Among the presentation items on the agenda of tonight’s meeting of the Twentynine Palms City Council is a status report on Project Phoenix bond litigation. On Monday afternoon, the City issued a press release noting there had been a hearing on the city’s suit against the state, in a Sacramento court on Friday. The suit seeks to overturn a ruling by the state Department of Finance that the City may not use the proceeds of bonds issued in 2011 for downtown redevelopment. The release said that Mayor Dan Mintz and Mayor Pro Tem Jay Corbin attended, and had a favorable impression of the proceedings. A decision is expected in 60 to 90 days. Dan Stork previews the full agenda, which also hits employee evaluation, a National Park partnership, block grants, tourism marketing, code enforcement, fire truck loan, and unpaved roads…
Following a 5 p.m. closed session—whose topic is a performance evaluation of the City Manager—the Twentynine Palms City Council starts its 6 p.m. open session on January 28 with several presentations. Joshua Tree National Park Superintendent Mark Butler will talk about a potential partnership between the City and the Park on a Student Science Center on city property near the Park. Local non-profit organizations will make their pitches for Community Development Block Grants for next year. City staff will update the Council on the Property Management Plan and the status of litigation against the state over the 2011 Project Phoenix bond issue. Scheduled discussions include: A contract with Vickie Waite for tourism services, and solicitation of proposals for advanced internet marketing; code enforcement activities, code enforcement uniforms, and blighted building abatement; waiving the use of development impact fees to pay off the loan that the City gave the Water District for purchase of a fire truck; and review a proposed policy on unpaved road standards. Council meets in City Hall on Adobe Road.
PROJECT PHOENIX BOND LITIGATION IN COURT, TWENTYNINE PALMS CITY COUNCIL MEETS TONIGHT
