6-29-26 City Council

The City of Des Moines City Council held a meeting on June 29, 2026, addressing multiple procurement and land use matters. Key procurement-related discussions included approval of a lease purchase agreement with Ziggler, Inc. for a tractor with boom mower not to exceed $88,875, and ordering construction bids for phase one of skywalk exterior improvements, with a bid alternate to potentially exclude one skywalk section to assess cost savings. The council also approved conveyance of city property and rezoning requests, notably a rezoning and land use amendment for Broadlands Medical Center to allow expansion of surface parking, which sparked debate over land use priorities, tax base impact, and alternative transportation options. Additionally, the council approved demolition of the Brown Garage buildings and discussed sustainability initiatives related to energy and water benchmarking for large buildings. Budget challenges due to state property tax caps were noted, with public engagement encouraged for upcoming budget decisions. Motions related to these procurement and land use items were unanimously approved by the council.