After nearly 30 years with the County of San Bernardino and the City of Twentynine Palms, Community Services Director Randy Councell is retiring at the end of this month. Reporter Heather Clisby recently caught up with Councell to discuss the close of his long career …
In 1979, Randy Councell scored a lifeguard position on the Marine Base and that job inspired a long career in recreation. Despite the enviable perk of wearing shorts to work, on May 29, the Twentynine Palms Community Services Director will spend his final day on the job.
Reviewing budget strategies in a COVID-19 reality, the City offered senior staff a buyout plan for an early retirement and Councell took it.
Councell has been employed by the City for 27 years, plus two and half years with the County and five years with the City of Delano – all in parks and recreation.
“I worked two and a half years with County. And then we found a way to dissolve the park district and take all our funding before we lost it, in to the City. We became a department of the City in 1993.”
When Councell was in first grade, the family moved to Twentynine Palms as his father was stationed at the base. After graduation, Councell attended College of the Desert, earned a BA in Liberal Arts at UC Riverside, then a Masters in Business Administration from National University.
Though it’s difficult to leave his post as COVID-19 leaves so many classes and events cancelled and unscheduled, Councell knows his staff will accommodate. He’s just really hoping for a return of soccer and volleyball in the fall. Beyond that, Councell sees big changes ahead for the City.
“With Project Phoenix, and the Community Center, and the National Park Visitor Center, it’s going to change downtown and how busy it’s going to be. That’s a big change coming and that’s only about a year and half year out.”
Over the years, Councell has noted deeper working relationships with outside agencies and non-profits. He cites Theatre 29 using a City building and Reach Out Morongo Basin operating the City’s senior center.
Councell’s wife, Glenda, retired last year after a career in education, and the couple hopes to travel more in the years ahead. The Councell’s have two sons – the oldest, Matthew, attends Northern Arizona University, and their youngest, Nicholas, has been named salutatorian for the Twentynine Palms High School Class of 2020.
While Councell’s retirement party will have to wait, he’s already begun to reflect on a life spent in recreation.
“There’s a lot of people who have helped me with my job, throughout the community, doing construction projects and giving us information. It’s been a pleasure dealing with everybody here, helping them get what they want out of our recreation program and out of the City. It’s been a great pleasure, a great experience. The staff that’s there, that’s going to be taking over will do a great and wonderful job.”
