RECAP: Twentynine Palms City Council, May 26, 2026
Youth Council shines while questions are raised by a veterans housing proposal and a Councilmember's claims
It's not often that Awards, Presentations, Appointments and Proclamations and Council Comments and Reports of Meetings Attended provide the most compelling moments from a city meeting, but that was the case on Tuesday, May 26, at Twentynine Palms City Council. From two Marines speaking glowingly of picking up trash to benefit Feathers 'n Fur, to the accomplishments of the Youth Council, an ambitious housing proposal for justice involved veterans and the recent calendar of an equally ambitious Council member, the first half of the meeting was packed.
Relevant links:
Active duty Marines helping out
Presentations for Twentynine Palms’ paid community beautification program Cash for Trash kicked the meeting off with the warmth that (mostly) permeated Council chambers Tuesday night. The Cash for Trash and Recycling Program is a partnership between the City of Twentynine Palms and Burrtec in which community groups and organizations volunteer to pick up trash in return for cash payments. The programs benefitting this evening were the Feathers ‘n Fur Wildlife Rehab, the Kiwanis and the Twentynine Palms High School Interact Club.
As Bradley and Jeremiah were speaking to their work on behalf of Feathers ‘n Fur, someone in the audience shouted out, “these are active Marines right here!” Jeremiah spoke to job at hand:
Just picking out the trash, it really felt rewarding at the end of the day, even though there's some hard work fighting that vegetation and whatnot... it goes by really quick when you got some people to laugh with.
A VERY productive year for the Youth Council
Initiated in May 2024, the Twentynine Palms Youth Council has just completed its second year. The council is composed of 14 student members and meets twice monthly, collaborating with city leaders, organizing community projects, and gaining hands-on experience in leadership and civic engagement. 2025-2026 accomplishments include:
Food drive at Grocery Outlet — a repeat of last year’s effort, with strong community outreach and turnout
Twentynine Palms Youth Olympics — a youth-focused community event designed to address the lack of activities for young people featured a dunk tank with City Council members (including Councilmember Wright in goggles)
Astronomy night — Youth Council Chair Viviana Hermosillo noted that Sky’s the Limit, the local observatory, is an underutilized asset
Senior Center volunteering — monthly visits, held on the fourth Wednesday of each month
Youth as Solutions anti-vaping project — Youth Council designed and posted anti-vaping signs across schools, distributed materials at the Olympics, and organized a pledge-not-to-vape campaign
Youth survey — surveyed residents ages 7-18; key findings: 40% of youth say there is nowhere to hang out; top requests were sports programs, arts and creative programs, community events, indoor recreational spaces, and a dedicated teen center
Chair Hermosillo and her colleagues presented an impressive five-minute documentary video produced as a part of their anti-vaping initiative. Unfortunately, staff could not get the audio working during the meeting, but the video can be watched in full here. Per Amy Tessier, Recreation Program Supervisor and Youth Council staff liaison, the documentary was chosen to participate in an international film competition, called Docathon, through MAD (Make a Difference) Courses.
Applications for the next Youth Council are still being accepted. Youth entering grades 6 through 12 in the fall are eligible.
A Housing Proposal for Justice-Involved Veterans — With Questions
As discussed in our preview, the Re-Enlist to Life Housing and Veteran Services (REL) presentation was postponed from May 12. REL is seeking a letter of support for its $12.6 million permanent supportive housing development for 32 justice-involved veterans housed in 16 units, to be funded through the State’s Homekey+ program under Prop 1 at no cost to the City.
Presenting the project were Founder Robert M. Embry and Chief Operating Officer Daniel Bevan — both are Marine Corps veterans. About the project Bevan said:
Our residents are your neighbors, they are individuals you will see at grocery stores, at community events, and in local places of worship. They are skilled, disciplined, and eager to prove their worth to the community that sits right next to the Marine Corps installation many of them once called home.
While a valiant proposal — it was met with applause from the public — several questions remained unanswered at the conclusion of the presentation.
While REL's executive summary states the project site is in escrow, the property address is inconsistent across documents and no APN was provided.
Embry described REL as a Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise — a specific California state certification administered by the Department of General Services. Desert Trumpet was unable to verify that REL holds that certification in either the California DGS database or the federal SAM.gov database.
Homekey+ requires a local public entity as Lead Applicant, meaning a city, county, or public housing authority. No Lead Applicant is identified in any of the materials presented to Council.
The project was brought to Council under former City Manager H. Stone James, whose tenure ended May 16. City Manager Kevin Cole, now six days into the job at the time of the meeting, inherited the item. Given the unresolved questions around the project, it is reasonable to expect that Cole will conduct his own review before any letter of support is issued — if one is issued at all.
It should also be noted that as a Presentations item, the staff recommendation that Council direct the City Manager to write a letter of support was not actionable. No vote was taken.
Councilmember Ramirez's Ten-Topic “Meetings Attended” Report
Council Comments and Reports of Meetings Attended has a specific transparency purpose: it allows the public to see which meetings and conferences are attended on the City's dime. When the segment expands to include high school sporting events, community barbecues, and personal commitments alongside City-funded travel and policy claims, that transparency purpose gets lost. Which of these activities did the City pay for? The format as used doesn't answer that question.
