Former council person Chris Coleman is returning to the Des Moines City Council. He was sworn in Monday night during the first council meeting since the election.”I want you to repeat after me. Are you ready?” said Mayor Frank Cownie.Coleman quickly repeated, “Are you ready?” That led to laughter in the council chambers. “I got to tell you. I put up with this for many years and now it starts over. Here we go,” Mayor Cownie said with a grin.Coleman was first elected back in 1998 and spent more than 20 years as an at-large council person. He got back in the race this year when Council person Indira Sheumaker stopped attending council meetings and eventually resigned.”I can imagine how frustrated people have been without an advocate to make sure things happen that their voices heard. And I’m going to do my best to represent everybody in Ward one,” Coleman said.Councilperson Connie Boesen won the race for mayor but won’t be sworn in until January. She continues as a council person.City council members will need to decide if they want to appoint someone to fill Boesen’s seat or call for a special election. Des Moines residents can also petition for a special election.
Former council person Chris Coleman is returning to the Des Moines City Council. He was sworn in Monday night during the first council meeting since the election.
“I want you to repeat after me. Are you ready?” said Mayor Frank Cownie.
Coleman quickly repeated, “Are you ready?” That led to laughter in the council chambers.
“I got to tell you. I put up with this for many years and now it starts over. Here we go,” Mayor Cownie said with a grin.
Coleman was first elected back in 1998 and spent more than 20 years as an at-large council person. He got back in the race this year when Council person Indira Sheumaker stopped attending council meetings and eventually resigned.
“I can imagine how frustrated people have been without an advocate to make sure things happen that their voices heard. And I’m going to do my best to represent everybody in Ward one,” Coleman said.
Councilperson Connie Boesen won the race for mayor but won’t be sworn in until January. She continues as a council person.
City council members will need to decide if they want to appoint someone to fill Boesen’s seat or call for a special election.
Des Moines residents can also petition for a special election.
