Paid for by the taxpayers in...

Des Moines:

Amount: $331.45
To: Control Installations of Iowa Inc.
For: Surveillance equipment for the "intelligence section" of the police department, including $213.06 for an antenna and $52.26 for a patch cable for a "Covert PTZ."
Filed: Jan. 12

Amount: $12,400
To: Polk County Farm-to-Market Fund
For: Payment of the city's portion of a total $637,500 outlined in a Joint Service Agreement between seven cities and Polk County for various phases of a feasibility study for the Northeast Beltway Corridor.
Filed: Jan. 12

Amount: $384.29
To: Karen Ligas, Youth Advisory Board
For: Travel reimbursement for trip to Washington from Nov. 1-3 for the "America's Promise: 100 Best Cities for Young People" forum and celebration, including $165.45 per night for a "deluxe room" at the J.W. Marriott Hotel. According to the travel authorization, the fees will be covered by the Des Moines Public School District.
Filed: Jan. 12

Amount: $375.03
To: Enterprise Rent-a-Car
For: Expenses relating to an incident on Dec. 14 when city plow driver Steve Miller backed into the vehicle of Tara Bradley, causing the city to pay $1,795.31 for property damage in addition to the $375.03 in rental car expenses.
Filed: Jan. 11

Amount: $672
To: The Iowa Clinic
For: "Stress tests" for seven Des Moines firefighters.
Filed: Jan. 11
Amount: $1,270.41
To: Iowa Events Center
For: Costs associated with the 66th Recruit Class Graduation held by the Police Academy on Dec. 9, including $825 for sheet cake and $144 for fruit punch.
Filed: Jan. 12

Amount: $6,510
To: Iowa Turfgrass Institute
For: Registration for four dozen parks and recreation department employees and eight aviation employees to attend the Second Annual Iowa Turfgrass Conference and Trade Show at the Polk Count Convention Complex from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1.
Filed: Jan. 11

Amount: $575.26
To: Marlene Anderson
For: Reimbursement of expenses for travel to Charlotte, N.C., from Dec. 6-9 for a National League of Cities' meeting to receive the "Silver Level Howland Award" for a city neighborhood plant program, including $146.42 per night at the Omni Hotel.
Filed: Jan. 12

Amount: $205.97
To: All Makes Office Furniture
For: One five-shelf, "henna-cherry" color bookcase for the Chief's office at thepolice department.
Filed: Jan. 10

Amount: $199.99
To: Sportsman Warehouse
For: One Auto Stryker with Spear Knife "for [the] Chief of Police."
Filed: Jan. 11

Amount: $107
To: Starch Pet Hospital
For: Drug dog care, including $30 for anesthesia and $50 for "laceration repair "for a Labrador retriever named Kirby.
Filed: Jan. 10
Amount: $675
To: Stoner Piano Company
For: Rental of a grand piano and bench from Dec. 12-27 for the Des Moines International Airport.
Filed: Jan. 10

Amount: $20,155.61
To: University of Iowa
For: "Archeological research within Fort Des Moines No. 2 between 3rd and 4th Streets, south of Court Avenue in Des Moines."
Filed: Dec. 21

Amount: $150
To: Aardvark and Associates
For: Design of a graphic - "houses, path, grass" - for a Parks and Recreation Department "neighborhood display."
Filed: Jan. 11

Amount: $380.60
To: Artisan
For: Framing and mounting of an article, pictures and T-shirt from Camp 911 for the police department.
Filed: Jan. 4

Amount: $581
To: Custom Badge and Patch Design
For: Mounted Patrol, K-9 and Bomb Squad patches ("with heat seal backing") for the police department.
Filed: Jan. 4

Amount: $4,643.50
To: Communication Innovators
For: Partial payment for work during the months of October through December installing cabling and switches related to the IT department's installation of wireless access points.
Filed: Jan. 9

Amount: $1,090.50
To: Access Elevator Inc.
For: Repair to temporary handicap ramp at City Hall "due to vandalism."
Filed: Jan. 9

Who's giving to:

Christine Hensley
Des Moines City Councilmember
Michael Coppola $1000
Donald Peschke $1,000
Gary Kirke $500
James Conlin $500
Larry James $500
David Oman $250
Harry Bookey $100

Expense report:

Kimberly Baxter, Iowa Commission on the Status of African-Americans

Oct. 6-9: Travel to Northbrook, Ill., for the Study Circles National Conference
Lodging: $263.07
Mileage: $246.50
Meals: $108 (including $32.75 dinner on Oct. 6 and $29 dinner on Oct. 7)
Registration: $100
Parking: $11.20
Oct. 26-27: Travel to Indianapolis, Ind., for "The African-American Male National Conference: Education vs. Incarceration"
Lodging: $341.55 (at $113.85 per night)
Airfare: $237.80
Meals: $84
Taxi: $47.65

Travel

Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie was approved last month to travel to Washington from Jan. 24-28 for the Winter Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. According to the advance agenda, the meeting will include sessions ranging from hurricane preparedness to avian flu and will wrap up with remarks from New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton at the closing luncheon. Staying on in the nation's capitol for an extra day to attend a "New Cities Conference," Cownie's travel will cost $2,050.

Salaries and such

Less than 48 hours after being charged with drunk driving in Warren County, Des Moines Acting City Manager Rick Clark was given a five percent pay raise by City Council, bumping his base salary to $149,000, with another $20,000 tacked on for his increased workload after the departure of former manager Eric Anderson.

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