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Tax abatements and TIF grants won't be covered by the proposed "conflict of interest ordinance," except that Council members can't claim them themselves. Joe Gatto thinks that's too strong.
Scott Sanders specifically requested the TIF carveout, according to City Attorney Jeff Lester.
Josh Mandelbaum said he and Connie Boesen conceived of the limitations on awards to family members as covering programs with "limited dollars," implying that TIF provides "unlimited dollars."
After Jeff Lester requested a voice vote on the plan to take a lunch break, Mandelbaum moved to recess, but DID NOT SOLICIT OR RECEIVE A SECOND. Mayor Cownie called the vote WITHOUT SOLICITING A SECOND. While the motion passed unanimously, it is OUT OF ORDER.
Jumping forward to the "crowd management policy." Dana Wingert got to write his own policy, apparently. Took elements of policies from LA and Washington, D.C., as well as "all over the place."
Connie Boesen is asking, essentially, whether kettling is allowed under the policy, suggesting that there should be a formal policy. It's not allowed. Wingert claims that, "Before this summer, no one here knew what kettling was, nor did we do it this summer."
Mandelbaum suggests differentiating between "lawful" and "unlawful" demonstrations in the policy. Says cops shouldn't need riot gear "to manage a concert at Water Works, or a standard peaceful protest." Notes that LA makes a distinction between "lawful" and "unlawful" assembly.
Mandelbaum says he asked Wingert a while back whether "minimizing enforcement action" is a goal of the policy. At the time, Wingert said it is, but it's not actually written anywhere in the policy.
In Mandelbaum’s model policies, “minimizing enforcement actions” is contingent on “securing voluntary compliance” with, e.g., dispersal orders, obliterating any distinction between “lawful” and “unlawful” protest.
Cownie says regulations in “crowd control policy” should be light.
Wingert says “we have to protect people’s First Amendment rights,” lol. Incredible.
Wingert says “we have to protect people’s First Amendment rights,” lol. Incredible.
Dana Wingert just said that, if the Council passes this policy, and if Wingert decides to enforce it, the policy would apply even when DMPS cops are working under the jurisdiction of other agencies (like the State Patrol)—including the “duty to intervene.”
Walks that back when confronted with a concrete example by Mandelbaum: this summer, when state troopers pepper sprayed people unprovoked at the Capitol, DMPS cops wouldn’t have needed to intervene because “it’s pepper spray, not CS gas.” Also denied the event ever happened.
Wingert claims that there’s a separate policy stating that cops can’t aim for, e.g., the head when shooting rubber bullets—something they did multiple times this summer.
Wingert claims “we don’t shoot rubber bullets at people.” Says “we have the ability” to shoot rubber bullets at the ground, but “I don’t know if we’ve ever used that.”
Mandelbaum accepts this blatant lie without pushback.
Mandelbaum accepts this blatant lie without pushback.
. @Josh_Mandelbaum, please challenge Chief Wingert when he lies to your face.
Wingert is saying he’s probably not interested in many of the “crowd control policy” proposals.
Mark his words: Connie says “we better immediately figure out what we can do” if the Governor doesn’t announce new COVID mitigation steps tonight.
Mandelbaum says Waukee has been enforcing mask mandate with a fine, and DSM should do the same.
Mandelbaum says Waukee has been enforcing mask mandate with a fine, and DSM should do the same.
Mandelbaum’s talking about @ridedart now. Concerned about regressive property tax funding, especially as racist suburbs pull out and place larger funding burden on DSM. Says Commission will begin lobbying for a new funding structure.
Gatto raised the issue.
Gatto raised the issue.
