RECAP: Twentynine Palms City Council, April 27, 2026
New Leadership, Tighter Budget, and a Drive-Thru Debate at Monday's Council Meeting
Following a closed session with the City Manager as the topic, the Twentynine Palms City Council held a two and a half hour meeting on Monday, April 27. On the agenda was a foreboding budget report, appointment and employment contract approval for a Twentynine-Palms resident Kevin Cole as the new City Manager, and a traffic study waiver for a local business owner and key community stakeholder. Council heard from the public on a number of topics, such as Flock surveillance cameras, a council code of conduct, and a request to extend cooling center accessibility. All five council members were in attendance. The meeting kicked off with an invocation from LeeAnn Clarke of the 29 Palms Ministerial Association.
Our agenda preview of the meeting is available here; video footage of the meeting can be found here.
AWARDS, PRESENTATIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND PROCLAMATIONS
Carrie Kish and Danielle Reed of Reach Out Yucca Valley gave Council a presentation on the dangers of 7-OH and kratom. Often described as a synthetic opioid, kratom is an addictive and highly abused substance that produces opioid-like effects. It can be found in products sold at liquor stores, smoke shops, grocery stores, and gas stations.
Legality of kratom/7-OH products varies by municipality. Kish relayed some local statistics for Twentynine Palms, citing that the town falls within the top 97th percentile of opioid overdoses in California, and that Reach Out’s program intake for those seeking treatment for kratom abuse has increased significantly compared to last year, saying it makes up for 30% of their 26 program enrollments. Emphasizing the dangers of overdose, especially when kratom is mixed with other substances, and the prevalence of the product in the community, Kish grew emotional as she relayed the case of a Yucca Valley local who had a loved one die from 7-OH:
We did just recently, this kind of personally hit us—in that one of our partners in Yucca Valley that works with youth lost someone due to 7-OH.
COUNCIL COMMENTS AND REPORTS OF MEETINGS ATTENDED
Councilmember Bilderain and Mayor Pro Tem Octavious Scott reported attending the Morongo Unified School District Board meeting. Scott also spoke of a potential Veterans Village hosted by Re-Enlist To Life. Mayor Daniel Mintz reported attendance at the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District meeting, noting that electric vehicle chargers at Twentynine Palms Liquor will be moving forward via a $185,000 state grant program. Councilwoman April Ramirez reported attending events for the California League of Cities 2026 and Partners Against Violence. Ramirez, Wright, and Scott also participated in the dunk tank at the Youth Olympics.
DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL ACTION ITEMS
City Budget Tightens as Revenue Growth Slows
Finance Director Abigail Hernandez-Conde presented a preliminary budget for the upcoming fiscal year of 2026-2027, which begins July 1. The City is expected to end fiscal year 2026-27 with an assigned fund balance of $12.2 million, which Hernandez-Conde described as “healthy.” TOT revenues are also up, with the City projected to have a budget surplus of $11,000.
A $250,000 decrease in net revenue is expected as a result of lower-than-projected property tax and vehicle license fees. The largest expenses for the City are its law enforcement contract through the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department , which makes up over 40% of the budget, and City staffing costs, such as salaries, benefits, and pension obligations. Hernandez-Conde emphasized, “These operating revenues are not increasing at the same pace as our operating expenditures.”
To maintain a balanced budget, the City is cutting its non-profit budget from $75,000 down to $25,000 and cutting funds for the annual Juneteenth celebration. From the public, Robin Schlosser, director of Reach Out Morongo Basin, an organization that receives City grant money through its non-profit funds, spoke against the budget reduction. Hernandez-Conde noted that the $50,000 reduction was just bringing the budget historically in line with past spending– the 25’-26’ non-profit budget saw a $25,000 increase. The City also has to move $60,000 in funds to pay for upcoming sales tax measure material costs and construction for Luckie Park improvements.
In public comment on the agenda item, Cindy Bernard expressed concern that the Juneteenth budget was being slashed. Council and staff clarified that there will still be a flag raising ceremony to commemorate the event. Women of Color Global 29, a local non-profit, will be hosting their annual Juneteenth event at Knotts Sky Park. In the past, the City has given funds towards the Juneteenth event and others but in the wake of financial tightening, they are encouraging non-profits to find outside funding rather than relying solely on City money.
The Finance Director’s preliminary report had both positives and negatives as the City approaches the new fiscal year, ultimately carrying a cautionary suggestion:
My recommendation is to establish cost-saving measures, including reducing non-essential costs. With this statement, I’m not saying that the City is going bankrupt, as I’ve heard from some people. I’m not saying anything to that effect — I’m just saying that we should start placing more emphasis on addressing what the City needs versus what the City wants.
