The City of Twentynine Palms concluded an intensive 2-day Strategic Planning Workshop on Saturday (4/5) with a preliminary list of priorities. A Friday evening session at City Hall focused on outlining the various departments in the city and how they serve the residents kicked off the sessions. The Saturday Session, called a goal-setting workshop, saw about 30 residents show up at the Freedom Plaza community center which dwindled to about 20 by the end of the 5-hour event.
The workshop started with an outside facilitator explaining how the process would work and the City Manager, Dr. Stone James, reviewing the accomplishments and challenges of priorities set in a similar process 2 years ago. Public comments were taken that ranged from the need for Health and Wellness facilities, development on Adobe Road, the expansion of Theatre 29, Children’s activities, support for TBID, Tourism, additional law enforcement, all while retaining the unique qualities of Twentynine Palms.
Council members and the public then split off into smaller scoping sessions to develop a list of needs and project priorities. The overwhelming need identified by both elected officials and concerned citizens was an expansion of city revenues. The possibility of a raise in sales or T.O.T. taxes was given serious consideration. The results of the scoping session, all posted on large pads and then transferred to a wall size document, were all reviewed and discussed.
City Council members were then asked what their priorities were, based on the input from the sessions. The results were, in order, a new animal shelter, a sheriff’s service specialist, the expansion of Theatre 29, Roads, Veterans services, homeless support, small business support, and housing (a recurring theme was a mandate to build 1,000 homes in Twentynine Palms by 2030).
Mayor Steven Bilderain summed up the process saying, “The city needs to grow to be healthy, but in a manner which retains our unique rural character and honors the rich past”. The process will continue for about 30 days with additional surveys to be conducted online and a final formal strategic action plan to be formulated and voted on.
