The six candidates for three seats on the Twentynine Palms City Council participated in a forum sponsored by z107.7 News at Theatre 29 on Thursday evening. A full house heard 2-minute opening and closing statements from each candidate, and 1-minute responses to 12 questions posed by moderator Gary Daigneault. Reporter Dan Stork snapshots what the candidates said, in the first of a two-part report…
At the candidates’ forum, the six candidates for three seats on the Twentynine Palms City Council—John Cole, Bill Easter, Jim Harris, Adam Lunn, Dan Mintz, and McArthur Wright—were presented with questions on a range of topics.
All agreed that fire department support by the city is a pressing issue, which needs more study and near-term action. For Adam Lunn, it is his principal reason for running.
Lunn and Wright gave a conference center a low priority. The others said it could be useful to draw visitors to the city.
All said that the city should maintain strong reserves for emergencies, such as road repair, with Easter saying that funds above the agreed level should be used for capital projects.
All agreed that $400,000 dollars was out of line for a dog park. Mintz noted that the $400,000 figure cited in the question was intended for many park improvements, and has not been assigned in any case.
All were against commercial solar fields in the city, with many preferring rooftop solar, and most were against solar fields in the city’s sphere of influence, although Adam Lunn said that what people outside the city did was not the City’s business.
Most felt that the communication and cooperation relationship with the Marine base is good as it is. Easter warned that the City can expect no influence over retail development on the base. Wright and Cole said that the City should encourage marines to make use of what the city has to offer.
A detailed summary of what was said is listed below:
Opening statement
John Cole: 48-year resident. Teacher, principal, assistant school superintendent, college adjunct, City Council, Park arts council. Seeks greatest good for greatest number.
Bill Easter: Resident since 1998. Chamber of Commerce, Planning Commission. Will make decisions based on fact. Wants transparent government.
Jim Harris: 27-year resident. 45 years experience in retail and investigative services. Retired — treats Council as full time job.
Adam Lunn: 27-year resident, MUSD substitute teacher. Major issue: fire services.
Dan Mintz: 47-year resident, Planning Commission and City Council experience. Takes it seriously, wants to continue.
McArthur Wright: Marine veteran, V.P. of ministerial association. Change is needed.
1. Where do you stand with regard to providing fiscal assistance to the Twentynine Palms Fire Department?
John Cole: Council won’t write a blank check, but should be involved. Need to move forward soon.
Bill Easter: Need to ask the voters. Would follow the 2012 [negative] vote.
Jim Harris: City has been responsive, e.g., buying a ladder truck. Don’t know the long-term solution, but we need to do it.
Adam Lunn: Fire department is going to get called regardless. Are we going to study this again, as in 2008 <ran out of time to answer>
Dan Mintz: Need long term solution. No ideas are off the table.
McArthur Wright: We need to look at this.
2. How would you make a conference center profitable in a struggling economy?
John Cole: There have been local requests for a place for presentations, from the Base and the Park. Maybe attract smaller groups for which Low-Desert facilities are too expensive.
Bill Easter: Put it downtown, within a scaled-down Project Phoenix. Use it to draw visitors.
Jim Harris: Reach out to organizations in other areas. Theater on Base is not good for many conferences. Assess fees. Use for weddings, large groups. Involve the Chamber of Commerce and City Council.
Adam Lunn: Doesn’t think it’s needed. If it’s there, use it for classes, as McArthur. Wright said. There are higher priorities, such as potholes.
Dan Mintz: Every city wants to draw conferences. Involve the National Park and the Park Service. Use it to draw repeat visitors.
McArthur Wright: First, use it for classes for business owners, then other things.
3. Should city keep more money in reserve, or make it available for community development?
John Cole: Believes in strong reserve for equipment, roads, emergencies.
Bill Easter: All agree, but what’s the number [at which reserves should be used.] Money above the cap should go to capital projects.
Jim Harris: Agrees with commitment not to touch reserve except in emergencies.
Adam Lunn: Need to be care about spending reserves, when we may need it for things like summer flooding.
Dan Mintz: Some reserve money has been used for road improvements and other pressing needs. Believes in a strong reserve.
McArthur Wright: Need a strong reserve to deal with situations that may arise.
4. Do you actually think the city needs a $400,000 dog park?
John Cole: No.
Bill Easter: No, use the fenced area at the Community Center.
Jim Harris: $400K is out of line. Set aside an area at Knott Sky Park.
Adam Lunn: No, put up a fence and shade structures in an existing park.
Dan Mintz: No. But the $400K the question refers to was for many park improvements. It was allocated, and not yet spent.
McArthur Wright: No, it’s a waste of money.
5. What is your opinion on the proliferation and future of solar farms, either within the city or in the city’s zone of influence?
John Cole: No on farm proliferation, yes on rooftop solar.
Bill Easter: Doesn’t support commercial solar — doesn’t serve interests of people of Twentynine Palms. Planning Commission has held this. Supports rooftop solar.
Jim Harris: City Council has followed lead of Planning Commission. Has opposed commercial solar in sphere of influence too.
Adam Lunn: Don’t want commercial solar in city. We have no business telling people outside the city what to do, especially when we’re not providing fire service outside the city.
Dan Mintz: Doesn’t support solar fields in city or in SOI. Supports rooftop solar.
McArthur Wright: Believes in conservation, but have to maintain desert beauty and integrity.
