Prior to tonight’s meeting, the Twentynine Palms City Council will host a workshop for local non-profits striving to obtain a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). Starting at 5:15 p.m. in council chambers, council will hear presentations from 11 applicants collectively asking for nearly $140K though just $50K is available for funding.
Around 6:00 p.m., the regular council meeting will begin with a presentation to the Twentynine Palms High School TASHA Club for participating in the Cash for Trash and Recycling Program.
Government Relations Manager Shane Moussad will then present from Southern California Edison. In an effort toward transparency, City Manager Stone James and Finance Director Abigail Hernandez will then present on Grant Funding Agreements.
A recipient of a Community Events Grant, Friends of the Twentynine Palms Library, will report on the Morongo Basin Spell-A-Thon Event, followed by another fellow recipient, the Mil-Tree Veteran Project, which will report on the “From There to Here: Military and Veteran Expressions” event.
Community Development Director Keith Gardner will lead council through a public hearing concerning changes to the development code, specifically, creating permits for live entertainment. Essentially, the city would implement a licensing program wherein live entertainment would be added to an existing business license. Application fees are proposed to be $550 (with annual renewals at $380) due at the time of business license renewal.
Hernandez will return to the lectern to present the preliminary Two-Year (Fiscal Year 2025/26 & 2026/27) Budgets for the Project Phoenix Funds and Sewer Fund for initial council review. She will then present the preliminary Two-year Special Revenue Funds Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-26 & 2026-27, also for review.
Finally, council will discuss a proposed amendment to the City Manager’s Employment Agreement. Noting that the City Manager’s salary is currently the lowest of all city managers in San Bernardino County, a 2.5 percent salary increase is proposed, as well as other adjustments.The meeting takes place on Tuesday, May 27, at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall, 6136 Adobe Road. It can be livestreamed or viewed on-demand via the city’s website, www.29palms.org.
