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Des Moines Community Impact & Relations director outlines mission, programs and caseload
Summary
The Community Impact & Relations Department presented its mission, core programs and current caseload to the city council, reporting a FY26 operating budget of $928,303 and dozens of active civil-rights inquiries; staff highlighted outreach programs including Engaged DSM and plans for a community mediation pilot.
Manisha Paudel, director of the Community Impact & Relations Department, told the Des Moines City Council at a Nov. 17 work session that the newly restructured department focuses on enforcing civil-rights laws, educating residents and building partnerships to prevent discrimination. "We are a neutral fact-finding agency," Paudel said, describing the intake and investigative process for discrimination complaints.
The department outlined four core work areas: enforcement of municipal and federal civil-rights law (including the Des Moines Municipal Code chapter 62,…
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