Recap: Twentynine Palms City Council Meeting, September 9, 2025
City Council Unanimously Approves TBID 2025-2026 Marketing Plan and Budget
Tuesday’s City Council meeting was kept to a minimum, as it ended in a single hour. The meeting was kicked off with an invocation from Apostle Jamie Brock who did not give an affiliated denomination. All five council members were in attendance Tuesday night. Our preview of the agenda for the meeting is available here, and a recording of the video is available here.
AWARDS, PRESENTATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND PROCLAMATIONS
The City of Twentynine Palms proclaimed September 15th through October 15th as Hispanic Heritage month. Elizabeth and Pablo Amaro, who serve as the Hispanic ministry leaders at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, received the proclamation.
Later in the evening, Councilmember Ramirez announced that the City would be kicking off Hispanic Heritage month with a celebration in partnership with the 29 Palms farmers market on Saturday night, September 13, from 5 – 9 pm at the Freedom Plaza. The event, which will have free music, entertainment, crafts, and foods, is to “give the community a taste of what we could have if we meet the votes for the Levitt Foundation grant,” stated Ramirez.
COUNCIL COMMENTS AND REPORTS OF MEETINGS ATTENDED
Both Mayor Pro Tem Daniel Mintz and Mayor Steven Bilderain attended the sergeant major retirement ceremony at the US Marine Corps base.
Councilmember April Ramirez reported that she attended a meeting with advocates for the Boys and Girls Club.
Economic revitalization has been on the Council’s mind - Councilmember Octavious Scott attended the Morongo Basin homeless solutions meeting and also attended the 29 Palms Music Series mixer. Meanwhile Mayor Pro Tem Daniel Mintz reported that he attended a mixer for Rediscover 29, a coalition of small business owners.
Mayor Bilderain ended the meeting reports by emphasizing the influx of concerned residents reaching out to City staff regarding emergency remediation for the recent flooding. Councilmembers April Ramirez and McArthur Wright both spoke to having spent time connecting residents with post-flood resources.
CONSENT CALENDAR
The Consent Calendar items included the final adoption of several ordinances: an official ordinance for use of the City seal, two ordinances related to zoning for the Ofland Resort development, approval of a 1.17 million dollar warrant register, and change orders related to the budget for the E-Group Solar project. More details on the Consent Calendar can be found in the Desert Trumpet’s agenda preview.
An additional item was added to the consent calendar since the Desert Trumpet’s preview – Item 7. Public Works Staff Support for World Off Road Championship Series (WORCS) Racing Event October 31–November 2, 2025. The staff report states that the “Public Works Department proposes to provide two graders and necessary Staff to assist with course preparation and maintenance” to the World Off Road Championship Series (WORCS) Racing Event that will take place October 31–November 2 at no cost to the City’s General fund.
The Consent Calendar was approved 5-0.
DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL ACTION ITEMS
8. Designation of Delegate for the Annual Cal Cities Conference
Mayor Pro Tem Daniel Mintz clarified that two Councilmembers, himself and April Ramirez, already planned to be in attendance at the Cal Cities Conference, which will take place October 8-10. Mintz volunteered himself as delegate, and Councilmember Ramirez as the alternate delegate for the general assembly portion of the conference. The motion to approve the two as delegates was approved 5-0.
9. Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) Reauthorization for 2025-26 Fiscal Year
Following a well-received presentation by Marketing Director Breanne Dusastre, the City Council voted unanimously to approve the Tourism Business Improvement District’s (TBID) 2025-2026 budget of $547,843 and reauthorized the Board to operate for another year. The TBID’s mission is to promote tourism in Twentynine Palms, drive demand for lodging, and position the City as a premiere tourist destination through strategic marketing initiatives. The TBID is funded through a 1.5% pass-through Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) paid by guests of temporary overnight accommodations. It operates on an October 1 to September 30 fiscal year and is reauthorized by City Council each year. TBID board members Liz Shickler, Chair Rakesh Mehta, and Vice Chair Ashton Ramsey were also in attendance.
In her presentation, Dusastre walked through the latest Annual Report summarizing TBID’s accomplishments from the 2024-2025 fiscal year and the challenges and opportunities that tourism in Twentynine Palms faces in the upcoming year. Dusastre began her report by discussing the economic and cultural headwinds faced by the tourism industry in California in 2025-2026. Citing the Visit California Visitation and Spend Forecast, Dusastre highlighted the projected 9% drop in international visitors and flat domestic travel California faces.
