RECAP: Twentynine Palms City Council, April 14, 2026, Part 1
A Councilmember's move to reconsider the E-Group Solar Project vote is met with silence; the Joshua Tree National Park Association proposes a workforce housing development
As promised on z107.7 and in social media, Councilmember April Ramirez made a bid to reopen the E-Group Solar Project discussion at Twentynine Palms City Council as one of several Future Agenda Item requests:
The last one would be E-Group has advised the City it has revised its project to meet AB 205 criteria, and, based on that, a desire exists to discuss this matter further.
30 seconds of silence was broken when Mayor Daniel Mintz confirmed the obvious…”No second…All right, we’re into the public comment section.”
One might assume that was the height of the April 14 meeting’s drama. It wasn’t. General Public Comment would contain its own reckoning.
While the 2-1/2 hour public meeting certainly demanded caffeine intake at times, the laying of groundwork for progress in housing provided those attending with hope for the future.
Relevant links:
Our agenda preview, for additional info on all items
Editor’s note: General Public Comment on non-agenda items will be covered in Part 2 of our recap, which will be released on Sunday morning, April 19.
A Series of 5-0 Votes
The Consent Calendar with the warrant register, deferred compensation plan consolidation, Luckie Park playground equipment repair and the downtown septic contract was approved 5-0 as was every item on the meeting agenda.
Council Chambers gets an AV upgrade
In October 2025, Senate Bill 707 was signed into law updating the Ralph M. Brown Act, requiring local legislative bodies to provide the public with the ability to attend all open meetings via two-way audio/video by July 1, 2026. Staff has determined that the current AV system is not capable of meeting the new requirements. Staff identified a single vendor — Rat Sound Systems — at a cost of $21,483.92 for the primary equipment only; additional purchases from standard vendors will be needed to complete the full upgrade. The July 1 compliance deadline is firm. As IT Director Elijah Marshall pointed out, "We have spent less in 19 years than we're going to spend on this single upgrade combined."
In public comment, frequent meeting attendee Susan Peplow commended the upgrade:
We have arms within our government here that are not getting much representation, specifically the PAAC (Public Arts Advisory Committee) and the TBID (Tourism Business Improvement District). Having recorded [and] live [sessions] available for people who have children, [are] working, have mobility issues — where they're unable to attend some of these meetings — gives them an opportunity to be part of the process. Better yet would be is if they could actually speak real time with public comment, but at a minimum, have that camera on for all arms of our government, would be my recommendation for staff policy.
Our research indicates that SB 707 will make clear the requirement that the City livestream agenda items marked as “workshops” or “study sessions” during which cameras are often off. Whether the bill applies to “advisory bodies,” as Peplow hopes, is less clear. The two-way public access mandate applies to eligible legislative bodies, but does it flow to “subsidiary bodies” such as the PAAC and TBID? This will likely need to be sorted out by the City Attorney.
Council supports the continuation of Measure I
Measure I is the half-cent county transportation sales tax approved by San Bernardino County voters in 1989, currently set to expire in 2040. The San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) is proposing to extend it beyond 2040 at the same rate, generating an estimated $7.5 billion over its first 30 years. Seventeen of the county's 24 cities had already approved the plan before the April 14 meeting; Twentynine Palms was among the remaining seven. SBCTA representative Otis Greer presented the item remotely prior to the unanimous vote.
Two housing related initiatives also pass without opposition
In the first housing initiative, City Manager Dr. Stone James announced that Twentynine Palms has been selected, along with Ontario, as one of two pilot cities under the new San Bernardino Regional Housing Trust Joint Powers Authority (JPA). $1.75 million in Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) funds are available to seed an affordable housing project. A formal Council vote was needed by April 15 or the funds would go to a different city. The funds must be allocated to a viable project by December 2026 and fully expended within five years.
During public comment, in response to a series of questions from Filo Totasi,1 City Manager Stone James, spoke on why small cities can’t do this alone:
It’s not Keith spending 5% of his time, me spending 5% of my time to try to do this. Our region, our county now has a voice.
Mayor Mintz, on the deadline pressure to identify a housing project:
We have to have the project ready to go in seven months, by the end of December. We saw what happened next door2 here — we gave those guys, took almost five years, and they finally just couldn’t get enough funds. So that’s a pretty tall order.
Speaking in favor during public comment were Scott Curry, Mary Jane Binge, Carlos Blandon and ex-Planning Commissioner Bill Easter. Our prior coverage on this topic can be found under “Housing” in our Article Index.
