This November is one ugly month in Des Moines. The sunset on the sound and the turning leaves hanging above our misty morning beach has become overshadowed by the vile display of the lowest forms of humanity. I can’t figure out who’s worse …The Political Anon-Oh-Bloggers that spew hundreds of postings of lies and innuendo, or those of us that don’t rebuke baseless allegations …essentially turning the lies into truth for the casually informed voter. Over the past few weeks, a small group has made every attempt to decimate the character of Bob Sheckler. I’ve known Bob since he entered Des Moines politics; he has always been self-assured and passionate about his vision for the city. You can’t be a council member and mayor for sixteen years, and not make a few enemies.
Bob’s few enemies use the web as their sounding board and they use it anonymously, with great frequency, and of course …with impunity! They have zero regard for the truth and vengeance as a motive. These folks are even willing to support a virtually unknown candidate, sending her up against a strong incumbent and regionally respected elected official. Sheckler led the fight against The Port for environmental and noise abatement concessions and in a short period of time …somehow managed to rebuild a positive relationship with The Port and The City of Des Moines…all the while, maintaining solid ties with HSD and the neighboring municipalities. The complexities of his low paying/no paying job are truly immense. I’ll shed some light on a few of the many positive things Sheckler has done for Des Moines through his steadfast dedication and business savvy …and I’ll do it through the allegations and lies of the Anon-Oh-Bloggers.
I called Bob and asked for answers to the allegations – the candid conversation went like this:
Me: Bob, they’re saying you take pleasure trips to China and the city is paying the bill…
Bob: The first trip to China was to follow up on some foreign investor interests willing to build in our city, I paid entirely out of pocket for that trip and The City of Des Moines paid zero. At the time, the progress of the negotiations were going well, so the city council approved $1,500 for the second trip, I covered the rest. The Artemis Hotel folks have since paid The City of Des Moines $64,000 in fees and permits and the final incoming permitting revenue to the city should reach around $1,000,000 once the 238 room hotel is built.Me: Bob, they’re saying you’ve had booze fueled parties at Anthony’s and The City of Des Moines pays the bill. If this is true…I’m angry you didn’t invite me. Back in the days I used to drink, top shelf Anthony’s Bar + me + DM paying…well, you don’t even know budget crisis!
Bob: The City of Des Moines does not, cannot, and has not paid for liquor for me or any other council members, citizens, etc…while I have been in office.Me: Bob, they’re saying you had a Charlie Sheen type moment at “The North Hill Community Club Candidate Forum” ….I mean The North Hill “Lack of” Community Sheckler Heckler Ambush. The Anon-oh-Bloggers even went after your wife! I hope your marriage is OK! Every time I have ever seen you and Vicki together, you seem to be a solid, loving couple! I just spoke with her, sounds to me like she still loves you! Here’s a couple gems posted by Anon- oh-Blogger – Jenny on DM Block “he insulted and disrespected his loving wife in front of witnesses” “Our city deserves better. So does your family.”
Bob: A few folks that don’t like me spent the twenty bucks (or so) to rent the hall and invited me under the ruse that it was some kind of candidate forum. When a group tries to publicly humiliate an individual, things can run amok. The alleged tirade was greatly exaggerated and overblown, it was obvious once I arrived that the small gathering tried to get me to implode ….didn’t happenMe: Bob, they’re saying the new jail that you fought to have built is a waste of our tax dollars. BTW, hate the name. It’s jail not an Entity! …Cops up, non-violent misdemeanor offenders down.
Bob: We save $230,000 a year that we used to pay other jurisdictions to house our prisoners; we also collect $44,000 in taxes from S.C.O.R.E.Me: A blogger going by Susan White stated that “People have said that you refer to Des Moines as “Bobbyville” Well that would clear up the ongoing controversy as to whether we pronounce it Des Moyn or Des Moines… Sure would be nice to settle the decade’s long Des Moines singular/plural issue.
