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Record of Proceedings

Des Moines City Council Regular Meeting – June 11, 2026

City Council — Thursday, June 11, 2026
BodyDes Moines, Washington
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, June 11, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:45:53

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.

Speaker 1

4:00

At this time, I would like to call the June eleventh, twenty twenty-six Des Moines City Council meeting and council meeting to order.

4:09

All right.

4:11

Councilmember Harry Siemens will lead us in the pledge.

4:14

Please stand if you are able.

Unassigned speaker

4:48

No,

Speaker 2

4:48

Mayor.

Unassigned speaker

4:48

Okay,

Speaker 1

4:49

thank

Unassigned speaker

4:49

you.

Speaker 1

4:53

Moving on, it's time for comments from the public.

4:56

We please ask that you keep your comments respectful when I call your name.

Unassigned speaker

5:00

Please come to the podium.

Speaker 1

5:00

You'll have three minutes to speak, and please state your name and city of residence.

5:05

The first person I have is Steve Chamblin.

Steve Shamblin · Speaker 3Inferred

5:13

Good evening.

5:14

My name is Steve Shamblin.

5:16

I live in Seattle, but I am president of Des Moines Waterland Pride.

Unassigned speaker

5:22

I

Steve Shamblin · Speaker 3Inferred

5:22

moved to Des Moines in June of 2022, never been to Des Moines, and as I turned on to 11th, the first thing that I saw was the pride flag hanging in front of this building.

5:34

And that spoke, as a gay man that spoke to me without words, that this was a safe and inclusive and welcoming space.

5:45

I'm here this evening to invite you all to the fourth annual Des Moines Waterland Pride Fest on June the 20th from noon to 4 p.m.

Unassigned speaker

5:57

We

Steve Shamblin · Speaker 3Inferred

5:58

will be at the Des Moines Theater this year.

6:00

We're excited about that.

6:05

And we would like for you to celebrate with us and to celebrate the diversity inclusivity that is Des Moines.

6:13

Thank you

Unassigned speaker

6:14

all.

Speaker 1

6:16

I have Chrissy.

Speaker 4

6:24

Hello.

6:26

Again, thank you for this opportunity to speak.

6:29

My name is Christy, and I am a longtime Des Moines resident.

6:34

Last meeting we heard um uh Chief Bo talk about flock cameras.

6:39

Um he almost seemed offended that we thought

Unassigned speaker

6:43

that we

Speaker 4

6:43

don't trust the Des Moines police department or him, and that is certainly not the case at all.

6:50

In fact, that that never even crossed my mind.

6:53

I never assumed that anyone in this community would ever use Flock Info to hurt anyone.

6:58

Um but the fact is that this is no longer 2022 when Des Moines voted to install Flock cameras.

7:04

This is now 2026,

Unassigned speaker

7:06

and

Speaker 4

7:06

the Trump administration and ICE have made it abundantly clear that they will take that information any way that they can get

Unassigned speaker

7:12

it.

Speaker 4

7:13

Um the data is first of all going to a third party.

7:16

How do we know that that third party is trustworthy?

7:19

Then the information is being uploaded to an unknown server.

7:22

Does that feel protected?

7:24

Cities around us have discovered that when they pause or turn off flock cameras that they are still in fact recording.

7:31

Where is that information going?

7:33

Who has access to it?

7:34

No one can answer that with clear evidence.

7:38

Cities have now started covering their cameras, so no images can be recorded.

7:42

Please don't tell me that these are safe because we have no control of what happens to this data after it leaves Des Moines' hands.

7:52

This is precisely why cities are all surrounding Des Moines have suspended or paused Flock cameras.

8:00

Cameras being in compliance is another issue as well.

8:03

Flock says

Unassigned speaker

8:05

that

Speaker 4

8:05

they will not record the driveway of schools.

8:08

Well, there is in fact a camera on the Highline College campus that points to 240th Street recording recording every car traveling to the school.

8:18

Just because it's not recording the actual driveway doesn't mean you're not terrorizing students daily.

