Letter to the editor of Axios – Des Moines re: Councilwoman Sheumaker’s absence

Dear editor,

Greetings. My name is Jeremy Geerdes, and I am the president of the Lower Beaver Neighborhood Association in Des Moines, IA. On July 11, Axios – Des Moines ran an article highlighting the absence of Des Moines Ward 1 Councilwoman Indira Sheumaker from city council meetings and the difficulties neighborhoods have had in contacting her. I was, to my chagrin, a significant part of that article.

I want to begin by apologizing to Councilwoman Sheumaker. When I was asked if our neighborhood had struggled to contact her, I answered honestly, but I also tried to emphasize to the reporter that I was – and am – cautiously optimistic that this situation is changing. When I was asked to share our email correspondence, I reasoned that her emails are a matter of public record, and the exchange demonstrated her willingness to meet and begin a dialogue. It was, then, my hope to send the message that our neighborhood is looking forward to working with Councilwoman Sheumaker for the advancement of our community. I sincerely regret that this message was not reflected in the July 11 article.

Indeed, while the reporter only briefly mentioned it, I met with Councilwoman Sheumaker on June 17 for more than 90 minutes. During that time, we discussed numerous matters which are pertinent to both the Lower Beaver Neighborhood and the city of Des Moines as a whole, and I walked away encouraged because we found that we are in agreement and will work together on numerous points and priorities.

The fact is that our community does have an issue with houselessness. In the past, our form of dealing with houselessness has been to shuffle people to other areas where they are out of sight and mind, but these are our neighbors in need of real help. Let us all bring our best ideas to the table to try to truly help them.

My neighborhood continues to struggle to overcome the 2017 loss of Plaza Lanes. For nearly five years, neighborhood and city leaders have sought to plug this gaping hole and bring revitalization to our commercial corridor. We have not yet succeeded, so we must continue to work together to find a solution.

And the increasing diversity of our community is a beautiful, wonderful challenge for us all. The LBNA on July 9 hosted its first-ever Summer Festival to celebrate the radical diversity of our neighborhood, but we have also been clear about the challenges which this diversity presents. Namely, different groups tend to segregate themselves, and it takes intentionality to bring them together into a singular community.

Perhaps you will notice the recurring theme. We all recognize these issues. We all seek solutions to these issues. Yet, no one has all of the solutions. We must therefore come together across political, cultural, and geographic lines to address them. Sadly, the July 11 Axios article did little to bring anyone together, and for that, I am deeply sorry.