Bob: A few years back I attended a charity event (mystery/whodunit dinner theater). The person that wrote the whodunit story put together a competition between me and the Mayor of Normandy Park and the moderator stated that if I win …Des Moines would absorb Normandy Park and rename the city to “BobbyVille”. When people lead off a statement by “People say”, please ask what people …because they usually do not exist! I believe Susan White was present for the charity event where “BobbyVille” came from. I am one of many that have had the pleasure to serve the city, rumors of my inflated ego are greatly exaggerated.Me: Remember the fight over the conveyor belt to move soil to the 3rd runway? That is when I got to know you best. That land is sacred to me, growing up … I spent as much time there as I did our house on North Hill. If that conveyor went through (and it almost did) the dirty soil moved through their would have made the trail a toxic waste dump. Because of you and a couple other council members, we don’t have a trail of Tacoma smelter contaminated soil left behind by the 3rd runway contractors.
Bob: There has been a lot of fights like this one, and believe me …the guys that were going to profit from the conveyor do not like me! Unfortunately, you do make enemies if you are to be an effective leader.
Me: Reminds me of my favorite Paul Newman quote –“ If you don’t have enemies, you don’t have character.”Me: Gotta go Bob, that’s enough Des Moines politics for me….
Bob: Bye Matt …thanks for caring enough to inquire, and you can’t even vote for me!Bob has always been sincere, approachable, self-assured, and passionate about The City of Des Moines. His conviction, self-assuredness, and passion is sometime misconstrued as arrogance by those that don’t agree with his vision for Des Moines. We are not the only city that has issues… Check out Normandy Park’s shrine to vacant businesses/no tax revenue (Old XL Sooper Complex). Sal’s Deli in Burien just went under this week, a victim of city government betting on the come, then the economy tanked. When they relocated to the bigger building with a bigger lease, Sal’s was counting on a solid customer base from a successful Burien Town Center… Sad day, I’ve been eating their sandwiches since 1982. Renton sure is neat, have you been to The Landing? Oh yea, they have the main factory that leads The United States in exports. Bob’s right, Des Moines needs “the right” businesses to move in and improve the quality of life of the citizenry …or at least maintain the current level of services. Property values aren’t what they used to be and the taxes have to come from business. It would be great to expand Parks and Rec, but it is not feasible right now. Des Moines has one of the best Parks and Rec departments in the northwest, they do so much with so little.
Good Luck Bob!
- Matt Moeller
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Vote Bob Sheckler for Mayor! A GREAT leader and a GREAT person! Our city has come alive! Lets keep it going in the right direction! We want more of the same! Thanks Mayor Sheckler for your continued support of Des Moines! All of your hard work does not go unnoticed! Thanks also to our GREAT Council, Police Force, City Workers and Businesses! We are a town worth talking about and living in!
Thanks, Matt, for giving the mayor the chance to balance all the nastiness that has been posted. Bob Scheckler may not be perfect–who is?–but it’s obvious he knows the territory and the rules.
Do something about the Rosie incident…Justice for Rosie.. How about putting up a Newfi dog statue on the city borderline or the park lawn to show that the majority of the public loves dogs in DM. The cops need to see what they have done.
There’s a lot than can and has been said about Bob Sheckler … some of it is even true. What I can tell you is this: there are a lot of good things that have happened and are happening in Des Moines that would not be happening but for Bob’s efforts. When the City Council was at a standstill in 2004 and 2005, it was Bob Sheckler that took the initiative and set up the first Mayor’s Leadership Summit … pulling citizens from all aspects of our community together to help identify the needs, and then suggest ways to address them. The result? A successful effort to reinstate the level of police services we had previously (since lost due to recent economic challenges). Changes in the way the City issues some of our permits, including elimination for the need for some entirely. A Farmers Market that is a magnet to visitors and a community gathering spot … and the envy of our surrounding communities. A new water main, so that those even considering to invest in the Marina District (downtown) would no longer hesitate because of the cost of having to build infrastructure that was needed in the first place. And bringing businesses to town, simply by showing them what our community has to offer.
Bob’s efforts helping to grow our business base should be applauded, not trashed. Only those stuck in the past believe that you can continue to do things the same way over and over again, and that somehow things will change. Bob Sheckler has correctly understood that it would take effort, compromises, and a willingness to work with those intrepid risk takers to even consider building or investing in Des Moines.