8:24

They all see the camera.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Airport Development██████████████████18%
Public Engagement█████████████████17%
Affordable Housing█████████████13%
Environmental Protection██████████10%
Community Engagement█████████9%
Procedural██████6%
Strategic Planning██████6%
Noise Mitigation████4%
Racial Equity████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Des Moines City Council Regular Meeting – June 11, 2026

The Des Moines City Council met on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at 6:00 PM in City Council Chambers. The meeting included public comments on Flock cameras and airport expansion, presentations on the 2027 SKHHP work plan and budget, the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) draft environmental impact statement, and the 2026 Fourth of July event. The council approved a consent agenda (with one item pulled and debated), adopted a resolution for SKHHP, and advanced the strategic plan 'Charting Our Course' toward final adoption.

Consent Calendar

  • Vouchers: Approved payment vouchers through May 28, 2026, and payroll transfers through May 20, 2026, totaling $3,137,720.07.
  • Minutes: Approved minutes from May 7, May 14, and May 21, 2026 meetings.
  • Juneteenth Proclamation: Approved recognizing June 19, 2026, as Juneteenth.
  • Residential Conversions Ordinance: Adopted Draft Ordinance No. 26-035 (second reading).
  • Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Recommendations: Approved 2026 spending recommendations.
  • North Hill Elementary Walkway Improvements Condemnation: Passed Draft Ordinance No. 26-045 (second reading) to initiate eminent domain.
  • Consent agenda passed 7-0 (Item 5, SKHHP, was pulled for separate vote).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Steve Shamblin (President, Des Moines Waterland Pride): Invited the council and public to the Fourth Annual Des Moines Waterland Pride Fest on June 20, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Des Moines Theater, emphasizing the city's inclusive atmosphere.
  • Christie (Des Moines resident): Expressed strong opposition to Flock cameras, citing risks of data access by ICE under the Trump administration, the cameras' continued recording when paused, and their presence on the Highline College campus. She urged the council to protect Black and brown communities and noted that surrounding cities have suspended or paused Flock cameras.
  • Judy Grande (Des Moines resident): Questioned the legality of automated license plate readers (ALPR) for tracking movements. She stated that Flock Safety is valued at approximately $8.4 billion, Des Moines pays about $36,000 for 15 cameras ($2,400 per camera), and claimed cameras are out of compliance with SP 6002. She specifically mentioned cameras at 26th & 240th, Pacific Highway near Kent-Des Moines Road, and 216th near Safeway (which dispenses birth control). She also asked about an internal memo on warehouse detention facilities and urged the council to adopt a moratorium on such facilities.
  • Steve Edmiston (Des Moines resident): Addressed the Port of Seattle's SAMP public meetings, noting that past meetings avoided substantive dialogue. He asked the council to request that port staff be available to answer questions during the upcoming in-person comment sessions (e.g., June 23 at Mount Rainier).

Discussion Items

  • 2027 SKHHP Work Plan and Budget: Dorsol Plants (SKHHP Program Manager) presented the 2027 work plan and budget. Key points: No increase in member contributions for 2027; the $23,000 budget increase is driven by cost-of-living adjustments and IT support; the reserve fund totals $1,026,983 from interest earnings. The work plan includes four goals (funding affordable housing, developing policies, advocacy, and administration). Councilmember JC Harris expressed concerns that SKHHP has not accomplished its goals and voted against the resolution.
  • Port of Seattle SAMP Presentation: Dave Kaplan (Port of Seattle Local Government Relations Manager) presented the draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) under the State Environmental Policy Act (CEPA). The DEIS analyzes 16 environmental elements and found one significant impact—surface transportation—to be mitigated by $40 million in improvements. The public comment period runs May 22 through July 21, 2026 (60 days). Four in-person open houses are scheduled, including one in Des Moines on June 23. Councilmembers raised questions about sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), noise mitigation for homes, stormwater runoff into Des Moines Creek, and the need for a second commercial airport. Kaplan noted that the Port supports state-led efforts for additional airport capacity and that the SAMP projects do not expand the airport's footprint.
  • 2026 Fourth of July Event Update: Assistant City Manager AJ Johnson-Newton presented plans for the daytime event "Stars, Stripes and Sunshine" on July 4, 2026, at the Des Moines waterfront. Activities include live music, bounce houses, a dunk tank (with councilmember volunteers), food trucks, and the Des Moines Farmers Market. The event budget was reduced by 61% to $45,224.93, funded through the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. Councilmembers expressed support and volunteered for the dunk tank.
  • Review and Confirmation of Strategic Priorities: City Manager Katherine Caffrey presented final wording edits to the strategic plan 'Charting Our Course.' Changes included grammatical corrections, reordering of public safety priorities, and cleanup of redundant language. The plan will be placed on the June 25 consent agenda for adoption. A council retreat focused on implementation is tentatively set for September 11, 2026. The strategic plan will guide budget development and staff performance metrics.

