Budgetary issues dominated discussions at the Twentynine Palms City Council meeting last night. Reporter Dan Stork broke his report into two parts. Today: The budget review, Knott Sky Park improvements, and the community reinvestment program…
In a mid-year budget review, Finance Director Ron Peck told the Twentynine Palms City Council that current revenue versus expenditures is tracking about $92,000 in the red, following significant drops in revenues from sales taxes and hotel bed taxes. Although City Manager Joe Guzetta advised that this should be viewed as an “on track” report at this point in the fiscal year, the deficit alarmed Council and colored subsequent discussions. Authorization to put an improvements job at Knotts Sky Park out for bids passed 4-1 (Jay Corbin dissenting) after staffer Randy Councell cautioned that failure to go forward could jeopardize Community Development Block Grant funds assigned to the project. A community reinvestment fund of $125,000 was approved (4-1, Cora Heiser objecting). The fund will provide qualifying business applicants along Adobe Road and Route 62 with money for trash enclosures, paint and painting supplies, drought-tolerant landscaping, and monument signs.
