With severe weather already picking up for 2022, the City is reminding and encouraging residents to sign up for CodeRED, a free community notification system that provides alerts about critical, time-sensitive information.

CodeRED keeps you informed about floods and other natural disasters, missing people, terrorist threats, evacuation notices, street closings and more. This automated system is administered by the Polk County Emergency Management Agency.

Notifications are targeted to specific locations impacted by an event. While landlines will be notified in a specified area, residents must register if they would like to be notified by cell phone or email.

To receive notifications, you can sign up here, or download the CodeRED Mobile Alert app in the App Store or Google Play.

Calls from CodeRED will come from 866-419-5000 for emergency notifications and 855-969-4346 for general notifications.

We hope this doesn't put a jinx on the arrival of spring, but it looks like the City of Des Moines got through the winter with HUGE savings in snow removal. According to Public Works Director Jonathan Gano, the City expended only 39% of its projected $3.2 million snow budget for the winter. That's a savings of $1.95 million.

Snow Removal By The Numbers:

"Our budget is at the mercy of mother nature," Gano said. "The fact is, it costs a lot less to move 12 inches of snow once than it does to move three inches of snow four times."

Here's the really good news - that money will now go toward pothole repair throughout the City and your neighborhood this spring.

Finally, a tip of the stocking cap to those 200+ employees from Public Works, Parks and Recreation and Wasterwater Reclamation Authority who put in the long hours during some cold days and nights to clear our streets and help us get around safely this winter.

Last month, the City of Des Moines was pleased to announce The Storytelling Project - a dynamic digital initiative in conjunction with the proposed North Side Community Recreation Center. The Storytelling Project aims to capture the culture and spirit of the community through the collection and documentation of voices, stories, artifacts, and history.

This month, the City is unveiling the conceptual vision of the proposed North Side Community Recreation Center Thursday, March 24th, during a community meeting at the Grubb YMCA. For six months, residents and community groups have gotten together to identify priorities, share ideas and help define project requirements with the consulting team. The City of Des Moines has committed $12 million to the project, details may be found here.

Location: Grubb YMCA, 1611 11th Street

Time 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

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As we kick off 2022, 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].