | *Traci Buxton did not file for re-election |
King County Council
For the first time in a dozen years, we will also choose a new KC District #5 Councilmember. People often get confused what the County Council does (zero control over police, Sea-Tac Airport, land, etc.), but this is a big deal! Their biggest impacts for us generally concern grants, usually parks, public health and human services. For example, they provided significant money for Midway Park and storm water upgrades. Watch this video to decide on Peter Kwon or Steffanie Fain.
City Manager Stuff
City Manager Report – October 17, 2025
Two down, one to go! The Marina dock replacement is on schedule! You can watch videos of progress in action here: https://www.youtube.com/@CityofDesMoinesMarina
Restaurants!
There have been more restaurant changes in town. So this is a good time to remind you of the local restaurant guide TakeOutDM.Com or TakeOutDesMoines.Com. There is a sign-up form which emails signees when various establishments are offering specials! If you are a new restaurant owner, you should also let them know when you are having said specials so they can spread the woid.
This Week
It’s all airport all the time, baby. 😀
Monday
Senator Tina Orwall is convening her annual meeting to discuss airport policy for the next legislative agenda
Wednesday
- 5:00pm StART register here.
- 5:30pm Airport issues Candidate Forum in Burien: Port of Seattle, 33rd LD. Register here.
Thursday
City Council Meeting: (Agenda) Highlights:
Burien Airport Noise Letter Discussion
Discussion of whether Des Moines should send a similar letter to the Port of Seattle regarding failed noise insulation packages. Burien’s letter addresses the Port’s failure to repair/replace residential noise insulation installed since the mid-1980s.
Marina Steps Project
This is basically seven individual motions to move forward on the Marina Steps. Most of my colleagues don’t bother voting ‘no’ on items that have support and I understand. I certainly hate wasting time just to vote ‘no’ seven times. But there have been certain issues over time that truly mattered and this is one where I feel Cms should tell the public where they stand. This, like the Ferry below, is one.
- Construction Contract: $8.5M with Bayshore Construction
- Construction Management: $924K with Psomas, Inc.
- Engineering Services: $638K with KPFF, Inc.
- State Funding Acceptance:
- $970K from 2023-25 capital budget
- $999K from 2025-27 capital budget
- $560K Stormwater Ecology Grant
- Total Project Budget: $12.9M
- Timeline: Construction begins January 2026, completion January 2027
Finance
2026 Property Tax Levy (Public Hearing): $5.92M total levy. This is something of a non-event. Every city is allowed 1%. We take it. 🙂
Telecommunications Franchise
Second reading of franchise agreement with Forged Fiber for fiber optic facilities in city right-of-way. 10-year term with $5,000 one-time fee
Ferry Study
I’ve begun called this issue Ferry Krueger. Get it? Because no matter how many times you think the nightmare is over… he’s back.
We got a grant to study the worthiness of running an electric ferry. In the meantime. We could never afford this. So we’re partnering with King County to help them do a study so they might provide a water taxi? Water Taxis are total money losers. They only make sense when you can guarantee over 100 passengers per run. Which we never will. This has gone through so many permutations I have no idea what it’s about anymore. My colleagues always thought anything with the word ‘ferry’ in it was worth doing. Electric. Bunker Fuel. 12 passengers. 150. Who cares, so long as it floats? We’ve wasted over $700,000 on this and it remains insane.
New Utility Taxes
Council must decide by mid-December whether to renegotiate franchise agreements with three utility providers (Highline Water, SW Suburban Sewer, Midway Sewer) or allow 5-year extensions. Increasing the current 6% franchise payment even 1% generates $150k additional revenue per SPD. I hate these agreements. And here’s something you don’t often hear me say: I agree with former Mayor Dave Kaplan who wanted to convert each agreement to a straight utility tax.
We know you hate being nickeled and dimed. And the following is super-wonky. But we have five SPDs, each with separate agreements. Every time we have to expend resources to renegotiate a separate agreement there is another argument over ‘fairness’ — how one SPD is different from another. And the reality is this: Utility taxes will likely soon become as large (or larger) revenue sources than property tax and the only sustainable (and fair) thing to do is to have one utility tax and no more ‘negotiations’. Will it happen? LMAO.
Vehicle Purchase
Approval to purchase one 2024 Ford F-150 for Police Detective division ($55K). I only mention this because I’m dying to know where you can get any fully-equipped truck for that price. 😀
Last Week
Tuesday
Wesley Candidate Forum. There were about 60 people present to hear four candidates for our City Council, and both candidates for the 33rd State House seat. The League of Women Voters filmed the event, but darnit, they haven’t released the video. If you are unsure of who to vote for I strongly recommend holding off until it is released and you have a chance to watch!
Wednesday
King County Metro Regional Transit Committee. We discussed their performance dashboard. Be still my beating heart. 😀 This has been something near and dear to me and I was pleased to see others now praising its usefulness.
Since nothing is ever good enough, I am now pushing for some metrics on shelter maintenance/upkeep. That sounds like a ‘detail’, but until now, all their public data focuses on riders and drivers. But many people (the majority) see Metro as they drive by. They’ll see a messy shelter, scream about it (along with 100 others) and not realise that it’s on a regular schedule. Some stops have more issues than others. But they are constantly working on it. Like everything, it comes down to funding.