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CLOSE UP. IT’S BEEN FIVE YEARS SINCE DES MOINES SHUT DOWN. VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID 19. THE STEPS CITY LEADERS TOOK TO RECOVER AND WHAT IMPACTS THE PANDEMIC HAS LEFT ON DES MOINES. DES MOINES ELECTS ITS FIRST WOMAN TO LEAD THE CITY AFTER 20 YEARS WITH THE PREVIOUS MAYOR. WE’RE HEARING FROM MAYOR CONNIE BOESEN ABOUT HER FIRST YEAR ON THE JOB AND HER PRIORITIES FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. AND POLK COUNTY HAS A NEW BOARD CHAIR TO LEAD THE SUPERVISORS. WHAT MATT MCCOY IS TACKLING IN 2025, AND SOME OF THE BIG PROJECTS THE COUNTY IS BEHIND. THIS IS IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. THIS IS ����vlog EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. GOOD MORNING AND THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR ����vlog EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. I’M CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER. THE FIRST FEMALE MAYOR OF DES MOINES, CONNIE BOESEN HAS BEEN ON THE JOB FOR A LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR NOW. SHE WAS SWORN IN BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL AT THE BEGINNING OF 2024, TAKING OVER FOR FRANK COUNTY, WHO HAD BEEN MAYOR FOR TWO DECADES. HE’S NOW A CLIMATE AMBASSADOR FOR THE CITY. FIVE YEARS AGO, MAYOR COUNTY ANNOUNCED A STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR THE CITY TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID 19. THE PROCLAMATION AT THE TIME LARGELY FOCUSED ON GATHERINGS OF 250 PEOPLE OR MORE. THAT INCLUDED THE SAINT PATRICK’S DAY PARADE THAT YEAR. NOW, THE SAME WEEK, GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS ISSUED A PUBLIC HEALTH DISASTER EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION FOR THE ENTIRE STATE OF IOWA RIGHT AWAY. SCHOOL BUILDINGS CLOSED DOWN, BARS, RESTAURANTS, FITNESS CENTERS, THEATERS, AND CASINOS WERE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC. WEDDINGS WERE PUSHED BACK. GRADUATION CEREMONIES WERE MOVED OUTDOORS, AND HIGH SCHOOL PROMS GOT POSTPONED. NOW, ONE BY ONE, THOSE RESTRICTIONS WERE LATER LIFTED. THE ENTIRE EMERGENCY PUBLIC HEALTH PROCLAMATION EXPIRED IN FEBRUARY OF 2022. WELL, A LOT OF THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE THEN. HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THAT WAS ALREADY FIVE YEARS AGO. MAYOR CONNIE BOESEN IS HERE WITH US THIS MORNING. THANKS FOR JOINING US. YES, IT’S HARD WHEN YOU SAY FIVE YEARS. IT’S PRETTY INCREDIBLE. AND THE CHANGES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE AND HOW PEOPLE MOVE AND RECREATE AND ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAME UP. AND WHAT WE LEARNED IN THE CITY IS HOW IMPORTANT OUR PARKS WERE, OUR OUTDOOR SPACE AND OUR GREAT TRAILS, BECAUSE IT GAVE PEOPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET OUTSIDE AND REALLY, HOPEFULLY, WE’VE STRENGTHENED ALL OF THOSE AVENUES FOR OUR CITIZENS AND SHOWN WHAT THE IMPORTANCE TO BE OUTSIDE IS. AND ALSO THE CHANGE OF THE WORKPLACE. WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE COMING BACK TO WORK, BUT NOT MAYBE FIVE DAYS A WEEK. AND SO HOW WE’RE TRANSFORMING DOWNTOWN DES MOINES INTO BASICALLY MORE HOUSING, WHERE YOU CAN LIVE, WORK AND ENTERTAIN AND PLAY AND HAVE A LOOK AT HOW YOU TRANSFORM A DOWNTOWN AREA THAT’S PRIMARILY WORK RELATED. YEAH. HOW DO YOU DO THAT? I MEAN, FIVE YEARS IS NOT A LONG TIME, BUT WE’VE ALREADY SEEN A LOT OF CHANGE WITHIN THAT FIVE YEARS. YOU KNOW, HOW WHAT’S THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO TURN DES MOINES INTO A PLACE THAT MORE PEOPLE LIVE AND NOT JUST WORK? WELL, I THINK ONE OF MY PRIORITIES WAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SAY, LET’S BE OPEN FOR BUSINESS. AND WE SEE AMERICAN EQUITY BRINGING IN 6 TO 700 EMPLOYEES DOWNTOWN. WE SEE THE FIRST SKYSCRAPER IN DOWNTOWN DES MOINES, 30 STORIES, 33 STORIES, WITH OVER 300 HOUSING UNITS. WE SEE FINANCIAL CENTER ROUND TWO, ALL CONVERTING INTO HOUSING AND WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENTS. SO AGAIN, IT’S HOW YOU TRANSFORM. BUT I THINK THAT MAYBE THE THE EXPERIENCE OF OVER TWO. FIVE YEARS AGO BROUGHT US TO WHERE PEOPLE GOT CREATIVE AND HOW TO REPURPOSE BUILDINGS AND STILL MAKE AN IMPACT DOWNTOWN BECAUSE THERE’S A LOT OF GROWTH GOING ON IN THE GRAY STATION AREA. STILL, WE HAVE THE MARKET DISTRICT, SO WE HAVE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES COMING FORWARD. WHAT SURPRISED YOU MOST IN YOUR FIRST YEAR ON THE JOB, AND WHAT ARE YOUR TOP PRIORITIES FOR 2025? REALLY SURPRISED ME WAS HOW HOW ENGAGED PEOPLE ARE AND REALLY GETTING INVOLVED AND STILL BEING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND HEARING WHAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE. I THINK THAT BEING ON THE COUNCIL FOR SIX YEARS BEFORE, THERE WEREN’T A LOT OF SURPRISES, BUT THE IMPACT OF PEOPLE BELIEVE THE ROLE OF THE MAYOR IS AND THE IMPACT I’VE HAD ON YOUNG WOMEN TO AS BEING THE FIRST FEMALE MAYOR. IT’S BEEN PRETTY EXCITING TO SEE THEIR EXCITEMENT, TO MEET ME, TO SAY ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. SO FROM THAT ASPECT. BUT I THINK THAT THERE’S ALWAYS CHALLENGES THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE, AND WE JUST HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW WE’RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD. AND ONE THING FOR ME, I WAS ONE OF THE 39 MAYORS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD THAT WAS CHOSEN FOR THE BLOOMBERG HARVARD CITIES INITIATIVE. SO THEY BRING PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TOGETHER. THE 39 MAYORS. AND THROUGH THAT, THEN WE ARE DOING AN INNOVATION TRACK WHERE THEY’RE GIVING US COACHING AND ABILITY TO BRING AN ISSUE FORWARD AND COLLECTIVELY WORK HOW WE CAN DO IT BETTER AND MORE CREATIVELY FOR LONG LASTING IMPACT. BECAUSE THE FORMER MAYOR BLOOMBERG BELIEVES THAT MAYORS GET MORE DONE BECAUSE WE ARE THE CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE. WELL, I WANT TO SWITCH GEARS NOW TO POLICING AND PUBLIC SAFETY. YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN SIX OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTINGS IN THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS IN DES MOINES. NOW, OFFICERS HAVE KILLED SIX PEOPLE SINCE JULY 2024, WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS. IF YOU LOOK AT BETWEEN 2015 AND 2023. DES MOINES POLICE USED DEADLY FORCE ON FIVE PEOPLE TOTAL. NOW, AFTER THE MOST RECENT DEADLY OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING ON THE CITY’S EAST SIDE, SERGEANT PAUL PARIZEK ADDRESSED THE INCREASE IN FREQUENCY. WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF ENCOUNTERS WITH ARMED PEOPLE EVERY YEAR, AND WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY IS THERE FOR US TO TO FIND A DIFFERENT PATH TO SOLUTION, THAT’S WHAT WE DO. WHEN IT COMES TO THE USE OF DEADLY FORCE, THAT’S NOT OUR PRIMARY SOLUTION, BUT IT’S A REACTION TO A SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE’RE PRESENTED WITH AND A THREAT AGAINST OURSELVES OR SOMEONE ELSE. SO THE ANSWER TO THOSE QUESTIONS LIES IN EVERY SINGLE, SINGLE STORY. OFFICERS ARE PUT ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE AND ARE UNDER INVESTIGATION. WHENEVER A SITUATION LIKE THIS HAPPENS. AND MANY OF THESE SHOOTINGS, THE POLK COUNTY ATTORNEY AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAVE DETERMINED