Des Moines city manager outlines strategic-plan options; council favors fiscally focused, midrange approach

City Manager Tara opened a study-session discussion on March 6, 2025, asking whether the Des Moines City Council wants to pursue a citywide strategic plan and how ambitious that plan should be.

The manager told the council the plan would translate the council’s mission, vision and values into measurable priorities and action items and recommended hiring an outside facilitator to guide public engagement and policy workshops. “This is really a discussion item,” Tara said, adding that cost would vary by scope and public-engagement intensity and that a basic process could cost “$15,000 to, you know, $50,000 and up.”

Council members broadly supported beginning the process but differed on scope and emphasis. Several members said the plan must be driven by fiscal reality and tied to the city’s budget. “I would prefer that we start with the money,” Councilmember Harris said, urging staff to identify revenue options before adopting aspirational goals. Councilmember Nutting and Deputy Mayor Steinmetz favored a midrange product: not a one‑page statement but not the most resource‑intensive “Cadillac” dashboard option either. Nutting said she wanted measurable three‑year goals that can be checked off; Steinmetz emphasized community engagement and objective metrics.

Councilmember Grace Matsui urged keeping an aspirational long‑term vision alongside shorter measurable goals so the plan can guide decisions beyond a single budget cycle. Several councilmembers said neighborhood differences should shape outreach; Matsui noted that different neighborhoods have distinct needs and should be represented in engagement work.

On process, the city manager proposed assembling a facilitation team—likely a consultant experienced in municipal strategic planning—then holding a council retreat to set policy priorities, after which staff would convert those priorities into operational actions and performance measures. The manager suggested using funds already set aside in the economic‑development budget to pay for the planning process and described a typical timeline of six months to a year depending on public engagement and whether the city wanted a live performance dashboard.

Councilmembers offered a range of public‑engagement ideas: a community survey, work by the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), targeted neighborhood outreach and staff and council interviews. Several members emphasized using the CAC and surveys to reach residents who cannot attend in‑person meetings. The manager said she would solicit procurement proposals and return with options and cost estimates.

No formal motion or vote occurred; the session recorded council direction for staff to develop procurement options, refine a scope and return with a recommended procurement timeline and budget. The manager said she will bring initial proposals and financial‑forecast materials to the council for further direction.