The council approved an $8,398,738.65 contract for Birdland Park Phase 1B, with a playground, skate ribbon and restroom building, by a 7–0 vote.
Approved plans and specifications and named Minturn, Inc. the lowest responsive, responsible bidder at $8,398,738.65. Moved by Westergaard, seconded by Simonson. A second roll call (26-0529) approved the contract and bond. Passed 7–0; no members voted no.
How each member voted
| Official | Seat | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Connie Boesen | Mayor | Yes |
| Carl Voss | At-large | Yes |
| Mike Simonson | At-large | Yes |
| Rob X. Barron | Ward 1 | Yes |
| Linda Westergaard | Ward 2 | Yes |
| Josh Mandelbaum | Ward 3 | Yes |
| Joe Gatto | Ward 4 | Yes |
More from the record
Phase 1B is the second of three parts of Phase 1 of the Birdland Park and Marina Master Plan. It adds a concrete parking lot, open green space, a new playground, a skate ribbon, a restroom and concessions building, sidewalks and trail, and prairie and savanna plantings. The low bid of $8,398,738.65 was above the City Engineer’s $7,400,000 estimate; the funding list includes $800,000 of "anticipated value engineering." Council Member Gatto took part by phone. Council Communication 26-145 (saved copy) · Minutes (saved copy)
The alternative
No other options were presented in the record.
Parks and outdoors
- Who
- Families and visitors at Birdland Park
- How
- New playground, skate ribbon, restrooms and concessions, green space and native plantings
- When
- Schedule: Not in the record
- Source
- Council Communication 26-145 (saved copy)
Money
- Who
- City and funders
- How
- $8,398,738.65: $4,806,038 federal LWCF grant, $500,000 anticipated HUD funding, $350,000 CAT grant, $150,000 IDALS grant, $10,000 Friends of Des Moines Parks, $1,782,701 sales tax and bonds, and $800,000 anticipated value engineering
- When
- 2025-26 Capital Improvement Program
- Source
- Council Communication 26-145 (saved copy)
Source Agenda for the whole meeting, item 42 (saved copy) · Full minutes for the whole Apr 20, 2026 meeting, p. 8 (roll call 26-0528 and 26-0529) (saved copy) · Council Communication 26-145 (saved copy)