Open letter to the Des Moines City Council:

As a long-time resident of Des Moines I have long been interested in development and use of our distinctive waterfront. Early on my children played on the beach. Many years later my husband and I moored our sailboat in the marina. Through the years the beach area was open to the public, especially after the city was able to get assistance in the purchase of Covenant Beach as a city park, and the marina parking made public use of the park feasible for many more visitors.

For the past 13 years I have had the privilege of living in the marina (Mariner Condominium). One of the great pleasures is being able to observe young and old from near and far from early morning until late at night seven days a week each enjoying the facility in her or his own way.

Over the years as I have been able to observe most aspects of marina operation directly, I have become more and more concerned at deterioration of the facility at the same time the City Council has been systematically shifting marina income from moorage and rents to the city's General Fund (in some years as much as $450,000, possibly more).

Now, with the marina in serious need of major repairs the council is pursuing another restaurant in addition to the two already situated therein, which would further cut available parking for public use in the marina and in the adjacent Beach Park.

Additionally, council is proposing to eliminate the two main boat launch facilities. Again an action to limit public use of a public park facility in order to create another non-marine oriented private for-profit business in direct competition not only with the two restaurant tenants already in the marina but also with the substantial number of Des Moines restaurants already on nearby Marine View Drive.

Public parks - the marina and Beach Park are public parks. By their purpose and nature such are seldom considered to be profit-making endeavors. Rather, they are maintained as a service to the community, sometimes bolstered by a special Parks and Recreation tax levy.

Also as a long time student of government and a now retired professor of public administration, I understand the dilemmas of balancing infrastructure and services within limited budgets. I understand that in your considerable efforts to explore potential solutions for relieving budget crunch you have explored alternatives.

I am also here to remind you that reasonable fees for services are acceptable in a public facility. Removing a public park area from public use - especially when increasing population density and diminishing open land for parks put pressure on city budgets - is not acceptable. Running a city with good financial business methods is acceptable. City operation of a business for profit in a public property in direct competition with private enterprise is not.

Marie B. Rosenberg

Des Moines