Key Outcomes

  • SKHHP 2027 Work Plan and Budget: Passed as Draft Resolution No. 26-040 by a vote of 6-1 (Councilmember Harris opposed).
  • Strategic Plan Adoption Path: Motion passed 7-0 to direct staff to incorporate final feedback and place the strategic plan on the June 25, 2026 consent agenda for adoption.
  • LGBTQIA+ Pride Month Proclamation: Read by Mayor Matsui and approved 7-0 (pulled from consent agenda).
  • Juneteenth Proclamation: Read into the record; the city will fly the Juneteenth flag (date/time for flag raising to be announced).
  • Councilmember Reports: Mayor Matsui informed the council of a potential joint response with the mayors of SeaTac and Burien to a Seattle Times opinion piece supporting Sea-Tac Airport expansion. The council expressed support for the mayor's participation, with any final response to come back for council approval.
  • Next Meeting: June 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting.
  • Adjournment: Motion passed 7-0 at 7:42 PM.

Meeting Transcript

At this time, I would like to call the June eleventh, twenty twenty-six Des Moines City Council meeting and council meeting to order. All right. Councilmember Harry Siemens will lead us in the pledge. Please stand if you are able. No, Mayor. Okay, thank you. Moving on, it's time for comments from the public. We please ask that you keep your comments respectful when I call your name. Please come to the podium. You'll have three minutes to speak, and please state your name and city of residence. The first person I have is Steve Chamblin. Good evening. My name is Steve Shamblin. I live in Seattle, but I am president of Des Moines Waterland Pride. I moved to Des Moines in June of 2022, never been to Des Moines, and as I turned on to 11th, the first thing that I saw was the pride flag hanging in front of this building. And that spoke, as a gay man that spoke to me without words, that this was a safe and inclusive and welcoming space. I'm here this evening to invite you all to the fourth annual Des Moines Waterland Pride Fest on June the 20th from noon to 4 p.m. We will be at the Des Moines Theater this year. We're excited about that. And we would like for you to celebrate with us and to celebrate the diversity inclusivity that is Des Moines. Thank you all. I have Chrissy. Hello. Again, thank you for this opportunity to speak. My name is Christy, and I am a longtime Des Moines resident. Last meeting we heard um uh Chief Bo talk about flock cameras. Um he almost seemed offended that we thought that we don't trust the Des Moines police department or him, and that is certainly not the case at all. In fact, that that never even crossed my mind. I never assumed that anyone in this community would ever use Flock Info to hurt anyone. Um but the fact is that this is no longer 2022 when Des Moines voted to install Flock cameras. This is now 2026, and the Trump administration and ICE have made it abundantly clear that they will take that information any way that they can get it. Um the data is first of all going to a third party. How do we know that that third party is trustworthy? Then the information is being uploaded to an unknown server. Does that feel protected? Cities around us have discovered that when they pause or turn off flock cameras that they are still in fact recording. Where is that information going? Who has access to it? No one can answer that with clear evidence.

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