Kary Minatrea Leaves Community Services and Parks and Rec
A sudden exit for a key City employee
Highly regarded Twentynine Palms Community Services and Parks and Recreation Director Kary Minatrea is no longer employed by the City. Per sources, Minatrea unexpectedly quit her position on July 3. Our contacts also relayed that Minatrea was preparing to retire, but left prior to that planned date.
Minatrea had been with the City for 27 years, yet no official announcement of her departure has been made and neither the City nor our sources were forthcoming on a reason for her leaving. Attempts to reach Minatrea directly were unsuccessful.
At the April 4 Strategic Planning session, Minatrea spoke to the role her department plays in the City:
I'd like to talk about something that truly brings life to our community. It's our parks, recreation programs, community events and services. They aren't just amenities. They're a heartbeat of a thriving, connected and healthy society. Recreation programs play a crucial role in shaping lives. Youth and adult sports teach teamwork and discipline, arts and culture. Programs ignite creativity and fitness classes promote healthier lifestyles. These programs aren't just activities, they're opportunities for personal growth and community engagement. Our program serves over 1,200 youth annually.
Beyond recreation, I like to also focus on the importance of community services. When we invest in after school programs for youth and support services for seniors, such as our partnership with Reach Out Morongo Basin, we strengthen the very fabric of our neighborhoods. These programs provide resources for working parents and to seniors who may be isolated or have difficulty navigating new world technology. What brings the community together better than events? These celebrations are valuable. They create shared experiences that build lasting memories. They foster local pride and showcase to the diversity that makes our community unique.
During public comment at the April 4 session, Robin Schlosser, Director of Reach Out Morongo Basin, which runs the Senior Center, said of Minatrea, “when she became the recreation supervisor and Reach Out, started working with her as a partnership for the Senior Center, I mean, things have blossomed.”
Projects and accomplishments achieved while Minatrea led the department include:
The Youth Council
A partnership with Pacific Clinics to provide mental health support for active military and their families
Reopening the Sky Park Preschool building with Institute of Inquiry at the helm
Expansion of sports programming to girls via a grant from the National Recreation and Park Association and Nike
New pickleball / tennis court
Upgrading recreational facilities and parking for ADA compliance
Partnership with Special Olympics
Potential expansion of the Boys and Girls Club to Twentynine Palms
Numerous community and nonprofit grants
It is unclear whether the City plans to fill her position, leaving Parks and Rec and Community Services without a Director for the immediate future.
When asked to comment, Mayor Steven Bilderain replied:
Her 251 years of experience is hard to replace, but most of all the kind of person she is, you can’t replace. Her commitment and passion to the City and Park and Rec programs — she understood how important her and staff were to the kids of the City and how that would impact them into future adults. Many of the kids that grew up participating in the sports and programs come back to volunteer and even work summer jobs for Park and Rec. Some are now full time employees. There are thousands of kids that have had some of their greatest childhood experiences, memories, and achievements because of Park and Rec. Her leadership and love for our youth made that happen.
I wish her and her family the very best — go travel and enjoy those free weekends!
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Writing off the cuff while traveling, the Mayor was off by two years.