Des Moines Offers Nichols City Manager Position

City Council selects James Nichols out of a pool of four finalists for city manager Clara McMichael Tue, 08/02/2016 We need somebody who’s going to be a great communicator, and through all the interviews and reviewing background and looking at skills sets, Jim Nichols fits the leadership and the communications skills sets above all others,”

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Highline Times: Four Finalists for Des Moines City Manager

Des Moines in the process of choosing a new city manager Tue, 07/26/2016 by Clara McMichael On July 20, the city of Des Moines hosted a meet-and-greet so community members could meet with the four finalists that the city council has chosen to fill the position of city manager. The four finalists are Michael Matthias,

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LETTER: Des Moines Mayor Kaplan says utility tax is off Dec. 17 council agenda

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written by a Reader. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Waterland Blog nor its staff:] Based on conversations with fellow councilmembers and the public, I’ve pulled the utility tax issue off of the December 17th Des Moines City Council agenda. It will not

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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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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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