Listen here:
At last night’s 29 Palms City Council meeting, a single dissenting vote will move the proposed wastewater billing for 12 downtown businesses off the tax roll and into their mailboxes each month.
The meeting started with recognizing Explorer Troop 870’s efforts to clean up the field near Circle K – where 14 explorers and their family members cleaned up nearly 10 bags of trash – earning them a donation from the city of 29 Palms and Burrtec.
A proclamation officially recognized June 19th as Juneteenth Independence Day, and Mayor MacArthur Wright encouraged everyone to come to the “Twentynine Palms Juneteenth” celebration on the 17th at Knott’s Sky Park.
The Council also officially recognized the diverse population of 29 Palms and declared June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month.
On to the consent the calendar:
- Approvals for payments relating to project Phoenix – aka Freedom Plaza were approved, and the annual contract with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department was approved in the amount of 5.3 million dollars – that budget may allow for the hiring of an additional detective according to City Manager Frank Luckino.
- The newly renovated Luckie Park Pool project has officially been completed, with a notice of completion passed after some public comment regarding the 6.2 million dollar price tag.
- Filming permits in 29 Palms will be separated out into their own permit category. Currently they are under the umbrella of “temporary use permits.” The changes will drop the permit waiting period from 30 to 10 days along with other items that could make it easier for small to larger productions to film in Twentynine Palms.
- A sewer rate study outlined the proposed budgets as well as the operating deficit for the planned downtown / Freedom Plaza wastewater treatment system, along with outlining the cities’ intent to put the sewer fees on the Tax Roll for the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year. Councilmember Mintz excused himself from the vote citing a conflict of interest. After several public comments expressing concern over how businesses will be billed – Octavious Scott was the only dissenting vote, but that was enough to keep sewage fees off the tax roll and will instead be billed monthly to each business on the downtown sewer system.
- The operating deficit will be supported by money from the general fund. The Special Funds Budget was passed, with streets listed for maintenance and money earmarked for resurfacing some of the tennis courts into Pickleball courts.
The City Council appointed James Garcia and Jessica Cure to the planning commission – both were vetted from the previous pool of applications by the ad hoc committee consisting of Mayor Pro Tem Steven Bilderain and Council Member Octavious Scott. Councilman Klink and Mayor Wright were the only dissenting votes, with some public comments expressing concerns over the method used for choosing the seats.
City Manager Frank Luckino closed out the meeting with his city manager report, noting a new Dollar General location out on 2 Mile Road.