THAT THE ACTIONS OF OFFICERS WHO WERE INVOLVED WERE JUSTIFIED. NOW, MAYOR, I WANT TO ASK YOU, HAVE YOU HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DES MOINES POLICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THIS? IS THE CITY PUSHING FOR ANY TYPE OF POLICY CHANGES WHEN IT COMES TO THIS? WE HAVEN’T DISCUSSED POLICY CHANGES, BUT WHAT WE HAVE IS, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW EACH INCIDENT HAS ITS OWN SPECIFIC REASON. AND AS YOU SAID, MOST OF THEM HAVE BEEN CLEARED. AND WE WILL DO ONGOING EFFORTS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALTERNATIVES. BUT OUR POLICE OFFICERS HAVE TO MAKE SPLIT SECOND DECISIONS. AND WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE TO DO AS MUCH TRAINING AS WE CAN AND PROVIDE THE SUPPORTS THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT. AND THEN WE ALSO NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ISSUES ARE, WHY PEOPLE WOULD BE HAVING WEAPONS THEMSELVES, AND HOW WE CAN MAKE CHANGES AND MAKE THE MOST IMPACTFUL CHANGE FOR THE SAFEST COMMUNITY WE CAN HAVE. WELL, OUR CONVERSATION WILL CONTINUE AFTER THIS BREAK. STILL TO COME ON CLOSE UP, WE LOOK AT THE CITY’S HOMELESS ORDINANCE AND THE IMPACT THAT BUDGET CUTS ARE MAKING. AND A LITTLE LATER, WE’LL HEAR FROM POLK COUNTY’S NEWEST BOARD CHAIR ABOUT THE PRIORITIES SUPERVISORS ARE WORKING ON THIS YEAR AND THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP. MAYOR CONNIE BOESEN IS WITH US THIS MORNING. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. WE APPRECIATE IT. YOU’RE WELCOME. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. WELL, ONE OF THE BIGGEST TOPICS OF CONVERSATION IN DES MOINES THIS PAST YEAR HAS BEEN PUBLIC CAMPING. THE CITY PASSED LAST SEPTEMBER A PUBLIC CAMPING ORDINANCE. IT SPARKED A LOT OF BACKLASH IN THE CITY, BUT ALSO A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO DEAL WITH HOMELESSNESS AND HOW TO PROVIDE PEOPLE SERVICES. WALK ME THROUGH WHAT YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS, YOU KNOW, WAS THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS, AND HOW YOU’RE FEELING ABOUT THE ENFORCEMENT OF THAT ORDINANCE NOW? WELL, OUR WHOLE GOAL WAS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO BE IN A SAFER ENVIRONMENT, CAMPING OUTSIDE IS IS NOT SAFE AND MANY TIMES NOT. IT’S NOT HEALTHY AND IT’S NOT VERY SANITARY FOR PEOPLE TO BE OUTSIDE. SO WHAT WE DID WAS IN OUR ORDINANCE WAS TO PUT IN TEN INITIATIVES, AND THOSE HAVE BEEN PUT TOGETHER RIGHT NOW. SO THE VERY FIRST, WHICH I FELT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT, WAS OUTREACH WORKERS. THEY ARE THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT WITH ANYBODY CAMPING AS TO WHY ARE YOU CAMPING? WHAT CAN WE DO? CAN WE GET YOU INTO A SHELTER? CAN WE GET YOU SOMEPLACE SAFER? AND SO THOSE HAVE ALL FOUR BEEN HIRED NOW, AND THEY ARE OUT WORKING WITH THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CAMPING. THE NEXT THING WAS TO PROVIDE STORAGE FOR THEIR BELONGINGS. IF THEY CHOSE TO GO IN SOMEWHERE, WHERE COULD YOU PUT IT? AND SO WE ARE ACTUALLY PROVIDING STICKERS OR ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO KEEP. WE WOULD PUT INTO STORAGE UNTIL THEY COULD FIND SOMEPLACE FOR HOUSING. THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WE’RE DOING IS WE PUT PORTA POTTIES ACTUALLY DOWNTOWN BY TWO GARAGES TO SAY, WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES FOR PEOPLE AND HOW CAN WE MAKE IT BETTER FOR THEM? SO THERE’S A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES, BUT THE GOAL OF THE WHOLE ORDINANCE REALLY WAS TO GET PEOPLE NOT CAMPING ON THE STREETS. WE SPENT SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO $400,000 AND