Neighborhood Update: November 2021

NEIGHBORHOOD UPDATE

City News for Neighborhood Association Leaders and Residents

November 2021 | View as Webpage

Another Year Winding Down

Thank you for joining us for our November edition of the Neighborhood update. This week the winter issue of City Source, the printed publication produced quarterly by the City of Des Moines, will hit the mailboxes of more than 90,000 households. Each issue is filled with timely and informative stories about what is happening around your City.

Due to the continued transmission of COVID-19, our face-covering requirement in City buildings is still in effect. With winter weather on the way, we encourage you to get your vaccine shot if you have not already.

You can sign up to get the COVID-19 vaccine here.

This newsletter is your direct connection to what's happening within your City government. If you know of someone monthly that might be interested in these updates, share this newsletter with them! They can sign up here.

DMPD Joins 30X30 Initiative To Advance

Female Officers

The Des Moines Police Department recently joined a national initiative to improve the recruitment and retention of women with the department. The 30x30 initiative aims to increase the representation of women in police recruit classes to 30% by the year 2030.

Currently, women make up 13% of sworn officers within the DMPD. Since joining the program, the DMPD has taken concrete steps to ensure that it reaches the 30% benchmark by 2030. This includes the implementation of innovative recruiting efforts and the proposition of a female-to-female mentoring program.

Participating in the 30x30 initiative means the DMPD is committed to:

Taking measures to increase the representation of women in all ranks of law enforcement
Ensuring policies and procedures are free of all bias, including gender bias and discriminatory practices
Promoting equitable hiring, retention, and promotion of women officers
Creating a culture that is inclusive, respectful, and supportive of female officers

You can learn more about the program here: www.30x30initiative.org.

Food Security Task Force Releases Findings, Recommendations, And Feed DSM Initiative

The Des Moines Food Security Task Force, formed eight months ago, has been hard at work researching ways to improve food security in the City of Des Moines. Established by the City Council, the task force has issued a final report, key recommendations, and resources for the community addressing food insecurity through urban farming and promotion of local food production.

The Task Force's work has culminated in several recommendations to enhance or improve City policies and regulations related to food security and food access. Below are a few of their key recommendations we pulled from their final report:

Expanding definitions for urban agricultural practices to reflect the diversity of approaches to urban growing and raising food locally
Removing fencing and other ancillary structure requirements for gardens that can prevent people from growing their own food
Allowing the sale of produce and products onsite for urban farms and community gardens
Simplifying the use of structures that can expand the length of the growing season, like hoops and greenhouses

The Task Force has also recommended consideration and adoption of two resolutions. One resolution would address food security, by setting aggressive, but achievable goals to produce food locally. The second recommendation would protect the right of the public to forage for food on public land throughout Des Moines. City Council will work with the City staff to determine the feasibility of these recommendations and how to best implement them.

This is only a portion of the much larger Food Security Task Force Report that was recently finalized. To read the entire report, or to learn about the creation of Food Equity and Education for Des Moines - FEED DSM - click here.

Brenton Skating Plaza Opens For The Season

The 2021-2022 season at Brenton Skating Plaza will officially begin Friday, November 19. Online registration for skating sessions is now open and walk-up admission will be allowed if space is available. Each skating session will be limited to 175 people. The Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department will also hold free "Learn-to-Skate" clinics on the dates provided below:

Saturday, December 11
Saturday, January 8
Saturday, February 12

Opening night will feature a visit from Santa, holiday tree lighting, and a chainsaw ice carver.

Reserve your skate date, view holiday hours and more at: DSM.city/brentonskatingplaza.

Learn More About Stormwater Management From Our Clean Water Team

Over the summer months, we have put an emphasis on stormwater management, whether it is one of the handful of major projects the City of Des Moines is working on or sharing opportunities you can take to manage excess water after a large storm.

After promoting one of the stormwater management opportunities available to residents, rain gardens, we received a lot of questions and interest in the program. Our clean water team has been busy working with all of the residents interested in the rain gardens, but we want to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to learn about that program and the other stormwater management programs available to residents.

Our clean water team is already planning trips to neighborhood association meetings that have reached out. If you or your neighborhood association is interested in the clean water team coming to one of your upcoming meetings, you can make that request through email at [email protected].

Below is a video the City of Des Moines recently put together representing what rain garden's look like and the benefits they can have in a community.

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As we enter the last part of 2021, we'd love to hear what you think about this newsletter. What kinds of things are you interested in, or what would be helpful for your neighborhood? Send your suggestions to [email protected].