National Night Out event held in Woodland Heights

After being cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus public health disaster emergency, neighborhoods throughout the country held their first National Night Out events since 2019.  Typically an annual event, National Night Out celebrates the collaboration and community building that neighbors and neighborhoods can do to prevent crime and fight crime alongside public safety officials.  

Public safety vehicles to explore at Woodland
Heights NNO event Tue. Aug. 3, 2021

Woodland Heights residents invited city police, fire, and other officials and staff for a social in Chamberlain Park on Tuesday, Aug. 3 for the 2021 event.  The gathering proved to be a great opportunity to meet with and hear from members of the public safety community as well as socialize with neighbors from all corners of Woodland Heights after limited contact due to the pandemic.  

Neighbors and community members gather at
Chamberlain Park Aug. 3, 20201 for NNO

Thank you to all the attendees, planners (especially the WHO Welcome Wagon committee), and volunteers who made the event a success.  

Mayor, Frank Cownie; NBSD Officer, Mike Moody;
and Lt. Larry Davey share a laugh at NNO 8/3/2021

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This post typed by Phil.

The Woodland Heights Organization (WHO) is the neighborhood association recognized by the city of Des Moines representing Woodland Heights. Its purpose is is to stabilize, preserve, and revitalize area homes, enhance the quality of life in the neighborhood, and to promote community within our neighborhood amongst all residents and businesses. WHO is a volunteer organization.

for more information email who50312@gmail.com; view past issues of the email newsletter and subscribe at bit.ly/whoemail; like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/whodesmoines

August meeting to be held outdoors

Update for the August 17, 2021 WHO meeting:  Forecast is for hot but fair weather.  The August 17, 2021 meeting will occur as planned outdoors near the shelter at Chamberlain Park at 7pm.  

Officer Moody’s Introduction to the WHO

 The July monthly meeting of the Woodland Heights Organization was held Tue. 7/20 and was the 2nd meeting of 2021 held outdoors at Chamberlain Park.  

Neighbors are invited to come back to the park Tuesday, August 3rd (first Tues. in Aug.) for National Night Out.  This free event will be open to all, and is a family-friendly neighborhood gathering.  Look for snacks and social under and near the shelter starting at 5:30 pm.  

Kent Newman, member of the Des Moines Citizen
Task Force on Sustainability with the WHO July 20, 2021

The meeting’s featured guest was Kent Newman, of the Des Moines Citizen Task Force on Sustainability.  Newman shared history of sustainability efforts in the city going back to 2007 through the present day, highlighting emissions goals, programs, the creation of the task force, benchmarking ordinance, and more.  Learn more about the Task Force online here.  

Officer Mike Moody reviews notes while speaking
with Woodland Heights neighbors July 20, 2021

After Sgt. Scarlett’s reassignment to the South Side of Des Moines, Officer Mike Moody has transitioned into the role of NBSD Officer, working with 9 neighborhoods covering some of the West Central and Near West part of the city.  Officer Moody took time to share about himself, his career with the DMPD, and his perspective of the NBSD role.  Moody emphasized multiple times how valuable neighborhood organizations and meeting opportunities are to get to know each other, learn about issues going on, and working to build a safer, more close-knit community.  Moody also spoke highly of cameras, noting he has multiple cameras at his home and recommends others consider cameras for their own homes.  

One item of business raised during the meeting was starting the planning process to partner with the City of DM Forestry Dept. for a service/volunteer event to prune and do some maintenance on city-owned, street trees, especially near the park and cemetery.  Look for more information on this in the future.  

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This post typed by Phil.

The Woodland Heights Organization (WHO) is the neighborhood association recognized by the city of Des Moines representing Woodland Heights. Its purpose is is to stabilize, preserve, and revitalize area homes, enhance the quality of life in the neighborhood, and to promote community within our neighborhood amongst all residents and businesses. WHO is a volunteer organization.

for more information email who50312@gmail.com; view past issues of the email newsletter and subscribe at bit.ly/whoemail; like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/whodesmoines

July meeting to be held outdoors

Update for the July 20, 2021 WHO meeting:  Forecast is for hot but fair weather.  The July 20, 2021 meeting will occur as planned outdoors near the shelter at Chamberlain Park at 7pm.  

Chamberlain Park meeting successful

The June 2021 monthly meeting of the Woodland Heights Organization was successfully held in-person at Chamberlain Park on June 15.  The evening was warm, but dry, making for a comfortable gathering.  After skipping meetings in March - May of 2020 and holding online meetings June 2020 - May 2021 due to the coronavirus public health disaster emergency, neighbors finally gathered face-to-face.  

