The Des Moines city manager’s office has appointed Joshua Barr as the city’s designated liaison to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community. Barr is also director of the Des Moines Civil & Human Rights Department. The appointment elevates the line of communication between the commission and the LGBTQ community by placing Barr on City Manager Scott Sanders’ staff, the city said in a release. In addition to the new appointment, the Des Moines Civil and Human Rights Commission is forming an LGBTQ subcommittee to examine the issues and challenges of the LGBTQ community. Barr can be reached at at 515-283-4284 or at jbvarr@dmgov.org. Read a profile of Barr on BusinessRecord.com.