The City of West Des Moines has appointed a Steering Committee to provide guidance and input through the lifecycle of the project. 

Membership: The committee is comprised of a diverse mix of community leaders with representation from the public and private sectors. The most effective project steering committees typically include 15-20 individuals and should include a good mix of ages, backgrounds, and private sector industries.

Responsibilities: As the official guiding body, the committee has specific responsibilities:

• During Trip #1, participate in a comprehensive focus group session, providing honest insight into the region, its strengths and challenges
• Review each deliverable and participate in all deliverable presentations by the AE project team, providing AE with comments and suggestions
• Advise the project team on individuals and organizations that need to be included in focus groups and interviews during the course of the project
• Help rally community support for implementation of final report recommendations

Current Steering Committee Members:

1.          Steve Gaer, Mayor
2.          Ted Ohmart, Council Member
3.          Charles Schneider, Council Member
4.          Bob Brownell, Polk County
5.          Mark Hanson, Dallas County
6.          Bob Folkestad, Warren County
7.          Bill VanOrsdel, BAVO
8.          Tom Narak, West Des Moines Community Schools Superintendent
9.          Rob Denson, Des Moines Area Community College President
10.        Paula Nissen, Iowa Workforce Development 
11.        Deb Calvert, MidAmerican Energy
12.        John Clarke, Landowner/Plan and Zoning Commissioner
13.        Gerry Neugent, Landowner/Developer
14.        Mike Kammerer, WDM Chamber of Commerce President
15.        Kurt Pearson, WDM Development Corporation President
16.        David Maahs, Greater Des Moines Partnership
17.        Forrest Ridgway, Parks Board