ON THE AGENDA: Twentynine Palms City Council, July 14, 2026
A guide to public comment under the City's new Webex system, plus what's on Tuesday's agenda: a sales tax vote and a new Brown Act Rules and a Public Participation Policy
The Twentynine Palms City Council meets this Tuesday, July 14, at 6 pm at City Hall. This will be the rollout of the City’s new Webex system, which will allow you to watch the meeting and make written and audiovisual public comments. You’ll need to register ahead of time with this link; if you want to comment on a particular agenda item, include the item number on the pop-up form. You can note whether you are for or against an agenda item without making a comment.
The agenda packet for the meeting is here—we’ll include agenda numbers in our preview, but check the agenda to ensure you reference the right items.
If you merely want to watch the meeting as in the past, here is the link for the City’s YouTube page.
There is a five-page Public Participation Policy in the agenda packet (pages 17 to 21), which will be voted on as part of agenda item 5. We cover it in more depth below, along with other changes mandated by California State Senate Bill 707.
You can still submit an email to Council. Be sure to email them prior to 2 pm on the date of the meeting so they have time to read your email. You can also copy the clerk at cvillescas@29palms.org and ask that your letter be made part of the public record.
Again, here are useful links:
The meeting’s agenda packet
The link to make public comments on the new Webex system
The YouTube link to view the meeting
The email address for the City Clerk cvillescas@29palms.org
PUBLIC COMMENT
Since we’re talking about public comment and the new Webex system, be assured that you can still comment on agenda items and issues important to you at every City Council meeting. Comments on agenda items take place during discussion of that item, while comments on non-agenda items take place near the end of the meeting. The Brown Act prevents Council from commenting on non-agenda items. For this meeting, to comment, pick up a form at the entry desk, fill it out, and hand it to the Clerk, who usually sits just in front of the Council dais on the right.
Keep in mind that the City has been falling short on documenting public comments. See our analysis here. Indeed, the minutes for the last City Council meeting, held on June 23, are not included in this agenda’s Consent Calendar, as they generally (but not always) are.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Information on the Importance of Periodic Septic System Maintenance.
The City has been placing educational materials on septic systems and groundwater safety prepared jointly by the City and the Water District in most agenda packets, as we covered here. The City intends to place this item on the Consent Calendar as a standing reminder to residents to maintain their septic systems, although it is a very under-the-radar way to do so. The Water District has similar information on septic safety linked here.
Also tucked into the agenda packet is the information that three of the City’s eight batch treatment systems are failing. On March 10, the Desert Trumpet pointed out:
The report does not identify their locations, nor does it provide a count of the individual residential and commercial septic systems operating within city limits. For a community that relies entirely on septic systems for wastewater management and is actively tracking groundwater contamination risk, that seems like information the public has a right to know.
We’re kicking off our summer subscription drive! Help the Desert Trumpet reach 1600 subscribers by spreading the word like these generous supporters.
DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL ACTION ITEMS
There are no public hearings included in the agenda, and the meeting will move directly to potential action items.
Designation of Delegate for the Annual CalCities Conference
The League of California Cities will host their annual Cal Cities Expo in September at the Anaheim Convention Center. According to the its website, the League is a non-profit organization composed of 476 cities throughout the state. They lobby at the state and federal level, advocating for legislation that affects policy decisions that come down from the State Capitol in Sacramento. The City of Twentynine Palms will be sending a delegate and an alternate delegate to the expo, where they will participate and vote on the League’s annual business, and will be choosing their delegates at this meeting.
The fee for the event is $725 for each delegate, covered by the City budget, as are hotel and transportation costs. Last year, then-Mayor Pro Tem Daniel Mintz and Councilmember April Ramirez attended the conference in Long Beach in October. Membership in the League of California Cities, event fees, and travel costs are not broken out separately in the City’s budget.1
Senate Bill 707 (SB707) Introduction of Policies Related to Brown Act Changes.
On October 3, 2025, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 707 into law. This bill updates the Brown Act, a law that controls how local governments hold public meetings. The goal of the bill is to make it easier for more people to get involved in local government. Some parts of the law started on January 1, 2026, but the biggest changes begin July 1, 2026. Hence the City’s new Webinar system.
The system will change how residents make public comments. There is a new Public Participation Policy on pages 17-21 of the agenda packet; if you find the policy problematic, bring it up in comment on item 5. Here are some key items:
Time limits scale with turnout: 3 minutes/speaker if 10 or fewer speakers sign up, 2 minutes if 11–15 speakers, 1 minute if 16 or more. The Mayor has discretion to adjust. You cannot cede your time to another speaker. The policy does not make it clear whether the count is per item or is based on the number of speakers signed up for the entire meeting session.
In-person speakers go first, ahead of video/phone participants. When a remote speaker is called, they get only 15 seconds to respond before the next speaker is called, so be ready.
Sign-up deadlines: in-person speaker slips are encouraged by 4pm the day of the meeting. They are accepted until 6 pm, just before the meeting starts. This means that if something comes up in the meeting you want to talk about, you will not be able to submit a slip. Telephonic participants must register by email in advance to get dial-in instructions.
