Councilmember Netting and staff told the Des Moines City Economic Development Committee on March 27 that they intend to send a proposed $68,000 contract to the finance committee and city council for consideration on April 10 to produce a 10-year long-range financial plan and a development impact analysis model.

The draft project, presented by a staff member, would produce three macroeconomic scenarios (worse, steady, and strong) for the city’s finances and build an Excel model staff can use to estimate the revenue and service-costs associated with different land-use types. The presenter said the vendor is a Washington-based firm experienced with other cities and that the contract would take about six months to complete.

The presenter said, “The project, if the council wants to move forward when I take it to them in April, is $68,000… It will take about 6 months.” The staff member said roughly $23,000 of the contract would be paid from the city’s development fund and the remainder from the general fund via the contract services line item.

Mayor Buxton, Deputy Mayor Steinmetz and other committee members expressed support. Deputy Mayor Steinmetz said the timeline and work volume justified the six-month estimate; Mayor Buxton said the consultant’s experience with sister cities in Western Washington was reassuring.

Committee members and staff described the model’s intended uses: to compare uses such as single-family housing, multifamily and warehouses for one-time and recurring tax revenue and typical service-cost differences (parks, roads, truck impacts). Staff said the tool will not be granular to the unit level but will be useful for council and planning commission review.

Next steps: staff will take the negotiated scope of work and proposed contract to the finance committee and, if approved there, to the full council for consideration on April 10, 2025.