Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center's lease in Twentynine Palms recommended to be transferred to non-profit JTNPA

The Twentynine Palms City Council took steps to ensure continuity with the lease of Joshua Tree National Park’s visitor center. First, the 5th grade class of Oasis Elementary School presented their Black History Month project to the City Council and the attending Public. Each child represented a famous Black person and read out their particulars and details. We were introduced to Booker T. Washington; Ruby Bridges and Michelle Obama to name a few. Each character was displayed on a large board, which contained photos and interesting facts. The children received an enthusiastic round of applause and many thanks from the audience. Mayor Bilderain issued a Proclamation, recognizing February 2025 as Black History Month. He thanked the children for their excellent presentation. The City Council designated councilmember Ramirez to be a delegate for the Southern California Association of Governments’ Annual regional conference and general assembly, while mayor pro tem Mintz volunteered to be alternate delegate. A lengthy presentation was given to review the proposed General Fund Budget amendments for fiscal year 2024-25.. In addition several interfund transfers were requested to be moved from the General Fund to the Capital Projects Fund, for the purchase of a code enforcement vehicle and an Animal Control vehicle. The $200,000 requested and approved for improvements to the Twentynine Palms Senior Center was met with public enthusiasm. All of the above expenditures were also approved. Regarding the Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center lease, it was recommended that the City Council authorize the City Manager and City Attorney to amend or rewrite the lease between the National Park Service and the City of Twentynine Palms to allow the Joshua Tree National Park Association to assume or otherwise become responsible for all lease obligations needed to ensure Freedom Plaza’s Joshua Tree National Park Cultural Center remains operational in the event the National Park Service is forced to suspend visitor center operations. All other lease provisions would substantially remain the same. During the Public Comments section, several people expressed their dismay at the recent firing of Park Rangers and asked what the City Council was going to do about it.