Kris Maggard, Executive Director of The Avenues
 of Ingersoll & Grand with the WHO June 15, 2021

The featured guest was the Executive Director of The Avenues of Ingersoll & Grand, Kris Maggard.  She updates neighbors on the efforts to create an Urban Recreation District (and how Woodland Heights folks can get involved with that).  Other highlights from her remarks included updates on the Ingersoll Streetscape construction, business and development updates, and comments on pandemic recovery.  

In an emailed report, Sgt. Scarlett shared that the new NBSD officer covering the part of the city that includes Woodland Heights will be Officer Mike Moody.  Officer Moody's start-date is TBD.  Until the time of the transition, Sgt. Scarlett will still be on-point for neighbor questions or concerns.  See the recent incident map online here.  

Other meeting highlights included Beautification and Welcome Wagon Updates as well as planning and prep for our National Night Out event (first Tues. in Aug.) Tue. Aug. 3, 2021.

Stay tuned to the email newsletter and social media for updates on details for the July monthly WHO meeting.  

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This post typed by Phil.

The Woodland Heights Organization (WHO) is the neighborhood association recognized by the city of Des Moines representing Woodland Heights. Its purpose is is to stabilize, preserve, and revitalize area homes, enhance the quality of life in the neighborhood, and to promote community within our neighborhood amongst all residents and businesses. WHO is a volunteer organization.

for more information email who50312@gmail.com; view past issues of the email newsletter and subscribe at bit.ly/whoemail; like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/whodesmoines

June meeting will be outdoors at Chamberlain Park

Update for the June 15, 2021 WHO meeting:  Forecast is for hot but fair weather.  The June 15, 2021 will occur as planned outdoors near the shelter at Chamberlain Park at 7pm.  

Sgt. Scarlett’s last meeting with Woodland Heights

The May monthly meeting of the Woodland Heights Organization was held Tue. May 18 over Zoom.  Neighbors Zoomed in to hear first from Polk County Supervisor, Matt McCoy.  

Polk County Supervisor, Matt McCoy with
The Woodland Heights Org. May 18, 2021

Supervisor McCoy shared the latest news on mental health funding in the State of Iowa, with changes by state legislators to transfer funding model from the County property tax levy, to state-funding.  

Next McCoy detailed County emergency response to the Pandemic, including $40 million of expenses last year going towards health, emergency housing and eviction relief, nutrition, and other efforts.  McCoy expects the $94 million of American Rescue Plan money to reimburse the County for last year’s pandemic expenses.  The remaining funds must be spent in certain ways, and the County is seeking resident feedback on what shovel-ready projects are in need of these emergency funds.  

McCoy reviewed InvestDSM, reminding neighbors the County invested $2.5 million last year and plans to contribute $5 million this year.  

The Iowa Events Center lost $2 million each of the last 2 years.  The convention center hotel lost $6-8 million, according to McCoy.  On the bright side, Prairie Meadows business is rebounding and all 1,500 employees have been offered the opportunity to come back to work.  

Sg. Scarlett (first from left) at the WHO
National Night Out in August 2018

During the regular DMPD Neighborhood Based Service Delivery (NBSD) report, Sgt. Scarlett surprised neighbors by announcing this was her last meeting as NBSD Officer for Woodland Heights.  Going forward she will be part of a team serving Des Moines’ South Side.  The DMPD is currently working on selecting Sgt. Scarlett’s successor.  In the meantime, neighbors can use Sgt. Scarlett as their contact for NBSD concerns.  

One concern was noise near the Star Gas Station and other businesses near Ingersoll Ave. and Linden Street.  Sgt. Scarlett has been in contact with business owners and the city.  Replacing fending could help reduce cut through traffic across the gas station property.  Police have been in the area at problem times, but have found it difficult to charge for offenses as it is difficult to measure the decibels of noise for the required period of time.  If loud cars realize they are being recorded, they turn down the music or drive away.  

Sgt. Scarlett recommended neighbors keep calling in complaints and using the addresses of where they identify issues so the database will link all the cases.  515-283-4811.

Candidate for Des Moines City Council (at-large seat), Justyn Lewis addressed the Woodland Heights Organization and introduced himself.  The municipal election is November 2.  Practicing fairness, all candidates for city council (at-large and Ward 3) will be invited to a WHO meeting.  

Ahead of the May 20 city Plan & Zoning Commission meeting, the WHO discussed a proposal to rezone property at 2406 Woodland Avenue (to allow for a duplex).  A motion was made and seconded to oppose the proposed rezoning.  This motion passed.  

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This post typed by Phil.

The Woodland Heights Organization (WHO) is the neighborhood association recognized by the city of Des Moines representing Woodland Heights. Its purpose is is to stabilize, preserve, and revitalize area homes, enhance the quality of life in the neighborhood, and to promote community within our neighborhood amongst all residents and businesses. WHO is a volunteer organization.

for more information email who50312@gmail.com; view past issues of the email newsletter and subscribe at bit.ly/whoemail; like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/whodesmoines