Budget transfers were approved 5-0.
Support the Desert Trumpet and meet fellow subscribers! Buy your tickets today.
Council Considers Traffic Study Waiver for a Longtime Community Stakeholder
Community Development Director Keith Gardner presented this topic for a potential commercial drive-thru development posed for the southwest corner of Encelia Avenue and 29 Palms Outer Highway. This corner takes up the dirt lot across the street from Burger King and the Stater Bros shopping center, with Jiffy Lube just up the road. Though not directly on Highway 62, the Outerhighway 62 easement is under CalTrans jurisdiction.
Current City policy is that any project expected to see activity of more than 50 cars per day is required to submit a traffic impact analysis. In this instance, the developer, Nathsons Hospitality Inc., represented at the meeting by Veno Nathraj, is requesting that the City waive that requirement, though CalTrans may still require their own traffic impact study.
Noting that that the project is CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) exempt, Nathraj said the project will consist of an 11-car drive thru with hopes of a pharmacy occupying one of the units.
Citing concerns with the cost of building, Nathraj encouraged Council to consider the traffic study waiver:
I’ve built the Holiday Inn Express. I’ve built the Starlight Inn, the Social Yards and the Oasis Inn & Suites. When I built the Holiday Inn Express, that was on almost 1.57 acres and I built it in 2008 or 2010, somewhere around there. I’m actually surprised that there was no traffic study required from me then, and why this small project which would happen to create job opportunities for local people in our community…
Speaking in favor of the traffic study waiver was developer Scott Curry, saying the City should do everything it can to reduce costs of construction:
Veno—as everyone knows, he’s made quite the contributions to the City, development, things like that. So I’m here to support him. I would ask for a waiver. If he bypasses CalTrans, more power to him. The project is small. I travel that intersection every day.
Lynette Ramirez called the project a win-win, encouraging the City to waive the traffic study. Former City Manager Larry Bowden inquired on which streets the exits would be located and encouraged Council to relegate any traffic study requirement to CalTrans. LeeAnn Clarke was also in favor of granting a waiver:
I’m very much a big supporter of local business and I think it’s important for us to do what’s necessary to help our local business owners be able to conduct business to service our residents. And based on what we’ve heard tonight, it appears to me that a waiver isn’t something that’s going to bring any harm to anyone.
Councilmembers were ultimately in favor of waiving the traffic study requirement, with councilmember Ramirez citing a speech on “13 Ways to Kill Your Community” by Doug Griffiths:
Number five says, “Send your residents to shop elsewhere—encouraging residents to spend their money in neighboring towns or online, rather than supporting local businesses.” And he really got into the fact that when there are these hurdles at a city level, all it does is just send our residents to go and spend their money somewhere else, and that’s less money that we have in our budget.
Mayor Pro Tem Scott said he agreed with Ramirez, and praised Nathraj. “I just want to commend Veno and give you your flowers, sir. You’ve done an amazing job with developments in the City, especially Veno’s pub, down there by your hotels.”
Ramirez’s motion to waive the traffic study requirement was approved 5-0.
Council Appoints Kevin Cole As New City Manager
The topic of appointing a new City Manager began with announcement of an abstention from Councilmember Ramirez:
While I do not have a conflict of interest on the laws for my government official position, there is a potential conflict of interest due to my other line of work in healthcare and a separate set of laws that I am expected to abide by. So I will be abstaining.
Copies of the staff report pertaining to this item were made available at the beginning of the meeting, as they were not included in the published online agenda.1 Following the recent resignation of City Manager H. Stone James, Council opted to go back to its initial hiring and interview process from late 2023. Second in line out of seven candidates chosen to be interviewed for the position was Kevin Cole, Director of Facilities and Operations at Copper Mountain College and former Twentynine Palms City Councilmember.
Cole was interviewed for the position in a closed session on April 14, in which all five councilmembers participated. “All five of us interviewed Kevin, and it was recommended that we offer him a contract. Kevin is an excellent candidate for the City Manager’s position. He’s familiar with the city, and having been on the council here, and has worked with the city for 10 years and I believe he was on the Council for two terms.”
Effective May 15, Council approved a base salary of $186,000, and due to Cole’s previous City employment, he receives a PERS benefits package with a rate of 8% instead of the usual 7.75%. A $700 per month car allowance, a City issued cell phone, a $2,500 annual budget toward participation in professional organizations, and a six months severance package if the contract is terminated without cause six months after an election.