As we've previously noted, Council Comments and Reports of Meetings Attended has increasingly become a platform for Councilmember April Ramirez. At the May 26 meeting, instead of aiming at a colleague as she did on August 26 of last year , Ramirez delivered an approximately 900-word account of her activities and achievements. Alongside routine community activities expected around the Memorial Day holiday, such as the Reach Out Morongo Basin barbecue, a cemetery service and a military spouse appreciation luncheon, Ramirez traveled to Lake Arrowhead for a City-County conference and Alpine for a Tribal Leaders Emergency Preparedness and Energy Summit earlier in the month.
She also listed activities in which her own role appeared to be exaggerated or was difficult to discern.
I also helped coordinate a Proposition 36 enforcement and outreach operation alongside the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department and multiple community partners. I would like to thank Morongo Basin Arch under the new direction of Alfreda Wright, Molding Hearts under the direction of Lakita Johnson and Becky Reese from Family Jewish Services, the H.O.P.E. Team, San Bernardino Inroads, and all of the mental health professionals who participated on site.
As we noted in our April 14 recap, Prop 36 is a state criminal sentencing statute implemented at the county level through prosecutors, sheriffs, and courts — cities have no direct enforcement role. Notably, City Manager Cole described the same operation in his City Manager update as a joint traffic, OHV, and encampment enforcement event — without reference to Proposition 36. Mayor Pro Tem Octavious Scott was also present at the action.
Lastly, I want to briefly discuss Proposition 13. For those unfamiliar, Proposition 13 limits property tax increases and requires voter approval for certain tax changes in California. When I learned that there were discussions that could potentially weaken those protections, I became deeply concerned, because when property taxes goes up, rent goes up too, and many working families in our city simply cannot absorb that cost. I joined the coalition, and we needed 500,000 verified signatures statewide to place the issue before voters this November. I'm proud to say that our grassroots coalition got 1.35 million verified signatures, and the state will no longer be able to raise your property taxes without your permission, as 13 was intended to protect us. So, I want to thank Mayor Daniel Mintz, Council Member Steven Bilderain, Kat Reichmuth and David Cole from King of the Hammers for supporting my grassroots efforts.
This was not a grassroots campaign led by Ramirez. The campaign was in fact led and funded by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, the California Business Roundtable, the California Taxpayers Association, and the California Business Properties Association — some of California’s most powerful conservative political organizations.
She closed her nearly seven-minute statement with the famous Steve Jobs quote — “the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do” — without attribution.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Passed 5-0 with two public comments. See our agenda preview for details on the items.
In public comment, Heather Drake spoke about Item 11 (septic systems), urging Council to extend enforcement to long-term rental management companies, citing personal experience with Triad Realty failing to maintain septic systems in properties she rented and later purchased.
Elliot Balsley raised a pointed question about Item 9 (the Sheriff’s $6.2 million contract): the contract includes a $195,000 line item for the Supplemental Local Law Enforcement Fund (SLEF), which Balsley noted is a state grant — not a General Fund expense. He expressed concern that approving the contract as written could pre-authorize spending those funds on Flock camera renewal without a separate Council vote. Finance Director Abigail Hernandez-Conde clarified that approving the Sheriff's contract does not pre-authorize the Flock renewal. Council will still get a vote on that at the October renewal.
Public Hearing and Discussion and Action Items sail through
Four items passed 5-0 with little Council discussion and no public comment.
General Fund Budget Revisions FY 2026-27
Finance Director Abigail Hernandez-Conde presented the revised budget. Key figures: $15,762,371 in revenues, $15,753,821 in expenditures, projected surplus of approximately $8,550. The City expects to end FY 2026-27 with approximately $12 million in unassigned reserves.One exchange worth noting: Ramirez raised AB 1383, pending legislation that could change the CalPERS retirement formula, asking what a jump from 3.1% to 6.1% in pension costs would look like. Hernandez-Conde estimated $100,000-$150,000 more. City Manager Cole clarified the legislation relates to the pension formula and would only affect the City if they chose to change their current formula — tempering the concern somewhat. Ramirez said she’d share the legislative call to action with the full Council.
Master Citywide User Fee Schedule FY 2026-27
See our agenda preview for detail on the vehicle tow fee doubling to $100, VHR appeal fee reinstatement, and other changes.
Nonprofit Grant Recommendations
Community Events Coordinator Scott Clinkscales presented the subcommittee recommendations. Of 12 applicants requesting a combined $196,890, three organizations will receive funding from a pool reduced from $75,000 to $50,000 due to budget constraints:
29 Palms Community Food Pantry & Outreach Ministries: $25,000
Reach Out Morongo Basin: $15,000
Animal Action League: $10,000
Mayor Mintz offered a brief explanation: “We addressed food, obviously the seniors, and did the Animal [Action League] so we could get neutering done for our animals in the city.” Mayor Pro Tem Scott noted that some unfunded organizations may find alternative funding through the Public Arts Advisory Committee or TBID — however only two of the nine would potentially qualify: Project Sheba and the 29 Palms Artist Guild. See our May 12 agenda preview for the full applicant list.