6. Summarize how you perceive the City of Twentynine Palms’ relationship with the United States Marine Corps training base, in terms of strengths and weaknesses? How might the city council try to change it?
John Cole: There is a strong economic base there. We need to extend ourselves to tell them what there is to do here.
Bill Easter: We have a good relationship. But don’t fool yourself that we can change how the Base does retail.
Jim Harris: There is a good relationship now. There is no room for more retail expansion on the base.
Adam Lunn: Relationship changes with every new command. The best we can hope for is to keep doing what we’re doing.
Dan Mintz: Communication and cooperation has been good. Yes, we have no control over retail, but they have to have Twentynine Palms business licenses, and pay sales tax.
McArthur Wright: We need to have things here that Marines will want to come to, and we need to encourage them to come.
7. There has been a proposal to construct a raceway here in Twentynine Palms. What is your opinion?
John Cole: If such facilities can draw people, the idea has merit. Doesn’t know the attendant problems.
Bill Easter: Hopes that the city isn’t paying for the feasibility study. This is something that would draw Marines to town.
Jim Harris: There are many issues, environmental and others. City can’t afford it; it needs sponsors. Would be good east of town.
Adam Lunn: Great idea. City shouldn’t be taking lead, but should be involved.
Dan Mintz: A feasibility study is being done now, not just on the track, but on visitor attraction. City wouldn’t build it.
McArthur Wright: Who doesn’t want to go fast? If studies support it, would like to have it.
8. Do you feel that vacation home rentals should be allowed in Twentynine Palms?
John Cole: Anything that attracts visitors is worth looking at. It can be done without hurting the existing hospitality group.
Bill Easter: Since I’m on the Planning Commission now, it’s not fair for me to comment.
Jim Harris: Since I’ll be asked to vote on this as a City Council member, it’s not fair for me to comment.
Adam Lunn: Absolutely. Charge for business license, collect TOT. If there are [disturbances], there’s a process to deal with it.
Dan Mintz: Concept could bring tourists. But since I’ll be asked to vote on this as a City Council member, it’s not fair for me to comment.
McArthur Wright: Leave it up to the citizens. Don’t build new structures when existing ones aren’t being used.
9. How should Twentynine Palms deal with its homeless and hungry population?
John Cole: Folks need our help. Doesn’t have answers, wants to pursue the issue.
Bill Easter: Convert unused housing owned by city to temporary shelter.
Jim Harris: Convert unused foreclosed assisted living facility to temporary shelter, and staff it properly.
Adam Lunn: Knows it happens all the time, as he sees in the schools. We don’t do enough, but how far should we go?
Dan Mintz: Breaking Bread Ministry and Rotary have programs. City doesn’t, but sends representatives to organization that deals with problems.
McArthur Wright: Bigger problem than you think. Likes Bill Easter’s idea. Need to look at solutions.
10. What is your position on public sewage disposal?
John Cole: Jim Harris’ idea is exciting. Maybe use it to concentrate on commercial waste, and defer residential problem.
Bill Easter: Doesn’t see city partnering with base. City is already dealing with issue: Package plants are required for new businesses, and Project Phoenix would too.
Jim Harris: Could lay lines out to Base, and use their treatment capacity.
Adam Lunn: There’s been a joint council/water district meeting. Problem is probably 30 years out, but should start planning now.
Dan Mintz: Joint study with water district is ongoing. Not a near term problem, but on the radar. Package plants are near-term approach.
McArthur Wright: We need to prepare and study others’ mistakes.
11. What is your vision for Twentynine Palms?
John Cole: Enhance what we have, using the demonstrated willingness of residents to step up.
Bill Easter: Want a community with full time jobs, where kids won’t have to move away.
Jim Harris: A nice quiet crime-free community, maybe with eventual size of 40,000. Growth to be based on attracting business.
Adam Lunn: Loves small town feel, knowing the people, knowing local artists. Reality: we won’t grow fast.
Dan Mintz: Keep our uniqueness. Attract tourists. Attract some big box retail.
McArthur Wright: A place that people want to come to, with family-oriented business. Government for the people, that will do what the people want.
12. What infrastructure improvements do you think are needed?
John Cole: Roads, transportation, and flood control.
Bill Easter: Curbs, roads, and gutters. Parts of Project Phoenix. Parks and rec improvements.
Jim Harris: Project Phoenix should solve many business-attraction problems. Reporting potholes to city is effective.
Adam Lunn: Curbs, gutters, sidewalks on the highway are great. Unsure of quality of in-house paving. Flood control is important.
Dan Mintz: Streets, building on successes in bringing paving in-house.
McArthur Wright: Roads. Then give existing businesses face-lifts. Do something with vacant buildings—all before Project Phoenix.
Closing statement:
John Cole: Please register and vote.
Bill Easter: This meeting didn’t address the fire services problem enough. Wants a referendum about supporting fire services at current level.
Jim Harris: Has been endorsed by Paul Cook. Cited regional relationship built by SANBAG service. Claimed credit for Morongo Valley delimiters. Public safety the priority.
Adam Lunn: Major goal is a fire department solution. Fire and public safety should be top priority.
Dan Mintz: Relays community concerns to city government regularly. Council has addressed business renovation. Project Phoenix will treat vacant buildings.
McArthur Wright: Will be who I am: retired Marine, man of God, concerned citizen.
