Grubb YMCA replacement, airport construction get funding from American Rescue Plan money

Philip Joens, Des Moines Register
·4 min read

Correction: An early version of this story incorrectly listed the amount of money Des Moines pledged to replace the John R. Grubb YMCA. 

The Des Moines City Council decided the fate of about $64 million from its final disbursement of American Rescue Plan funds Monday night.

Affordable housing plans and plans to replace the John R. Grubb YMCA got the most money at about $7 million each.

The council approved the expenditures 7-0.

Childcare and preschool programs were awarded $4.9 million. Parks, trails and solar panel programs were awarded $6 million, $5.5 million and $3.75 million each. About $5 million will be spent on modernizing aging city facilities and $3 million will be spent on water trails.

Affordable housing programs for moderate to low income residents will get $7.5 million, but which programs that money will go to had not been finalized said Neighborhood Services Director Chris Johansen.

The affordable housing and childcare/preschool funding categories still need discussion to divide that funding into specific programs, City Manager Scott Sanders said.

According to the U.S. Treasury the city can spend funds on:

  • Premium pay for essential workers.

  • Addressing negative economic impacts.

  • Water and sewer infrastructure.

  • Broadband Internet.

  • Supporting the public health response to COVID-19.

  • Replacing lost public sector revenues.

Mayor Frank Cownie said the city discussed spending the money on "an awful lot of things" including health, sewers and broadband internet.

Ward 1 Councilwoman Indira Sheumaker said the city did not address things like transportation and water quality issues it could have addressed with the funding.

“There are a lot of things we left out and are things we should continue addressing," Sheumaker said.

Grubb YMCA replacement gets more funding

Plans to replace the John R. Grubb YMCA got a major boost from ARPA funds. The city awarded $7 million to the project to build a community center to replace the aging Grubb YMCA.  In June the city awarded $2.5 million in ARPA funding to the Northside Community Recreation Center. So Monday's allocation brings the total amount of ARPA funding going to the project to $9.5 million.

Des Moines says it will spend $12 million, including the ARPA funding, to build the community center on the city's north side. Local option sales taxes will be used to fill the rest of the funding hole.

Several million dollars still need to be collected through fundraising to finish the project.

More: Des Moines plans to demolish Grubb YMCA for new rec center, but needs to raise $9 million

Des Moines International Airport plans gain altitude

Des Moines will spend $5 million in ARPA funds on construction of a new terminal at the Des Moines International Airport. The city plans to spend $5 million more on the project.

With construction costs rising the airport's board of directors is planning to build its new terminal in phases. The first phase would cost an estimated $411 million.

More: To cut costs, Des Moines International Airport considers phased approach to its new terminal

In March the airport was awarded $59 million in ARPA funds awarded to Iowa for the project. At that time the airport's board was about 40% of the way to closing a $300 million funding gap so that construction could begin.

Kevin Foley, Des Moines International Airport executive director, raised $28.7 million of $34.3 million he asked for from about 30 central Iowa cities and counties whose residents most often use the airport.

More: Which central Iowa communities contributed money to expand and upgrade Des Moines airport?

Travelers wait for their flights at the Des Moines International Airport, on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, in Des Moines.
Travelers wait for their flights at the Des Moines International Airport, on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, in Des Moines.

Universal Basic Income moving ahead

In July the Des Moines City Council approved spending about $24 million of ARPA funds. At the time the council allocated $8 million to stormwater infrastructure projects, $5 million to sewer construction projects, and $7.5 million to the Des Moines Neighborhood Development Corporation for various uses. The Des Moines Botanical Garden and Blank Park Zoo received $1 million each. The Des Moines Public Library got $350,000 for Wi-Fi hotspot programs and an HVAC improvement program.

More: Des Moines City Council approves spending $24.1 million in federal COVID relief money

In June city staff members proposed spending $1.5 million on a universal basic income pilot program. The plan was approved by the council July 18, but $500,000 was allocated. The Mid-Iowa Health Foundation will run the program. In all 110 people will get $500 per month from the program.

Universal basic income systems provide adult residents in cities fixed amounts of money each month to supplement their income. Pilot programs similar to Des Moines' have launched in cities across the country like Stockton, California; Hudson, New York and Washington D.C.

Participants in programs in those cities reported spending much of their cash payments on food and housing. In Hudson, New York full-time and part-time employment among program participants grew from 29% to 63%, according to a memo sent to councilmembers.

Including earlier rounds of funding, the city was awarded a total of $94.8 million under the 2021 American Rescue Plan.

Philip Joens covers public safety, city government and RAGBRAI for the Des Moines Register. He can be reached at 515-443-3347 at pjoens@registermedia.com or on Twitter @Philip_Joens. 

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines City Council spends $70 million of ARPA funds