Council Compensation Increase to $700/month
City Manager Cole introduced the item, noting the increase hadn’t happened in 24 years and that the law had changed to allow it. If approved after the second reading, the ordinance takes effect after the November 2026 election — meaning Councilmembers Mintz, Scott, and Wright, all up for re-election, would not benefit unless re-elected. See our March 10 recap for the full backstory.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
A brief update on two items:
The Donnell Hill safe passage item — Mayor Mintz noted Caltrans has cleared the east lane shoulder, creating a less obstructed path. City Manager Cole mentioned improvements at the base of the hill as well. Lighting remains a question requiring Caltrans approval.
Cooling Center hours — Scott asked Cole to bring this forward. Cole indicated he’s already looking at adjusting hours at Freedom Plaza without incurring additional costs and will report back.
Two new items added by Ramirez:
Review and authorize repairs needed at the EV charging station at Freedom Plaza
Review and revise Municipal Code Chapter 5.08 on cannabis-related uses to align with new state legislation — seconded by Bilderain for the education of Council
Ramirez requested that the Council review and authorize any repairs needed at the EV charging station at Freedom Plaza. City Manager Cole, six days into the job, gently redirected: repairs of that nature fall within City Manager authority and don’t require Council action. He will assess the cost and bring it back to Council only if it exceeds his authority. It may never appear on a formal agenda.
It’s a small moment but a notable one — a new City Manager quietly establishing the boundary between administrative and legislative authority on his first night at the dais.
Flock cameras dominate public comment, again
Three speakers addressed Flock cameras, one welcomed the new City Manager.
Flock cameras dominated. Five letters were read into the record — four against, one in favor. Two speakers addressed the issue in person:
Heather Drake delivered a detailed statement alleging the Sheriff’s Department is operating the Flock system in violation of California law — specifically SB 34 transparency requirements — and has stonewalled her California Public Records Act (CPRA) requests for four months:
They claim that showing me the records of my own car would violate the privacy rights of the people involved. It's my car. They're claiming that they need to protect my privacy from myself. That is absurd.
She demanded the cameras be covered, the contract agendized, and the program ended.
Jeff Drake followed, providing legal context: he argued the Sheriff’s Department’s reliance on Haynie v. Superior Court to classify all Flock data as a permanent investigatory file is directly contradicted by the California Supreme Court’s ruling in ACLU v. Superior Court, which held that mass bulk ALPR data collection is a dragnet, not a targeted investigation, and therefore not exempt. He also argued that using privacy exemptions to block a person from seeing records of their own vehicle “is a complete subversion of the law.”
Andrew Wilson welcomed Kevin Cole, saying Cole was his basketball coach growing up and “whenever I needed somebody, Kevin Cole was always there.”
The Desert Trumpet speaks to California Public Records Act (CPRA) compliance
Desert Trumpet Editor (and writer of this preview) Cindy Bernard attended the May 26 meeting in her capacity as a journalist and addressed Council on CPRA compliance:
The Desert Trumpet submits public information requests as a part of our investigative reporting. While a few of you do a great job of supplying the documents legally required by the California Public Records Act, others of you are less forthcoming. You know who you are. In fact, documents produced in response to one of our requests show that a council member directed City staff to filter our records response using only quote exact keywords, a practice inconsistent with the City’s obligation under the California Public Records Act.
She also noted that when council members and staff fail to provide requested documents, it increases staff time and city attorney time and motioning to the room indicated that those costs are ultimately borne by taxpayers. She added that those costs would increase significantly if the Desert Trumpet is compelled to enforce its requests legally.
Shortly after the Desert Trumpet’s public comment on CPRA compliance, we received an email from the City requesting that we narrow a 10-week-old records request by providing specific keywords — or face closure of the request within five days.
New City Manager Kevin Cole keeps it brief
Is it possible the days of lengthy City Manager discourses are past? Kevin Cole’s first City Manager update at City Council clocked in at just 2-1/2 minutes. In addition to participating in the previously mentioned joint enforcement action, Cole noted he’s getting up to speed on the sales tax initiative. He closed with a warm note about the public cemetery’s Memorial Day flag display, calling it “a beautiful place” that has improved significantly in recent years, while noting it’s a special district, not under City jurisdiction. In summary:
Well, it’s day six and it actually has been great. I want to thank the public, I want to thank the staff, I want to thank the council for welcoming me here. It feels like I’m home.
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Wow, talk about an overly negative spin on a great project. These guys are local Marines trying to bring housing and services to justice-involved veterans, and this write-up treats them like they're hiding something.
Complaining about APN numbers or the fact that Council didn't take a vote completely misses the point. It was an introductory presentation to see if the town would welcome the project, not a final contract approval. If you had questions about their funding or timeline, why didn't you just pick up the phone and call them?
I saw this team at the East Regional Steering Committee and they were incredibly transparent, answering questions and working directly with Supervisor Dawn Rowe's staff and the County. It feels like this article is just trying to create skepticism out of thin air. We should be welcoming a project like this with open arms, not trying to tear it down before it even starts.