Paid for by the taxpayers in...

Des Moines:

Amount: $6,150
To: Waters-Oldani Executive Recruitment
For: Third of four payments to a Dallas, Texas, company totaling $20,500 for the "Executive search for city manager."
Filed: Jan. 24

Amount: $1,837.50
To: Water-Oldani Executive Recruitment
For: Video conferencing fees regarding the city search for a new city manager, including interviews with candidates Boynton and Mullen on Dec. 17, Anderson and Beet on Dec. 18, Thompson on Dec. 19, Jepsen and DiGiovani on Dec. 20 and Clark on Dec. 28.
Filed: Jan. 24

Amount: $107.50
To: Wall Street Journal
For: Fifty-two weeks of print and online access to The Wall Street Journal for Merrill Stanley, finance director for the City of Des Moines.
Filed: Jan. 24

Amount: $3,850
To: Wright Tree Care Co.
For: Removal of one locust tree on East 31st Street that was 48-inches in diameter and splitting apart, after property owners Gerard and Susan Whalen failed to make good on an April 2004 court order to remove the tree, due to it posing a threat to public safety.
Filed: Jan. 24

Amount: $14,238.01
To: Nextel Partners
For: "City-wide cell phone bill" for Nov. 8 through Dec. 7, 2005.
Filed: Jan. 20

Amount: $939.79
To: Mike Matthes, assistant city manager
For: Reimbursement for expenses during travel from Jan. 16-18 to Hampton, Virg., for an "organizational trip for Call Center Research," including $290.26 for lodging at the Omni Hotel (excluding a $38.52 ristorante fee and $27.15 for movies on Jan. 17), $68 for meals and $142.25 for cab fare.
Filed: Jan. 26

Amount: $157.50
To: Shred-It
For: Forty-five minutes of shredding and destruction of confidential data for the City Manager's Office on Jan. 9.
Filed: Jan. 13

Amount: $53.50
To: American Marking
For: Silver and wood plaque for Tom Hadden, "In appreciation for your dedicated service as Chair of the Des Moines Metropolitan Wastewater Reclamation Board."
Filed: Jan. 25

Amount: $1,042.76
To: Embassy Suites Hotel
For: Eight nights at the Embassy Suites from Jan. 1-8 for Debra Christopher after relocating to Des Moines as the city's new chief information officer, including a $46.27 lunch at Doozie's on Jan. 3.
Filed: Jan. 13

Amount: $1,271.95
To: Debra Christopher
For: "Additional moving expenses" for the new chief information officer, including $500 for real estate services and a $75.14 meal at Skip's on Dec. 15.
Filed: Jan. 5

Amount: $8,807.40
To: Colorado Lining International
For: Eight "turf blankets" (a.k.a. tarps) for the James W. Cownie Soccer Park.
Filed: Jan. 26

Amount: $131.72
To: Des Moines Botanical Center
For: Meeting of the Metro Advisory Council on Jan. 10, including $13.49 for one gallon of orange juice and $30.98 for two gallons of coffee.
Filed: Jan. 23

Amount: $551.67
To: Sam's Club
For: One 27-inch Stereo/TV ($247.87) for the Four Mile Day Camp Room and $303.80 for food for a Youth Christmas Party, including 20 packs of "snack cakes," seven packs of "iced cookies" and $159.40 for 20 packs of film.
Filed: Jan. 24

Amount: $150
To: Francine Sciorrotta
For: Fee for a "Christmas Show" lasting one hour and 15 minutes at the Youth Christmas Party on Dec. 19.
Filed: Jan. 19

Amount: $236.99
To: Jodi Smith
For: Payment of damage claim, after Smith's car windshield was broken out by debris while a city truck spread a sand/salt mixture on Indianola Road on Dec. 15.
Filed: Jan. 24

Amount: $100
To: Ernie Segebart
For: Payment to an Ankeny DJ for two hours of music and provision of speakers, lighting and music for the city's Father Daughter Dance on Feb. 10 at Blank Park Zoo.
Filed: Jan. 24

Amount: $950
To: Wellness Council of Iowa
For: "Advocate" level, annual membership to the Wellness Council for the Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department.
Filed: Jan. 24

Who's giving to:

Bob Vander Plaats
Republican gubernatorial hopeful

Lambert and Kathleen
Van Olst (Rock Rapids) $40,000
James H. Warner (Sioux City) $35,500
Arlan Van Wyk (Sheldon) $30,000
Dave and Gina Van Wyk
(Sheldon) $30,000
Dirk and Nanette Winkel (Sergeant Bluffs) $25,000
Mark and Mary Ellen Nylen (Sioux City) $18,500
David and Marta Patee (Sioux City) $15,000
Douglas and Martha Wells (LeMars) $10,000

Expense report:

Gov. Tom Vilsack

Sept. 24: Travel to Bettendorf for "introductory comments to the mayor, city council, state representatives and other dignitaries prior to the Quad Cities Marathon."
Lodging: $67.20

Sept. 26-30: Travel from Des Moines to Oelwein, St. Ansgar and Fort Dodge for the
Annual Walk Across Iowa.
Lodging: $171.55
Meals: $124 (including $25 dinners in St. Ansgar and Ft. Dodge)

Travel

Des Moines Police Lt. Dana Wingert was approved last month to spend more than two months in Quantico, Virg., to attend the 224th Session of the FBI National Academy from Jan. 6-March 19. Billed by administrators as a training that "enhances the personal and professional development of experienced police officers," Wingert's 10-week trip will cost $3,168.

Salaries and such

Curt Simmons, director of the State Historical Museum who was hired in January 2004, was fired before he could reach his two-year employment mark. Earning a salary of $75,000, Simmons was sent packing with no severance package, and state officials, citing personnel confidentiality constraints, gave no explanation for the director's abrupt release.

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