Discussing how trends in California travel translated locally, Dusastre pointed out that October through December of 2024 boasted a 4% increase in overnight stays to Twentynine Palms based on the fees assessed from accommodations. She explained that that quarter has seen consistent growth year-over-year, commenting, “In the eight years the TBID has been in existence, have consecutively, for eight years, seen growth and gain in that first quarter, the October through December period,” though she didn’t specify how this growth was calculated.
However, that gain was followed by an 8% drop in overnight stays in January through March 2025, when impacts from economic and political shifts started to be felt more acutely. According to Dusastre, this decline was also driven by a significant drop in vacation rental assessment collection, due to shrinking vacation rental inventory. While vacation rental inventory may have dropped, Dusastre did not comment as to whether comparable hotels in Twentynine were booked during that period. For an accurate assessment, shouldn’t the TBID track the number of available rooms, as well as overnight stays?
Despite these challenges, Dusastre asserted the TBID was in a stable position going into the next fiscal year,
When we look at how we're doing year to date, assessment collection through the first three quarters, total is $293,000 which as a 2.5% decrease from last year does reflect relative stability despite some of these challenges. So as we look ahead and forecast pretty modest growth for 2026, [and] small but steady improvements in demand and room rates and visitation and we feel that outlook underscores the importance of the TBID and sustaining our momentum now so that Twentynine is well positioned in the future as travel begins to pick up … Twentynine Palms is most certainly on the rise, and it's something we should all hopefully feel very proud about.
While Dusastre claims that Twentynine Palms is strongly positioned, especially with new lodging options and additional rooms, how the TBID plans to specifically adapt to this challenging environment was unclear, as most tactics in the proposed marketing plan are a repeat from the current fiscal year. The TBID could consider a plan to capture visitors' sentiment, especially if Twentynine Palms is leaning more heavily on domestic tourism. Wouldn’t it would be helpful to know why a visitor chooses the City over another place?
Dusastre did not directly address the $200,000 that will be drawn from TBID reserves to supplement the budget, nor how this figure will be replenished. $150,000 of this funding is allocated to cover events grants and sponsorships. In an email exchange after the meeting, Dusastre shared that the balance of the TBID account, which she refers to as reserves, is currently $608,366, which Dusastre expects to be drawn down to $350,000 to $400,000 at the end of the 2025-2026 fiscal year, if the full $150,000 is given out in grants and sponsorships. Dusastre described the reserves as a fluctuating balance that changes based on revenue collected and expenses incurred. However, reserves should be treated as separate from the main account balance, with a specific percentage or dollar amount set aside as a rainy day fund, not a fluid balance that are drawn upon for budgeted operating expenses.
If the TOT assessment continues to fall due to fewer overnight stays, and hotel bookings do not make up for lack of vacation rental inventory, how will the TBID ensure a stable financial future as it pursues conversion to a five-year reauthorization process, replenish its reserves, and not depend on spending down its balance to drive its activities and growth?
In reporting on TBID’s activities, Dusastre highlighted media placements, advertising, and events. She emphasized how both earned media, as in media that is not paid for, and advertising helps tell the story of Twentynine Palms as a destination for dining, lodging, and direct access to Joshua Tree National Park. She did not elaborate if they would be trying any new tactics to win regional and national media mentions, as media interest can be difficult to sustain. Dusastre also highlighted the 20 events that were funded and sponsored by TBID, providing 70 days of programming. However, she did not provide an estimate for how many visitors these events drew, whether they impacted overnight stays, or how the TBID plans to measure this in the future.
Dusastre concluded her presentation with a focus on converting the TBID from the 1989 Law to the 1994 Property and Business Improvement District Law to enable a five-year term, as opposed to annual reauthorization. “The most important opportunity is district conversion,” explained Dusastre,
The 94 law brings not only five year terms, but also a five year management district plan, which serves as a roadmap, providing stability in the long term vision, and one that needs to deliver clear value and have broad support to be successful and to be adopted. So we're looking forward to doing the work building that roadmap the right way.
While the TBID’s processes, especially around grants and funding, have drawn controversy in the past, the 2025-2026 proposed marketing plan sailed to 5-0 approval to light applause, with no public comments.
