Local group aims to save Normandy Park Police positions

By Michele Smith On November 3rd, 2015, residents of Normandy Park voted ‘no’ on a levy that would have continued funding for two Police Officer positions and a Records Specialist position. The levy failed by 283 votes and the layoffs will happen Jan. 1, 2016 in order for the city to balance the 2015-16 budget.

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MAYOR: State voters, Legislature have taken away much of Des Moines’ income

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a letter released Nov. 24, 2015 by Des Moines Mayor Dave Kaplan: State voters, Legislature have taken away much of Des Moines’ income by Mayor Dave Kaplan For the past several months, the City Council has been working to address our long-term financial issues through the 2016 budget process. In conjunction

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Small town turns to crowd-funding to save police officer jobs

NORMANDY PARK, Wash. – Why not? That’s what some residents of Normandy Park are saying after learning a group of fellow citizens has set up a GoFundMe page to prevent police department layoffs.The campaign was launched by grassroots group of citizens, business leaders and some elected officials as a way to make up for the

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Letter to the Waterland Blog by Mayor Dave Kaplan on 2016 Budget

State voters, Legislature have taken away much of Des Moines’ income by Mayor Dave Kaplan For the past several months, the City Council has been working to address our long-term financial issues through the 2016 budget process. In conjunction with our economic development efforts, which is the key to making the City financially sustainable in the

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City hired attorney will represent the city, not individual citizens, protestors told

by Jack Mayne People expecting an attorney hired by the Des Moines City Council to advise them of ways they can appeal in the Woodmont area drug and substance rehabilitation facility will be disappointed. “Any lawyer hired by the city will make decisions for the city and not the citizens of Des Moines,” Councilmember Bob Sheckler told

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Citizens object as Council considers cutting Parks Director, Harbormaster

by Jack Mayne Twenty-five people took more than an hour last Thursday night (Sept. 17) to tell the Des Moines City Council not to cut the jobs of the city’s Parks Director and Harbormaster, and to find money to keep these important, well respected department heads in their jobs. The changes were only proposed and none of

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Vandals cause over $15,000 of damage to Des Moines Beach Park Auditorium

Seven large colored glass windows and one of the entrance doors at the Des Moines Beach Park Auditorium were smashed with rocks by unknown vandals this past weekend, sometime between early Sunday morning and early Monday morning. The damage to the building is estimated at over $15,000, according to Patrice Thorell, Parks, Recreation and Senior

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Former Mayor Bob Sheckler says no rules violated in taking Miami Beach trip

By Jack Mayne A union that represents hotel workers claims Des Moines Councilmember – and former Mayor – Bob Sheckler failed to properly report that he and his wife took a trip paid for by a Chinese company then seeking to build the Artemis Hotel and wants the commission to “take appropriate action” against Sheckler. Sheckler

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After 20 years in public service, former Mayor Bob Sheckler is retiring

After 20 years in public service – current city councilmember and former Mayor Bob Sheckler announced his retirement at Thursday night’s Des Moines City Council meeting (March 26). Sheckler, who was Mayor for eight years, will not run for re-election for Position #6, where he has served since Jan. 2012. He has served on the City Council since

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‘Stop spending our money’ say Marina tenants to Des Moines City Council

by Jack Mayne The Des Moines Marina fund has for several years been used to supplement money in the city’s general fund and now Marina tenants are pushing for this to stop before the facility is doomed before its time. Todd Powell, president of the Des Moines Marina Tenant Association, told the Council at last Thursday night’s

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