External Articles

Articles from around the area, including re-prints from various newspapers (provided under Fair-Use provision.) These are information only, which means that many, Many, MANY of these do not represent my point of view. (Seriously, they don’t.) I just want you to know what’s out there being discussed by electeds that concern Des Moines.

City Manager Report – September 4, 2026

September 4, 2026September 4, 2026

September 4, 2026 City Offices Closed in Observance of Labor Day City Offices will be closed Monday, September 7, 2026 in Observance of Labor Day. Emergency Services and Marina fuel dock will remain open. Our New Website is Live! You may have noticed things look a little different around here! The City recently launched its

City Manager Report – August 28, 2026

August 28, 2026August 31, 2026

CITY MANAGER REPORT August 28, 2026 Cities Submit Joint Comments on Airport Environmental Review The Cities of Des Moines, Burien and SeaTac have submitted a joint comment letter to the Port of Seattle regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport’s Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Near-Term Projects. Submitted on August 20,

Mukilteo launches search for developers to transform waterfront into regional destination

August 1, 2026August 1, 2026

The 1.19-acre project could become the centerpiece of a broader waterfront redevelopment effort coordinated with the Port of Everett. City of Mukilteo By Neetish Basnet – Reporter, Puget Sound Business Journal Jul 29, 2026 Listen to this article4 min Story Highlights What’s This? Mukilteo issued a request for qualifications Wednesday to redevelop a 1.19-acre waterfront site. The

MaST Center Aquarium is a teaching lab for students and the community

July 20, 2026July 25, 2026

By Niki Stojnic Special to The Seattle Times RUN YOUR FINGERS through a dense sea otter pelt or along the rough edge of whale baleen. Delicately brush the tentacles of a neon green anemone or the spines of a purple sea urchin. Check out the tiny bones of a kingfisher or the massive ones that

Money on the Move

May 25, 2026June 3, 2026

Wealthy King County residents leave with billions as lower-income newcomers arrive By Neetish Basnet – Reporter, Puget Sound Business Journal May 25, 2026 Story Highlights What’s This? King County lost around $2.19 billion in adjusted gross income as wealthier residents moved out and lower-earning residents moved in. Neighboring Snohomish and Pierce counties absorbed most departing residents seeking

Democratic WA legislators’ ferry feud gets us nowhere

April 28, 2026April 28, 2026

Two Kitsap Transit Fast Ferries speed toward Pier 50 in downtown Seattle. (Ken Lambert / The Seattle Times, 2025) By Josh Farley Seattle Times Opinion columnist Fellow ferry commuters, I’ve got a question. Would you prefer, in your frequent crisscrossing of our inland saltwater, a return to the clockwork reliability of the jumbo ferry service

Fallout from bad government in WA? There won’t be any

March 28, 2026March 31, 2026

By Danny Westneat Seattle Times columnist A decade ago, when King County first asked voters for $392 million in property taxes for the Best Starts for Kids program, the only group opposing it called itself “Smart Choices King County.” “This levy sounds nice,” the group wrote in the 2015 voters guide. “But it is a

Mill Creek Residential breaks ground on 290-unit Des Moines project

March 24, 2026March 25, 2026

Modera Woodmont Beach in Des Moines will have six residential buildings totaling 290 units when completed. EDI International By Shawna De La Rosa – Reporter, Puget Sound Business Journal Mar 24, 2026 Story Highlights Mill Creek Residential broke ground this week on a 290-unit apartment development in Des Moines. The first phase will begin leasing

New to Seattle light rail? Here’s a beginner’s guide

March 22, 2026March 24, 2026

A light rail train heads west from the Judkins Park light rail station in Seattle. This station and Mercer Island’s open Saturday, connecting Seattle with the Eastside across Lake Washington. (Ellen M. Banner / The Seattle Times) By Mike Lindblom Seattle Times transportation reporter Traffic Lab is a Seattle Times project that digs into the region’s

WA Maritime High School is still finding its sea legs

March 21, 2026March 21, 2026

Maritime High School students take their last voyage of the year aboard the Admiral Jack on the Duwamish River in West Seattle. The students use the 40-foot passenger ferry as their floating classroom and… (Ellen M. Banner / The Seattle Times, 2022)More By Denisa R. Superville Seattle Times education reporter Education Lab is a Seattle Times

Public Service Announcements

Upcoming Events

Ongoing Stuff

Get vaccinated! Yeah I know you’d like to forget about it, but there are new variants and the infection rate is climbing. Fortunately, there is an effective booster, which is recommended for people 65 and older and those who are immuno-compromised. It is available now, effective, free and you can get your appointment today here and here , including walk-Ins at SAFEWAY, Walgreen’s, Rite-Aid, SeaMar and Healthpoint.