FUTURE COUNCIL INITIATED ITEMS
Councilmember Wright raised a constituent’s concern that the farmers market needs to block off the Freedom Plaza parking lot on Saturday mornings to set up, which Mayor Steven Bilderain replied was already in the process of being addressed by the City. Councilmember Scott raised a concern about the cleanliness of the dumpsters located downtown, which Mayor Bilderain replied was also being addressed. Both Concilmembers failed to receive a second to add these items to the list.
Bilderain then prompted staff for an update on “5. Maintained Roads vs. Non-Maintained Roads.” City Manager Stone James replied that staff was working on compiling a list, and both commented further on the opportunity to educate the public on various topics: the cost of roads, what taxes fund roads and road maintenance, and the difference in road designations. Councilmember Scott raised that questions he has recieved from residents were regarding road maintenance and clearing specifically during emergencies, and that he had reached out to the City Manager and City Attorney for guidance. Mayor Bilderain assured Scott that the topic would be addressed by education.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Caitlin Gill stepped up to thank the Council for their support of small businesses in Twentynine Palms as a member-at-large representative for Rediscover 29. Gill is the owner of Joshua Astronomy Adventures. And, Gill writes the monthly Citizen Astronomer column for the Desert Trumpet.
Veteran Christopher Bickford suggested the City fund a veterans’ art center.
Resident MJ Fiocco asked the council to elaborate further on the “Recognized Neighborhood Program”. Mayor Bilderain offered to meet with the speaker privately as Council cannot comment on a non-agenda item.
Nicole Crossley-Townsend wanted to raise awareness on the issue of flooding where she lives in the south Hansen Tract neighborhood. She discussed that flooding became an issue after the installation of telephone poles in the area. The flooding, she says, now enters her backyard and approaches her house. City Manager James asked that she stay after the meeting so the City could obtain her address.
Audrey Philpot, Chair of 29 Palms Music Series Committee, updated the Council on the status of the Levitt grant, which would provide $120,000 to sponsor ten concerts per year over three-years at Freedom Plaza. As of Tuesday, Twentynine Palms ranked 19 out of the top 100 cities competing – at the time of this article, the City has dropped to 23 on the list (the top 50 move forward in the process). Voting ends Monday, September 15. Those interested can visit Vote29PalmsMusic or vote by texting “29PALMS” to 877-409-5525.
Audrey Philpot reported on a 29 Palms Music Series community mixer held on Monday, September 9 at Tin Town in Twentynine Palms and owned by TBID Vice Chair Ashton Ramsey. Ramsey also contributed a promotional video shot at Tin Town to the campaign.
LeeAnn Clarke of Action 29 Palms discussed a potential new mural coming to Twentynine Palms by the end of September, as part of a campaign advocating for the protection of the Chuckwalla National Monument. Clarke also drew attention to the City being featured as a stop in Route 66 Centennial Great Race, which will take place next year from June 20-28.
CITY MANAGER UPDATE
City Manager James recapped the City’s response to recent flooding emergencies. He lauded local law enforcement, emergency response teams and Public Works staff for their help with managing flooded intersections.
We didn't have a situation like we did last year where people drove in the closed off streets and ended up striking a fire hydrant and then adding 2000 gallons, 1500 gallons a minute to the problem.
James continued to emphasize the importance of educating the public to help cleanup efforts, and took the time to partially explain how staff prioritize road maintenance after flooding.
They prioritize roads based on speed. Based on speed, and also the traffic volume. And so you can appreciate, if you're driving a car on a 25 mile an hour road, you've got debris, you're going to go slow and you're going to be safer. It's a lot more dangerous if you've got a road that's 60 miles an hour or 55 miles an hour, and there's, let's say, part of the road, on the side of the road has been undermined, and so you could potentially catch a tire and roll the vehicle. So, Public Works has been very strategic and very intentional on clearing roads based on what could cause the greatest injury or loss of life.
Revisiting a topic brought up earlier by Councilmember Scott, City Manager James stated that City provided dumpsters used for debris during last year’s floods ran into issues. Residents failed to sort their debris, leading to the contamination with hazardous or green waste. He did not confirm if dumpsters would be provided this for this year’s flooding debris. Instead he encouraged residents in single family homes serviced by Burrtec to use their Burrtec trash service bulk item pickup, which can be schedules up to four times a year for free.
City Manager James also promoted a community cleanup day on November 8th at Luckie Park, where residents can dispose of tricky items like tires, E-Waste, and appliances starting at 7 am.
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