(Editor's note: This letter was originally sent to Des Moines city officials.)

We are asking for your help in continuing to make Des Moines a beautiful, safe and prosperous place to live. Please restore the Parks and Streets Maintenance budgets.

Please restore maintenance to our parks and trails. Several of our parks are currently "mothballed" and are receiving minimum maintenance.

Please preserve our open spaces. Zenith Park is owned by the Highline School District and they are looking to surplus the property for needed funds. This could (and probably will) mean that Zenith Park may be developed and our largest open space park will be gone forever!

Please maintain our beautiful downtown Des Moines and our newly planted Des Moines streetscapes on Pacific Highway South.

We appreciate that you will do what is necessary to make this happen. Thank you for your support!

Marie Dhu Lemley

Des Moines