I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY. JUST A FEW MONTHS CLEAN UP ENCAMPMENTS. A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE JUST MOVE ON. THEY LEAVE IT. AND THAT MONEY COULD BE SO MUCH BETTER SPENT ON HELPING PEOPLE GET HOUSING, HELPING PEOPLE GET THE HELP THEY NEED. THAT’S WHY WE HAVE PARTNERED TO WITH, YOU KNOW, POLK COUNTY ON THEIR LIFE SERVICE CENTER FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING SUBSTANCE ABUSE OR ANYTHING THAT THEY MIGHT NEED HELP WITH. SO WE ARE TRYING TO PROVIDE. IN FACT, THIS IS ONE OF OUR INITIATIVES THAT, UNDER THE BLOOMBERG HARVARD PROGRAM THAT WE’RE DOING. AND SO WE HAVE ALMOST 12 OF OUR CITY STAFF THAT ARE COMING TOGETHER TO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES. AND OUR GOAL IS THAT WE WILL FIND THE END. HAVE NO MORE CAMPING BY 2030. BUT HAVING PEOPLE GET TO RAPID REHOUSING HOUSING SO THEY’RE IN A SAFE, SANITARY CONDITION AND A BETTER LIFE. I WANT TO SWITCH GEARS A LITTLE BIT NOW TO TALK ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES. WE KNOW IN 2023, PROPERTY TAX REFORM WAS PASSED AND THAT’S HAD A LARGE IMPACT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ALL ACROSS THE STATE. WITH DES MOINES BEING A, YOU KNOW, SUCH A LARGE CITY IN OUR STATE, IT CERTAINLY HAD AN IMPACT ON OUR CITY AS WELL. BUT HOW HAS THAT IMPACTED THE CITY’S BUDGET? WELL, THAT’S WHY WE HAVE A $17 MILLION DEFICIT THIS YEAR. WHEN YOU CAP GROWTH, YOU THEN CANNOT PROVIDE ALL THE SERVICES YOU WANT. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN ABOUT 12 YEARS THAT WE’VE HAD TO MAKE BUDGET CUTS. I WAS KIND OF FAMILIAR WITH IT WITH SCHOOLS BECAUSE WE CUT EVERY YEAR, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO AGAIN LOOK AT WHAT IS WHAT ARE THE CUTS THAT WE’RE DOING THAT ARE LEAST IMPACTFUL TO OUR RESIDENTS. EVERY AREA OF THE CITY HAS MADE SOME TYPE OF CUT, BUT WE WE BELIEVE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GROW OUR CITY TO BRING UP THE VALUES SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND PROVIDE THE SERVICES, BECAUSE WITH INFLATION AND CONTRACTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY BELIEVE WE WERE CAPPED AT 2%. IT’S VERY HARD TO COVER ALL THE CITY SERVICES WE ARE TRYING TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES AND THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY AND THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY, AND FOR OUR RESIDENTS, REALLY FOR WHAT THEY DESERVE TO HAVE. NOW, THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS CONSIDERING FURTHER PROPERTY TAX REFORM. ONE HOW MUCH OF A VOICE DO YOU HAVE AT THE TABLE AS THEY’RE CONSIDERING THAT REFORM? BUT TWO, HOW ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT HOW THAT MAY IMPACT DES MOINES BUDGET GOING FORWARD? WE’RE TRYING TO FIND OUT THAT RIGHT NOW, I KNOW ALL THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GOING WORKING AT THE FINANCIALS, BECAUSE ONE THING IMPACTS ANOTHER, AND IT’S A VERY COMPLICATED SYSTEM. SO WE ARE WORKING COLLECTIVELY WITH ALL THE OTHER COMMUNITIES AND WORKING WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, PLUS HAVING CONVERSATION WITH THE THE STAFF OF THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE AND LEGISLATORS TO SAY THIS IS REALLY HOW IT’S GOING TO IMPACT AND HOPEFULLY WE’LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF THAT IN THE NEXT WEEK. WE’RE GETTING SOME INDICATION, BUT IT’S PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER TAKES SOME TIME, BUT IT DEFINITELY HAS SOME IMPACTS, AND WE’RE JUST TRYING TO AGAIN, PROVIDE THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE. AND WANT. WELL, MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. WELL, STILL TO COME ON CLOSE UP. WE TALKED TO THE CHAIR OF THE POLK COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THIS BREAK. STAY WITH US. THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THAT. OH, YEAH. YEAH. THERE YOU GO. HEY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. YEAH. THANK YOU. YOU HAVE. