Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.
The Des Moines City Council met on October 1, 2026, to hear a presentation on the Tree Canopy Preservation Program and to vote on the 2027-2028 Human Services Funding Recommendations. The Council approved the consent agenda and excused Councilmember Steinman. No public comments were received.
Staff (Tyler Beekley, Julie Brant) presented an update on the program aimed at preserving public tree canopy for stormwater management. A field assessment of 54 plots across 8 city-owned parcels found healthy mature forests but significant threats from climbing ivy, invasive species, and a lack of evergreen regrowth.
Proposal and Scenarios: Staff proposed transferring 41 additional parcels to the Surface Water Utility and implementing a dedicated rate increase to fund maintenance. Three scenarios were presented:
Council Deliberation: Councilmembers Nutting, Harris, Desmond, the Mayor, and Deputy Mayor Oxiger expressed strong support for Scenario C, arguing it was a minor cost ($2.45/mo) that protected city assets and was more efficient in the long run. Councilmember Bloss expressed wariness of increasing rates on taxpayers and favored Scenario B.
Outcome: The Council directed staff to bring forward the parcel transfer and a 7.5% rate increase (Scenario C) for formal approval at the November 12, 2026 meeting.
City Manager Katherine Caffrey and the Human Services Committee presented their funding recommendations.
Process: The committee reviewed approximately 80 applications and narrowed it to 15 funded organizations for 2027, totaling $150,000 (down from 19 in the prior cycle). A $50,000 needs assessment is budgeted for 2027 to better guide allocations for 2028.
Key Recommendations:
Council Deliberation:
Vote: The motion to approve the recommendations and authorize the City Manager to sign contracts (contingent on budget approval) passed 6-0.
At this time I would like to call the October 1st, 2026 Des Moines City Council meeting to order. Councilmember Robin Desmondy will lead us in the pledge. Please stand if you are able. No, Mayor. Okay, thank you. I've just heard that there were no persons signed up for comments from the public, so we're gonna go ahead and move on to regional committee reports. We are running a committee of the whole meeting format. Uh however, council members do serve regionally on other committees. Do any council members have any items of interest to the public or the council? All right. Um mayor, I think since we have an absence, we need to do one you're right. Thank you. I just skipped that because I felt like it. Uh please let the record please let the record show that um council member Steinman's is absence. Uh he let us know he would not be here today. Is there a motion to excuse? So moved, mayor. And a second, all those in favor. Motion passes six zero. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. Um we do not have a city manager report tonight, so we'll just dive into two pretty meaty items. Okay. Well that you mean the consent agenda? Yes. Gotcha, gotcha. I was like, really? Is it consent agenda? All right. Clerk, will you please read the consent agenda? Item one, approval of vouchers. Item two, approval of minutes. Item three, additional sales tax for children and family services. Second reading, and that concludes the consent agenda, Mayor. Thank you. Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda as read? So moved, mayor. Council member nutting any second. Councilmember Desmondy, it's motioned and seconded. Does any council member wish to pull an item? No, all right. Then we'll be uh voting on all three of those items as red. Please raise your right hand until I call your name.