Remote participants are muted by default and only unmuted when called on (audio auto-mutes again once time is up); video participants are prompted to enable audio/video when recognized.
Bring copies if submitting handouts: in-person commenters supplementing their remarks with hard copies should bring at least eight copies for the Clerk/Council.
Decorum rules: comments must be directed to the Council as a whole, kept professional and courteous. Threats, incitement to imminent lawless action, and obscenity are not protected and can get a speaker warned or removed. This applies to remote commenters too. They can be muted, have video disabled, or be removed for disruption).
SB 707 has also extended pandemic-era teleconference rules through January 2030 and allows Councilmembers to participate remotely without publicly identifying their location under “just cause.” This includes for childcare, illness, family emergencies, work travel, or military service. Councilmembers can participate remotely for up to five meetings a year.
The bill also extended social media guidelines for Councilmembers. On topics within their jurisdiction, Councilmembers can use social media to:
Answer questions from the public
Provide information to the public
Solicit information from the public
They can also freely comment on, like, or interact with posts from members of the public. They cannot respond directly to anything another member of the same body posts, comments, or shares on social media about Council business. The law restricts not just written comments but also emojis, "like" buttons, and other reactions.
Adoption of Resolutions to Place the Proposed Sales Tax on the November 3, 2026 General Election Ballot
The sales tax ballot item is moving closer to being a reality. The agenda includes a pair of resolutions that would place the 1% sales tax measure on the ballot for residents to vote on in the November 3, 2026, general election.
For the guide that goes out to voters, the City Council can choose one of its members to write an official argument supporting the sales tax measure, capped at 300 words, to go in the voter guide that is sent by the State to every registered voter. This rationale is due to the City Clerk by Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at 5:30 pm. If the Council skips this step and multiple residents submit their own arguments for or against the measure, the Clerk must pick one of each based on priority rules, starting with the Council, then citizen groups or sponsors, then individual voters. The City Attorney will also write an impartial analysis (500 words max) explaining the measure's legal effects, due the same day. The state deadline to place a measure on the November ballot is August 7.
The draft ballot measure is very specific about what the sales tax might pay for, such as funding sheriff patrols, street repairs, park upkeep, and an animal shelter upgrade. Remember, however, that the this is a general tax, which isn’t legally tied to any particular use. Once the money comes in, it goes into the City’s General Fund, and whichever Council is in office at the time can spend it on anything. (In our recap of the last Council meeting, we covered what is and isn’t taxable.)
Placing the measure on the ballot requires a three-quarter vote of the Council. That means at least four of the five members have to say “yes.” If that vote isn’t there, the measure doesn’t move forward.
The City Council meeting will also include the City Manager’s report. The list of future council-initiated items is much leaner. This is the current list:
Shade Structures around Freedom Plaza and a possible art fixture with “Freedom Plaza” announcing the location.
Discussion on the use of City funds for grants and the potential reallocation of housing and homeless funds to grants.
Discussion on the next steps of reallocating $1.3 million for housing.
Review and revision to Municipal Code 5.08 related to Cannabis uses to bring the City up to par with new legislation and State Law.
Items resolved or pulled from the list by City Manager in the last City Council meeting include:
Discussion of a policy regulating the use of City Attorney resources
Discussion on creating a “Recognized Neighborhood Program”
Discussion of Code Enforcement and compliance with Proposition 36, including finding a pathway to meet Governor Newsom’s new guidance
Discussion about annexing parcels APN 0634-05-124 and 0634-05-109 (Set Free Ranch) in Wonder Valley
Discussion of a possible safe passage with CalTrans around Donnell Hill
Discussion on collaboration with Liberty Military Housing to update RHNA numbers
Study Session regarding the FLOCK cameras
The next Twentynine Palms City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 28, 2026 at 6 pm.
Hi, new subscribers! Desert Trumpet understands you might not be interested in all of our coverage. That’s why it’s divided into separate newsletters allowing you to opt out of reporting that’s not important to you. For instance, you may want our County news but not City Hall 29.
Here’s how to opt out: go to your Substack settings, scroll down to “subscriptions,” and select “Edit” for the Desert Trumpet. Simply uncheck the box next to the newsletters you don’t want to receive in your email inbox. You’ll still be able to access all coverage online or readd them later if you change your mind.
Become a paid subscriber!
Subscribing to the Desert Trumpet will always be free. That said, did you know that paid subscribers receive discounts on our DT Social events and invites to DT Front Porch, intimate discussions featuring local officials and notable residents?
Upgrade to a $50+ paid subscription for a 10% discount.
Upgrade to $100+ for a 25% discount.
Sustaining subscribers at the $250+ level and above receive complimentary tickets
Share your thoughts in the comments below. Please note that we do not allow anonymous comments. Please be sure your first and last name is on your profile prior to commenting. Anonymous comments will be deleted.
Share this post—it’s free!
Yucca Valley files a report in their consent calendar that lists Councilmember paid travel but doesn’t include the amount.