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP. IN JANUARY, THE POLK COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ELECTED MATT MCCOY, FIRST DISTRICT SUPERVISOR, AS ITS NEW CHAIR. DISTRICT ONE INCLUDES PARTS OF DES MOINES SOUTH SIDE AND THE MAJORITY OF THE WEST SIDE, WINDSOR HEIGHTS, AS WELL AS WEST DES MOINES AND CLIVE WITHIN POLK COUNTY. NOW, MCCOY PREVIOUSLY SERVED TWO TERMS IN THE IOWA HOUSE AND SIX TERMS IN THE IOWA SENATE, SWITCHING FROM STATE GOVERNMENT TO LOCAL. SO THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. WE APPRECIATE YOU HAVING ME. WELL, WHAT WAS YOUR MOTIVATION TO JOIN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS? AND FOR PEOPLE AT HOME WHO MAY NOT KNOW WHAT SERVICES DO THE POLK COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PROVIDE? WELL, THANKS FOR ASKING. YOU KNOW, I THINK THE KEY WITH ME MAKING THE CHANGE IS MOVING FROM THE STATE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS WANTING TO BE INVOLVED MORE LOCALLY IN MY COMMUNITY, THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE SUPPORT AS COUNTY GOVERNMENT ARE TEND TO BE OUR SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, THE AGENCIES THAT THAT HELP PEOPLE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. SO EVERYTHING FROM HOMELESS SHELTERS TO FOOD INSECURITY ISSUES RELATED TO FOOD PANTRIES AND FOOD BANKS, AND PROVIDING ASSISTANCE FOR SENIOR CITIZENS, THOSE ARE ALL THE TYPES OF THINGS WE’RE INVOLVED IN. AND THAT’S WHAT I WANTED TO DO AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. HOW DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE DONE DELIVERING ON YOUR CAMPAIGN PROMISES SO FAR? WELL, YOU KNOW, IT’S IT’S IT’S IT’S BEEN A CHALLENGE. WE WE TOOK A SYSTEM IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT THAT WAS REALLY ANTIQUATED, I THINK, AND ARE TRYING TO MOVE IT FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE SO THAT IT’S PREPARED TO DEAL WITH MORE THAN A MILLION RESIDENTS BY THE YEAR 2050. AND I THINK THAT’S THE DIRECTION WE’RE GOING. AND I THINK WE’RE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS. I THINK THERE’S MORE WORK TO BE DONE. THERE’S A LOT OF CLEANING UP THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE, A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS AND EFFICIENCIES THAT NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTED. THE ONE THING THAT HAS COME OUT IN SOME OF THE TURMOIL IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS HAS BEEN ABOUT THE SALARIES THAT COUNTY OFFICIALS MAKE. I KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEMBERS MAKE AT LEAST $149,000, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN WHAT THE GOVERNOR MAKES. YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU ASSURE TAXPAYERS THAT THEY’RE GETTING $150,000 OF VALUE OUT OF THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS? I THINK IT’S A FAIR QUESTION. I’VE I’VE ACTUALLY VOTED AGAINST THE LAST FIVE PAY RAISES THAT HAVE COME THROUGH. AND THE REASON I’VE DONE THAT IS I FELT THE SALARIES WERE TOO HIGH AND WE GAVE OURSELVES 0% IN THE LAST IN THE LAST CONTRACT NEGOTIATION. AND I THINK THAT’S APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME. WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS THAT I WORK VERY HARD AND I’M THERE. I’M THERE 60 TO 70 HOURS A WEEK DOING THE THE PEOPLE’S BUSINESS. AND I’M TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT I’M DELIVERING VALUE FOR THE TAXPAYERS. ONE THING I WILL SAY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK AT OUR OVERALL SYSTEM AND WE LOOK FOR EFFICIENCIES, WE’VE DONE SALARY SURVEYS AND WE’VE WE’VE LOOKED AT THE SALARIES OF OUR EMPLOYEES TO SEE HOW COMPETITIVE WE ARE AND WHETHER WE’RE TOO HIGH OR TOO LOW. AND BY AND LARGE, MOST OF OUR EMPLOYEES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A COUPLE OF HUNDRED EMPLOYEES, WERE RIGHT WITHIN THEIR RANGE. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD, HAVING A COMPREHENSIVE SALARY. SYSTEM IN PLACE IS AN IMPORTANT PLACE TO START AS IT RELATES TO SALARIES. THE BOARD ALSO RECENTLY FINALIZED A SETTLEMENT WITH JOHN NORRIS FINALIZING HIS EXIT AS POLK COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. YOU KNOW, THAT SETTLEMENT WAS HALF $1 MILLION FOR TAXPAYERS WHO MAY BE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT PRICE TAG. YOU KNOW, WHY DID THE COUNTY FEEL THE NEED TO TO HAVE IT BE THAT MUCH? SO SO, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY HIS SALARY WAS JUST UNDER 300,000. SO THAT’S A YEAR’S SALARY. AND THEN THERE WERE COMPENSATION FOR HIS VACATION TIME AND HIS COMP TIME. AND SOME RETIREMENT BENEFITS. AND THAT MADE UP THE PACKAGE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU CHANGE AN ADMINISTRATION, THERE’S A COST ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THAT WAS A COST ASSOCIATED WITH IT. AND AND ULTIMATELY WHAT WHAT THE TAXPAYERS DIDN’T SEE IS WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WHAT LITIGATION COULD POTENTIALLY COST IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT. AND SO THAT’S WHY THAT’S WHY THE SETTLEMENT APPEARED AS GENEROUS AS IT WAS, BECAUSE IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A YEAR’S SALARY. WHAT’S THE PLAN GOING FORWARD ON HIRING A NEW ADMINISTRATOR? SO I THINK THAT THE WE HAVE AN ACTING ADMINISTRATOR RIGHT NOW. HE’LL BE IN PLACE FOR AS LONG AS WE NEED HIM. I THINK WE’RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT A 6 TO 9 MONTH RUNWAY HERE TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS WITH ONGOING, SOME ONGOING CHALLENGES THAT THAT NEED TO BE CLEANED UP BEFORE WE GO OUT AND ACTUALLY CONDUCT WHAT WE HOPE WILL BE A NATIONAL SEARCH TO TRY TO FIND A NEW ADMINISTRATOR. WELL, I HAVE A LOT MORE QUESTIONS FOR YOU ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT THE POLK COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ARE WORKING ON. WE’LL GET TO THOSE IN JUST A MINUTE. STAY WITH US AFTER THIS BREAK. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP. I’M JOINED BY MATT MCCOY, THE CHAIR OF THE POLK COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. THANKS FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. THANK YOU. WELL, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS IN TERMS OF FUNDING, FEDERAL FUNDING, LOCAL FUNDING. BUT ONE PIECE OF FUNDING FOR LOTS OF NONPROFITS IN OUR COUNTY IS THE PRAIRIE MEADOWS CASINO. RECENTLY, A CEDAR RAPIDS WAS GIVEN A LICENSE FOR A NEW CASINO THERE. DOES THE COUNTY HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THAT MAY IMPACT THE GAMING INDUSTRY? AND, YOU KNOW, IMPACT ANY OF THE FUNDING FOR LOCAL NONPROFITS IN THE COUNTY? YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, WE’RE GOING TO BE WATCHING TO SEE AS THAT CASINO COMES ONLINE, THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS AT THIS POINT. WE’VE LOOKED AT SOME OF THE STUDIES THAT INDICATE THE THE ATTENDANCE SHOULD HAVE A MINIMAL EFFECT OVERALL. ON, ON, ON GAMING IN POLK COUNTY. I THINK PRAIRIE MEADOWS IS A GREAT OPERATION AND THEY DO A GOOD JOB TAKING CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. AND FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, I THINK THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE PROFITABLE AND SUCCESSFUL. IT MAY HAVE IT MAY HAVE A SLIGHT IMPACT, BUT YOU KNOW, THEY’VE COME OFF TWO OF THE BEST YEARS THEY’VE EVER HAD SINCE COVID. AND SO I THINK THEY’RE FEELING VERY COMFORTABLE ABOUT THE DIRECTION THEY’RE GOING. THERE’S ALSO BEEN A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY AROUND FEDERAL FUNDING RIGHT NOW, AND HOW THAT IMPACTS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. IS POLK COUNTY FEELING ANYTHING FROM THAT UNCERTAINTY? YOU KNOW, WE’RE STARTING TO SEE IT SHOW UP THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING IN IN POLK COUNTY RELATED TO THE CITY OF DES MOINES, AS WELL. IT’S A CONTINUUM OF CARE. IT’S HOW WE CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO HOUSE. SO OUR HOUSING PIECES THAT ARE STARTING TO SHOW UP IS PAUSES ON FEDERAL FUNDING THROUGH HUD THAT RELATES TO HELPING PEOPLE STAY IN THEIR HOMES. WE HAVE AT RISK, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN 550 INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO HOUSE, THAT ARE AT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS IF THIS FUNDING DOESN’T COME THROUGH. SO WE’RE WATCHING THAT VERY CAREFULLY. THE MAYOR AND I ARE WORKING ON SOLUTIONS FOR THAT IN THE SHORT TERM AND IN THE LONG TERM. WE’RE HOPING THAT THE FEDERAL FUNDS WILL WILL COME THROUGH FOR THE HOUSING PIECE. I KNOW THERE WERE ALSO PLANS FOR, YOU KNOW, REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT WELCOME CENTER. IS IS IT FULL SPEED AHEAD FOR THAT OR ARE THERE BUMPS IN THE ROAD? SO IT’S AND IT THE CONCERN IS THAT, YOU KNOW, SINCE THE IT APPEARS THAT LEGAL IMMIGRATION THROUGH REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT IS GOING TO BE PAUSED AT THIS TIME. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD PROPOSED AS AS CREATING A GLOBAL NEIGHBORS IS A ONE STOP SHOP TO HELP NEW IOWANS GET STARTED IN THEIR JOBS AND HELP WITH EMPLOYMENT, IMMUNIZATIONS, CHILD CARE. AS AS KIND OF THIS ONE SHOP CENTER, WHICH WE’RE WE WERE CREATING AND WE’RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT. WE HAD PLANNED TO STAFF THAT WITH REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT FOLKS, EITHER FROM LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES OR CATHOLIC CHARITIES. AND AS YOU’VE SEEN, A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS HAVE BEEN LAID OFF IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT IT DOESN’T APPEAR THERE WILL BE AN ONGOING REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM. SO WE’RE LOOKING AT HOW WE WOULD STOP STAFF, AND WE’RE LOOKING AT VOLUNTEERISM AND CHURCHES HELPING STAFF THESE, BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF NEW IOWANS LIVING IN CENTRAL IOWA. AND WE WANT TO BE SUPPORTIVE TO THEM, TO HELP THEM FIND EMPLOYMENT, TO HELP THEM FIND HOUSING, TO HELP THEM FIND CHILDCARE, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY’RE THEY’RE GETTING STARTED IN IN A POSITIVE WAY. WE NEED, QUITE FRANKLY, WE NEED THE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE THAT ARE OFFERED RIGHT NOW. WE NEED PEOPLE TO FILL THE JOBS THAT THAT ARE AVAILABLE. AND THESE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE HARD WORKERS, AND THEY’RE GOING TO WORK AND HELPING IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITIES AND RAISING THEIR FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES. AND SO OVERALL, WE’VE FOUND REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT TO BE A WONDERFUL PROGRAM. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR ����vlog EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT SUNDAY. HAVE A GREAT DAY.