When others said no or fought it, Bob has had the forsight and has led the way to make it happen. Years from now, when the dust has settled from this election, and we take a look at what the city of Des Moines has become, we’ll be able to say with pride “thank you, Bob.” I’m proud to support Bob Sheckler for reelection.
Dave Kaplan
Mayor Pro Tem
Des Moines City Councilmember
Speaking of parks and rec and all they do…Did anyone else notice the new person in charge of camp khaos? Speaking of a small budget, why would you higher someone new on top of Ralph? I believe that is his name. I know he was in charge of camp and before and after and now he
is in charge of before and after only and there is a new lady in charge of the camp. Well good job parks an rec. the camp was a disaster last summer and your paying an extra salary. I know I wasn’t the only parent who noticed. I’m surprised it hasn’t come up before. I would much rather have Ralph back and keep the extra money for the camp.
Dave,
You are worthless. Always were, still are. Spineless to boot and a coward.
Easy to support Bob in your half hearted remarks here after commenting really cannot make a difference because most people voted weeks ago. Oh I get it. You now back Bob in the hopes people will forgive you and support you after Bob loses or falls into a Canadian Whisky coma so you can become mayor.
Many know that you think permits and processing have been improved or eliminated on Bob’s watch. I see that you wear glasses and think those must need to be improved to address your obvious blindness to reality.
You said it Dave: “Only those stuck in the past believe that you can continue to do things the same way over and over again, and that somehow things will change.”
Don’t try to blame others. Scott and Dan did not run again, they stepped aside so others could serve and I thank them for their integrity and service. Dave you were such a self important jerk that you moved council seats to toss out a qualified woman all because you were jealous that she was popular and liked by staff. She only lost because she took care of her family instead of tearing down yard signs like you do in your anger.
Bob and your crowd has had enough time to shake things up. He didn’t and you didn’t and you won’t. He stood there and waited on the crowd to grow restless enough for the inevitable to occur. Change happens. Eventually even bad things start to improve and people get upset enough for things to be better. Bob did not cause the good, he stood by and took credit for the obvious. No one really opposes positive economic development in our city. How can Bob act like he is the only one to think that we need a new tax base? A new jail does not generate solid sales tax receipts. You and Bob brag that it brings in $40,000 per year, but I think the cost of extra police protection and reduced property taxes more than make up for that credit. D
Rebecca King may not be a banker or a big shot lobbyist like you Dave, but I hope she is smart enough to listen, and to learn. If her ideas are stupid, we will tell her and she will improve. Hear that Rebecca? With Bob, if we don’t give him credit for all that is good in the world then we let him down and we betray our city. It doesn’t work that way. Good is good and change is change. He is neither, and neither are you Dave.
Matt, you sound like a dedicated friend everyone needs one.
Just a few thoughts.
I was self employed for nearly twenty years and my “receipt collection” was impeccably maintained. Just a mere suggestion that the city keep theirs on diplay.
Does Mr. Sheckler have a documented travel log with valid receipts for his trips to China? Is it possible for citizens to view these records?
The North Hill forum, albeit a small group of concerned citizens was a fair representation of many; Senior Citizens of Des Moines, John Knox Presbyterian, Midway Covenant, Des Moines Gospel Church, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, AARP, SEIU, North Hill Community Club, Angle Lake Shore CLub, PTA affiliates of Des Moines and North Hill Elementary, Seattle Christian School, Destination Des Moines, Small and Large Business Company Owners throughout South King County and so on.
Yes, this small insignificant group of people, dismissed as they have been certainly witnessed Mr. Shecklers negative display-it did happen!
No more Waterland festival, No more boat launch, run down buildings, Empty commercial property, Inept Police, and Business ventures with the Chinese(number one human rights violators on the planet), ect ect. Sounds like someones doing a great job running Des Moines to me!
Go give it up….No marina just a park… look what it has done to local business. Was a greatt place for the fisherman.. no more