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Polk City Council approves pilot partnership with Greater Des Moines Partnership, agrees to $52,500 fiscal commitment
Summary
The council authorized a one-year pilot with the Greater Des Moines Partnership to provide 15 hours-per-week economic-development support to Polk City; the city’s recommended cost is $52,500 (a $2,500 investor membership plus $50,000 for one year), with work to begin July 1, 2026 if finalized.
Polk City — The Polk City Council on May 11 approved a resolution to enter a pilot economic-development agreement with the Greater Des Moines Partnership aimed at accelerating commercial growth and capturing more residential and visitor spending for Polk City.
Chelsea, the staff member presenting the proposal, told the council the partnership would hire an employee to provide “15 hours of dedicated economic development support per week to the city of Polk City,” delivered through a mix of onsite and remote work. The first deliverable would be a commercial growth strategy and assistance with developer and site-readiness support.
Financial terms recommended in the presentation total $52,500: a $2,500 investor membership plus $50,000 to fund one year of the partnership employee’s work starting with the fiscal year on July 1, 2026. Chelsea said the partnership indicated it could perform economic-development work without offering tax incentives if the city maintained a moratorium on incentives.
Councilmembers praised the move as proactive and voted to authorize the mayor to sign the finalized agreement once city staff and the partnership complete the contract details.
Why it matters: The pilot buys dedicated outside expertise and staff capacity for Polk City at a known near-term cost. If successful, the pilot could change how the city attracts commercial projects and supports local business growth.
What comes next: Staff will finalize contract language and present the agreement for the mayor’s signature; the pilot is scheduled to begin July 1, 2026 if the contract is executed.
