Recently organized community groups in Des Moines are combining forces to make the Waterland Community a destination area.

Growing out of last year's Des Moines Mayor's Leadership Summit, the Public Safety Committee spearheaded a campaign that successfully promoted a property tax levy lid lift to restore police services that had been cut due to budget constraints.

The levy for these police services was approved in May.

Now Destination Des Moines, which was formed by separate committees created at the Leadership Summit and started the city's new farmers market last summer, held its first open house on Oct. 11 at the Des Moines Activity Center.

Destination Des Moines will continue to promote the city, President Leesa Kofmehl said at the open house.

"It's up to the different committees to start putting together the projects we've been talking about for over a year," said Kofmehl.

The group, which will include both local business owners and residents, brought together "a lot of new and long-time residents (at the open house)," Kofmehl said.

Because the objectives of Destination Des Moines are similar to those of the Des Moines Business Boosters, which organized in 2003, the Business Boosters will merge with the now group, said Kofmehl.

One of the primary goals of Destination Des Moines is to help community organizations communicate better.

For the first two years, primary funding will come from the city.

Lawmakers at their Oct. 12 council meeting approved a request by Destination Des Moines for financial support from the city unanimously.

The council will determine an actual dollar amount at a later date.

"We have to go through the budget and see who gets what," said Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler. "It's standard operating procedure."

For more information about Destination Des Moines, call 206-824-9462.

Council members also voted unanimously on Oct. 12 to reestablish a city arts commission.

It's an independent commission, separate from Destination Des Moines, said Sheckler.

Des Moines' first arts commission started in the early 1980s but "kind of fizzled," Sheckler said. In 1992, the ordinance establishing the commission was repealed due to inactivity.