Des Moines advisory committees consolidated; members agree to reset, 4-year terms and new name

The Des Moines Citizens Advisory Committee agreed May 28 to consolidate the Arts Commission, Human Services Advisory Board and Senior Services functions into a single expanded advisory body and to move forward with a membership reset and term-limit plan meant to simplify volunteer management and reduce staff workload.

City Manager Catherine Caffrey said the council asked staff to review the city’s appointive committees after a recent expansion left the city with nine committees. "For a city of 32,000, that's a lot of committees," Caffrey said, arguing the change aims to preserve meaningful volunteer roles while easing staff support responsibilities.

The committee’s discussion centered on three linked changes: folding the three advisory panels into the Citizens Advisory Committee (to be renamed), eliminating alternate seats so every appointee has a full role, and changing terms. Committee members reached a consensus to "reset" membership (reapply from a new starting point), adopt four-year terms with a limit of two consecutive terms, and stagger terms so turnover occurs gradually. The group also agreed to the board’s new public name, "Citizens Advisory Board."

Why it matters: organizers said the reorganization is intended to keep experienced volunteers involved while making committee work sustainable for city staff. City liaison Tara Vaughn, who described her new role to the group, said her responsibilities will be to "guide discussions, ensure we're all staying on track, and support informed and respectful dialogue." Officials repeatedly cited staff capacity as a limiting factor for how many committees the city can effectively support.

How it will work: Caffrey said current members with unexpired terms will remain in their seats until those terms end, but the group nonetheless agreed to a broader reset that will ask members to reapply under the new structure. The city will issue a simplified one-page application rather than use the older online form; Caffrey and staff said they will email members with instructions in the coming weeks. Alternates will be moved into vacant neighborhood seats where applicable (an example discussed was an alternate replacing a Marina District representative who moved away).

Members discussed how the larger body will organize into subcommittees. The council-authorized change places everyone "in the CAC" and then allows members to volunteer for subcommittees (senior issues, human services, arts, etc.). Staff clarified that subcommittees will not be fully staffed or formally noticed by the city in the same way the CAC will: "The only thing that'll be supported staff‑wise is gonna be the CAC," a staff speaker said. Subcommittees are expected to meet independently, produce periodic reports for transparency, and may operate without formal city minutes unless a staff assignment requires it.

Budget and oversight: Alex Reyes, the internal staff member monitoring grants and allocations, told the group that because the council moved to biennial budgeting, allocation amounts for 2026 are already set and the immediate time pressure for funding decisions is limited. Caffrey said staff will continue to monitor funded nonprofit programs and provide updates to the advisory body as needed.

Next steps and timeline: Committee members agreed to a procedural reset the group called "Ground 0": all membership will be reconstituted under the new rules, terms will be staggered to avoid complete turnover at once, and staff will circulate application materials. Caffrey estimated the membership process should be resolved "in the next, you know, 4 to 6 weeks, hopefully." The committee also discussed a draft 2025 work plan and meeting schedule (monthly with potential alternate dates for November/December); staff will send meeting dates and a draft charter for members to edit.

Name change: After brief discussion and a round‑table check, members agreed to use the public name "Citizens Advisory Board."

What the group did not do: The meeting recorded consensus decisions rather than a formal, roll‑call vote on the reorganization and term limits. Committee members and staff characterized the agreements as consensus and moved to implement the next administrative steps rather than adopt new code language at the meeting. Any required changes to the city code — currently specifying two‑year CAC terms — will be drafted and returned to the council for approval.

The committee scheduled follow‑up work on the membership list, subcommittee structure and draft charter; staff will circulate application instructions and proposed language for members to edit at a future meeting.