Des Moines City Council discusses Fire Benefit Charge, fireworks, Redondo restrooms & more; meets new Police Chief Ted Boe

The Des Moines City Council met for two hours on Thursday night, July 11, 2024.

Topics included a presentation on a possible new funding source for the South King Fire district, a report on the success of the new fireworks ordinance, the introduction of the new police chief, and an update on the Redondo restroom replacement project.

The council also announced details for several upcoming community events.

Fire Benefit Charge Presentation

Council heard an extensive presentation on the Fire Benefit Charge (FBC), which will be put to voters on the August ballot. According to the presentation, South King Fire (SKF) just marked their 75th anniversary. They have seven stations across the region, and employ more than 150 firefighters. It is a busy district, with 80% of the calls they go out on for emergency medical services rather than fires. Calls have increased as the population increases, and accidental overdose becomes more common. In addition, aging area infrastructure makes fires more likely.

Currently, the organization gets their revenue solely from property tax. However, the revenue SKF receives each year can fluctuate by as much as $10,000,000 as property values change. This makes it difficult to hire new firefighters, to expand operations, and to meet the needs of the growing population. Call response times have increased, which worsens outcomes for people and structures that need help. In addition, many organizations pay no property taxes, due to religious exemptions.

As it stands, the revenue that goes toward SKF is $1.50 per $1000 of assessed property value. What the fire district is asking for is to make the switch to a combination of a reduced $1.00 per $1000 assessed property value, plus a fixed charge: the FBC. The fixed charge, which would still be collected on the property tax bill, will be based on structure, size, and fire risk factors. The presentation predicted that average homeowners would save money if this passes, though businesses could pay a little more.

For homes valued at $623,000, homeowners could expect to save $59.32 annually; a home valued at $882,000 would likely save around $117.00 a year. Businesses could possibly pay $100-200 more per year. New revenue sources would include assisted living facilities that are on church properties, which pay nothing in property tax and yet require over 1,000 visits by the fire district per year. Any businesses making a profit would pay the fixed charge, regardless of church status.

Senior discounts would apply to this fixed charge. Properties that pose a special fire hazard would pay more, while discounts can be sought for things that reduce fire risk, like adding a sprinkler system. This ballot measure, which has been implemented for years in many other fire districts, requires a 60% majority to pass.

A Better Year For Fireworks

According to Interim Police Chief Mark Couey, the new fireworks code in Des Moines made a difference. He said helpful letters were sent out to homes that had received a warning for setting off fireworks in the past. These letters let residents know of the new ordinance, and the fines they could incur. They also let people know about the drone show at the marina.

This year, there were only a couple dozen calls to the station regarding fireworks, compared to 60-70 in past years. Three citations were issued, as well as 9 warnings. According to Councilmember JC Harris, during most previous years no citations had been issued at all.

It was recognized that many people complained about fireworks without actually calling in, but fireworks are still legal in Normandy Park so many Des Moines residents who live near the border might have been hearing allowable fireworks from their NP neighbors. Often, additionally, police were unable to locate offenders who were gone by police arrival, and several groups were shooting fireworks out of moving vehicles.

Deputy Mayor Harry Steinmetz said this year the drone show was much better than last year’s, and the event was so popular that multiple food trucks ran out of food.

Introduction Of A New Chief

Chief Ted Boe, who was recently hired after serving for years as Burien’s police chief, will begin working for Des Moines in mid-August. He said he has enjoyed what he has seen of the department here so far, and mentioned that it was “really nice to walk into a place that isn’t a monstrous mess.” Councilmembers said that Chief Boe had been the best thing about Burien.

Redondo Restroom Replacement Update

Council approved a bid for just under $1.9 million to rebuild the aging Redondo Beach restrooms. The current restrooms were built over 30 years ago, and are required to be removed for safety reasons. Only one bid was made for the project, but it was in the ballpark of engineers’ estimates. Construction should begin in September of this year, and be completed by spring of 2025. The project is expected to have only minimal traffic impact, while utilities work is being performed.

Upcoming Events

Music in the Park begins next week, with live music every Wednesday at 7pm at Des Moines Beach Park. Smoke on the Water, a community barbeque, is happening on July 17th from 4:30-7pm. The Waterland Parade is also just around the corner, on July 20th from 5:45-8:30pm. The parade runs along Marine View Drive. For more information about these events, check out Destination Des Moines and the city’s Events Calendar.

Ballots will soon be mailed out, with both the Fire Benefit Charge described above, and a measure to help fund the rising costs of city government.