Speaking in favor of Cole appointment was LeeAnn Clarke:
I think that Kevin will be just a perfect fit for us. He’s lived here. He knows our community, he knows our needs, and I just think it’ll be a very smooth transition to have him come in the position of our new City Manager. Thank you.
Anna Stump, Board of Trustee member for Copper Mountain College, spoke with high approval of Cole’s appointment:
I just want to say that every time Kevin’s name is brought up at the Board of Trustees meetings, it’s always glowing. He’s always done an amazing job, and I’m sure they’re crying over there.
Robin Schlosser gave Cole praise, saying she had the honor of working with him for many years back when he was with the City.
He knows the needs of the community. He is raised in this community, and his heart’s here, and he’s going to be a benefit for us all. Thank you.”
The appointment of Cole as new City Manager and subsequent employment agreement was approved by Council 4-0-1. Cole will be the fourth City Manager that Twentynine Palms has had since 2023. Following the resignation of Frank Luckino, Larry Bowden then served as interim City Manager, followed by the appointment of Stone James in March 2024.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Lynette Ramirez thanked the City for its support in Ready4Reading Book Club’s backpack event then called upon the council to adopt an ethics and code of conduct policy:
We have a problem when council members retaliate against constituents for speaking out. I have witnessed threats made against local businesses, defamation of local charities, and attempts to threaten the employment of residents. I say “we,” having problem, because if constituents file suit against the City for violating their constitutional rights, the taxpayers end up footing the bill. Furthermore, this behavior is counterproductive to all of our goals. There are frequent complaints about lack of jobs and business growth in Twentynine Palms. It makes no sense for council members to contact employers over differing views, nor does it encourage potential businesses to invest here if they fear their plans will be blocked for not going along with certain officials. We cannot operate without professional standards.
Elliott Balsley and Heather Drake spoke out against Flock surveillance systems, stating a petition has garnered 700 signatures to oppose the law enforcement surveillance camera and license plate reading program.
LeeAnn Clarke invited the public to a National Day of Prayer event Thursday, May 7, with events at Gospel Fellowship Christian Center, Veterans Park, and and emergency preparedness event via Zoom on May 21 at 6:30 pm. Clarke also used her time to commemorate longtime community leader Marjorie Smith, who passed away April 22:
She led her area in emergency activation, and was typically the first person contacted when an emergency occurred. With the Palm Springs bomber last year, she was called into 29 Palms to assist with the evacuation of residents on Adobe Road. Although she was 89 years young, Marjorie demonstrated that age is simply a number, and everyone can be involved in some capacity in their community.
Resident Beth Williams called on the City to change its operating parameters for cooling centers to reflect that of San Bernardino County. Cooling centers in Twentynine Palms operate when temperatures exceed a heat index of 115 degrees while San Bernardino County cooling centers operate when the heat index is above 100 degrees.
Heather Huguenor spoke against the flock camera and the political zeitgeist at large:
These are the same billionaires not only buying our elections, but deciding which blue and red characters that we get to vote for. We can exit from the dystopia, turn off mainstream media owned by the same people, stop letting them steer our reality, at the very least, read real history, because we are failing an open book test.
Closing public comment was Scott Curry spoke on the Copper Mountain College scholarship certificate dinner and thanked Stone James for his “outstanding service and passion for 29 Palms.”
City Manager’s Report
Outgoing manager Stone James opened his report by praising Marjorie Smith as a community volunteer coordinator and well respected community member, stating that he personally drove out to Loma Linda to thank Marjorie on behalf of the City, the community, and himself.
Regarding public concerns on Flock surveillance cameras, Stone pushed back, citing two instances in which Flock license plate readers assisted San Bernardino County Sheriffs with the apprehension of a quadruple murder suspect and a driver suspected of a hit-and-run in which the owner of Fans Sports Bar and Grill was critically injured.
On the appointment of Cole to succeed him as manager, James wished Cole success:
I’m looking forward to working with Mr. Cole. I’ve heard absolutely nothing but tremendously positive things about you. I’ve already begun working on some transition summaries to really help you continue the fantastic momentum that the staff has done. And so I, you know, I’ve been a little bit quiet about this, but it is also an incredibly difficult decision for me to resign. And ultimately, it came down to, I cannot in good faith serve this family if I am not serving my own. And so this has been an honor and privilege to serve the Council and to serve the community.
The next City Council meeting will take place Tuesday, May 12, 2026.
Thanks to you Desert Trumpet met our $10,000 paid subscription goal!!!
Not a paid subscriber yet? Did you know that paid subscribers receive discounts on our DT Social events?
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 complementary tickets
Leave 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.
This coverage is free - please share!