Sign up for the King County Code Red Alert program. When you sign up for Code Red you’ll be notified immediately when there is a possible health threat. After the recent ‘Boil Water Notice’ I received just a few grouses that ‘it did not work’. I’m 99% certain that the problem is that you have to actually sign up for an account. Do It! There is this ‘guest’ option which is stupid and should not even be an option. Everyone who had an account in their system was notified. If you’re like me and signed up ten years ago (after the last notification), go to the site immediately and verify your account. Ten years is a long time for any computer system.
Check out the 223rd Green Street Project web site and take the 223rd Green Street Survey before December 11th!
Check out the Des Moines Marina Steps web site and take the Marina Steps Survey.
If you’re interested in any of our Kids or Senior activities, you can sign up here.
Learn more about our Comprehensive Plan and take the Housing Action Plan Survey.
Take the City Communication and Engagement Survey
Give blood! Schedule an appointment today. There is a CODE RED emergency shortage.
Masonic Home! There is a petition for those who are interested in historic preservation of the property. If you have questions, don’t contact me. Contact Barbara McMichael and Lloyd Lytle Jr
Community Service Officer Tonya Seaberry wants to hear from neighborhood groups interested in establishing block watch programs: Tseaberry@desmoineswa.gov or 206-878-3301.
City Of Des Moines Minor Home Repair Program: Low to moderate income households can get grants to do all sorts of necessary repairs. Email Tina Hickey (206) 870-6535.
Every home should have a Carbon Monoxide Detector–especially during the colder months! Full stop. If you need one but money is tight, South King County Fire And Rescue will get you one. Just call their Community Affairs Office at 253-946-7347.
And last, but not least: If your home has Port Package (sound insulation system) that is having issues, please go to SeatacNoise.Info

How to attend meetings and provide Public Comment

Meetings take place at City Hall 21630 11th Avenue S., Suite #C Des Moines WA 98198. They can also be viewed live:

Via Zoom (click here)
On Comcast Channel 21/321
On the City’s YouTube channel.

Meetings generally occur on the first, third and fourth Thursday of every month at 6:00PM. There is also Committee Of The Whole on the first Thursday of the month beginning at 5:00pm. Check the City Calendar for special meetings and agenda

You do not have to sign in to attend a meeting! The sign-in sheet is only for people wishing to make a Public Comment.

There are four ways to provide Public Comment:

In person: Show up a few minutes before the meeting and sign the sheet. Public Comment is usually conducted at the beginning of the meeting.
Zoom: To sign up, call (206) 870-6552 or email cityclerk@desmoineswa.gov the City Clerk by noon Wednesday — the day before the meeting.
E-mail: All e-mails sent to citycouncil@desmoineswa.gov are considered public comment. They are instantly available to all members of the City Council and the City Clerk who includes them into the record of public comments at the next meeting.
US Mail: Attn: City Clerk Office, 21630 11th Avenue S., Des Moines WA 98198. Please provide us with your first and last name and the city in which you live.

All public comments are added to the Agenda Packet available on the City web site following each meeting.

All letters or e-mails requesting a specific action are referred by the City Clerk to the appropriate City department.

If you would like a follow up from me, personally, please indicate that or call me (206) 878-0578.

The Clerk does not read e-mails to the Council in full; only the subject line. However, we do see them as soon as you send them.

External Articles

City Manager Report – September 4, 2026

City Manager Report – August 28, 2026

Mukilteo launches search for developers to transform waterfront into regional destination

MaST Center Aquarium is a teaching lab for students and the community

Money on the Move

Democratic WA legislators’ ferry feud gets us nowhere

Fallout from bad government in WA? There won’t be any

Mill Creek Residential breaks ground on 290-unit Des Moines project

New to Seattle light rail? Here’s a beginner’s guide

WA Maritime High School is still finding its sea legs

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