Des Moines City Council: 2 Vie For At-Large Seat

DES MOINES, IA — Two longtime east-side residents with lengthy resumes of service to the community are seeking to hold the seat of at-large representative on the Des Moines City Council. Skip Moore was elected to the position in 2009 and 2013 and says 35 years as a city employee and his background in forestry and environmental issues and pressing to get things done positions him to best represent the residents.

Challenger Connie Boesen spent 14 years as a Des Moines School Board member and says she knows all parts of the community and its residents' needs. She says she will make sure the basic services, housing and transportation are available to everyone and that revitalization that has taken place downtown extends into neighborhoods.

Voters will decide Tuesday which candidate best represents Des Moines. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can find your polling place here.

Patch asked the candidates about their campaign and vision for the community and why he or she would be the best choice. Their responses follow:

The single most pressing issue in Des Moines and what I intend to do about it is:

Boesen: We are fortunate to be experiencing unprecedented growth in Des Moines, but we need to make sure we are not leaving our most vulnerable residents and working families behind. This means focusing on basic needs like affordable housing and transportation and bringing energy and commitment to revitalizing our neighborhoods — by bringing the private and public partnerships together that brought about the growth of downtown and replicating that in the neighborhoods.

Moore: Finances. I would support LOSST (the local option sales tax being discussed in Polk County). At least 25 percent if not up to 50 percent would go to property tax relief. The remainder would be used mainly for neighborhoods.

What is the critical difference between you and your opponent?

Boesen: I have a track record of getting things done and have represented the entire city. I will work in a collaborative way with other council members and try to look at things in a positive way. I do not believe the current council member works to represent the entire community.

Moore: Experience. I worked for the city for 35 years and i am finishing my second term, which is eight years on the city council. My opponent has no experience with the city.

What other issues define your campaign?

Boesen: Revitalize neighborhoods to ensure better housing opportunities for the entire community, strengthen our neighborhood policing, and promote business/public/neighborhood partnerships.

Moore: Public safety, clean water and neighborhoods. In that order.

What would define your term as a success in office?

Boesen: That we have vibrant neighborhoods in all parts of the city, that we no longer have a backlog of homes that have been deemed a nuisance and have created enough affordable housing to cover our citizens' needs.

Moore: Changing the mindset of staff from concentrating only on downtown Des Moines to concentrating on the neighborhoods. They have ignored the neighborhoods for as long as I can remember.

Why should voters trust you?

Boesen: I have won four elections on the Des Moines School Board and I believe that is because of I the trust of the voters. I have been transparent on how I approach an issue and will take the time to discuss with people anything they would like to discuss. If the remedy to a situation is not what they would like, I try to make sure that I am clear on why I took the position I did.

Moore: I am accessible, I am accountable and I am transparent.

What quote defines your philosophy?

Boesen: Did not answer.

Moore: “We are conferring on them what they ought to have had years ago: The privilege of being American citizens and being placed under the protection of our flag.” — Horace M. Towner, representative from Iowa, and printed on a visitors area of the U.S. Capitol. He made that speech to the U.S. House of Representatives on Feb. 24, 1917. I saw it at the visitors center about a year ago.

What question should be asked of current government employees accountable to the city council?

Boesen: A council should make sure that staff has clear direction of the goals and beliefs that guide the city. The council needs to make sure that the various departments are delivering the services to the citizens of this community that they deserve and expect. Are we doing everything in a cost effective way?

Moore: The city attorney, clerk and city manager are the only three that really answer to the council. Their roles are widely varied. We just got done reviewing them for a raise and I was one of three that reviewed them. Each has a totally different job, but the question I would ask of all of them is "Are you planning on leaving in the next year?"

Explain your attitude toward fiscal policy, government spending and how taxpayer dollars should be handled by the council:

Boesen: I have served on the Des Moines School Board for 14 years and have dealt with budgets very similar to the city. While on the school board, I have lobbied for funding from the federal government for preschools, created a program called Dream to Teach to mentor minority students to become teachers, worked with United Way to raise awareness in the community that we needed to graduate more students, and started the Graduation Walk.

Moore: We must operate with a balanced budget and complete transparency.

What accomplishments show you can handle this job?

Boesen: We are stewards of the tax dollars and need to make sure that every dollar is spent wisely and effectively. There needs to be long range projections made on financial picture of the city to enable better planning on how money should be spent.

Moore: The completion of the update on the 7th Ward ditch. They are completing it as we speak and it's maybe two years to completion. Eight years ago it was maybe half done and they weren’t planning to complete it. I advised the city that we would complete it. We started immediately after the State Fair was over this year putting a box sewer under fairgrounds. This has cost tens of millions of dollars. The northern section to the fairgrounds had been done, but the fairgrounds to the south, where it connects to Four Mile Creek, they weren’t going to do.

What is the best advice ever shared with you?

Boesen: Did not answer.

Moore: From my grandmother: The three most valuable words in the English language are "I don’t know." I would add to that, "but I will find out." Say that and you can’t be accused of lying.

Final thoughts on yourself or your position?

Boesen: I have lived in Des Moines my whole life and care deeply about our residents. I will bring a fresh perspective and dedication to the council. My experience working with several local government entities is valuable in building partnerships that will allow all of our neighborhoods to share our successes.

Moore: I believe the citizens of Des Moines own the city. You answer to the owners. It’s not the businesses that own the city, the citizens do.

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Candidate Biographical Information

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Connie Boesen, 66

Family: Husband, Ted; two daughters; one stepdaughter; three stepsons; seven grandchildren

Education: Graduated East High School, attended Grand View University or DMACC

Career: Buyer for Younkers, 34 years; Polk County Central Services supervisor, eight years

Political background: Des Moines School Board, 14 years

Campaign: www.ConnieBoesen.com

Skip Moore, 63

Family: Six siblings

Education: DMACC, pursuing completion of Management Supervision degree using work experience for remaining credits

Career: Retired as Des Moines municipal arborist after nearly 35 years with City of Des Moines Forestry Department

Political background: Des Moines City Council since 2010; Logan Citizens Services Task Force and ward representative on Des Moines Action Board, eight years each.

Campaign: Contact skipnomoore@gmail.com

Election 2017: Patch graphic