The Twentynine Palms City Council met in regular session last night. A rundown on projects and priorities was revisited and an explanation on the current status of Project Phoenix bonds was reviewed. Reporter Dan Stork was there and files this report…
The Twentynine Palms City Council spent the largest portion of its meeting retracing ground it had covered in its previous meeting. This happened because members discovered they did not share a common understanding of what they decided last month, with regard to funding of capital projects. So they went through the list of 30+ projects again. With the aid of City Manager Richard Warne, they separated those projects which have assured, separate funding, as well as those to which the City is already contractually obligated, from the items that would have to be funded from built-up reserves. Then they approved (4-1, Jay Corbin dissenting) a budget that omits the last category. The scheduled discussion on fees didn’t happen. Earlier in the meeting, consultant Matt McCleary summarized Assembly Bill 1484, which was supposed to fill in some of the blanks left by AB 26, which disbanded redevelopment agencies throughout the state. McCleary reported that AB 1484 allows Twentynine Palms to receive tax stream revenues to pay off bonds that it issued in 2011. BUT it is still not clear whether it can use bond proceeds to fund Project Phoenix, the downtown revitalization effort. Stay tuned. At the beginning of the meeting, it was announced that Acting City Clerk Cindy Villescas has been appointed the permanent City Clerk. A proclamation was also issued marking the 60th anniversary of the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, as was a resolution signing on to the National Park Centennial Statement of Joint Principles, and a proclamation honoring Captain Donnie Miller on his retirement from the Sheriff’s Department. Jennifer Cusack was introduced as the new local representative for Southern California Edison, and presented Reach Out Morongo Basin with a $5000 check.
TWENTYNINE PALMS CITY COUNCIL APPROVES BUDGET, PROJECT PHOENIX FUTURE STILL UNSURE