The second housing proposal stirred the room and was met with applause. Joshua Tree National Park Association (JTNPA) Executive Director Jacqueline Guevara sought approval for lease negotiations for a city-owned 17-acre parcel that would be used for workforce housing for Park seasonal employees. The parcel is adjacent to Theatre 29 and the planned Mojaveland artist-designed miniature golf course.
Affordable housing near the park has long been out of reach for seasonal NPS employees; as the park struggles to recruit and retain staff, access to stable housing close to the park entrance could make a meaningful difference. Speaking on the staffing crisis Guevara said:
Every season the park faces a critical staffing challenge. Qualified, passionate candidates often decline positions or leave early because they cannot find affordable housing nearby. Seasonal hires have been forced to piece together temporary arrangements that sometimes fall through, leading to mid-season departures.
JTNPA has already received a $75,000 planning grant from the National Park Foundation; securing a land lease would make them eligible for a $2 million construction grant — at no cost to the city.
Public comment was in favor with Brian Benton from Copper Mountain College speaking toward a potential partnership:
I’m training the next generation of construction workers in this community, and the opportunity that the parks Association has offered to the college in my program to participate with something with the weight of the USC School of Architecture and the National Parks association is really, really exciting.
Carlos Blandon also approved, calling it a “progressive development.” Any lease agreement will come back to Council for final approval.
Council’s most contentious discussion item? Letterhead.
The City has no policy governing when individual councilmembers can use City letterhead — which currently lists all five council members, implying full Council endorsement of the letter's content. This item was prompted by a need for staff guidance, and four possible directions ranging from permissive individual use to a full prohibition were presented for consideration.
Councilmembers Ramirez and McArthur Wright presented opposing views. Ramirez disclosed that she recently submitted a letter of recommendation for a youth group award and the submission was docked 11 points because her letter wasn’t on city letterhead — she couldn’t get three council members on short notice to authorize official letterhead use without a Brown Act issue.
Wright, on his reluctance to allow individual letterhead:
In 2018 when I was the mayor, I had a mayor’s prayer breakfast, and I basically got crucified because we advertised with the city’s logo.3 I don’t think we should have individual letterheads. If it’s a letter coming from any member of the Council, it should be in agreement with at least three of us.
Scott, Mintz and Bilderain were more open to individual letterheads with clear disclaimers or other solutions.
Elliot Balsley spoke in public comment urging a very restrictive policy (letterhead use only for items approved by the whole Council), citing FPPC violation risks and potential Brown Act issues.
A consensus gave Staff direction to:
Produce City letterhead with city logo but only the individual councilmember’s name and district (no full roster of names),
Councilmembers should include a standard disclaimer stating the letter does not represent the views of the full Council or the City,
And to ensure California Public Records Act (CPRA) compliance, letters are to be processed through City staff to maintain a public record.
Future agenda items raise questions
While Councilmember Ramirez was unsuccessful in getting the solar project back on the agenda, she did get seconds on two other items, both of which lacked clear context.
Code Enforcement and Compliance with Prop 36 and find a pathway to meeting the new guidance issued by Governor Gavin Newsom. Next item is going to be to have a discussion about the annexation of parcels 063405124 and 063405109 also known as Set Free Ranch.
Prop 36 is a state criminal statute that increases penalties for drug and theft offenses, allows repeat shoplifters to be charged with felonies, creates "treatment-mandated felonies," and expands fentanyl-related penalties. Prop 36 is implemented at the county level — through district attorneys, sheriffs, probation, the courts, and county behavioral health agencies. Cities have no direct enforcement role.
At the Wednesday evening PAAC meeting, the Desert Trumpet informally asked Community Development Director Keith Gardner and Code Enforcement Officer Vanessa Cabrera what the relationship between Code Enforcement and Prop 36 might be. Neither could identify a clear connection between the two.
How or why the City might annex the two parcels mentioned, both owned by the Dietz Family Trust and one of which is the address for Set Free Ranch at 1555 La Buena Tierra, was similarly hazy. Both are west of the city limits and Lake Bandini, and they aren’t connected to each other.
In summer 2023, Set Free had been attempting to position itself as a rehabilitation center, which was supported by then City Manager Frank Luckino and Mayor McArthur Wright.4 Wright was also the 2nd on Ramirez’s motion.
However, then as now, the language used by Set Free on their website contradicts a rehab focus or expertise:
Phase 1 spans a 60-day blackout period, during which participants focus on maintaining sobriety and cultivating a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. This phase includes mandatory, meticulously scheduled group classes centered on direct biblical teachings. Upon completing the initial 60 days, participants have the choice to either continue with subsequent phases of the program or return home to their families.5
The only clue comes from a statement Councilmember Ramirez made at the January 13, 2026 City Council meeting while suggesting that there was no need for a Housing and Homeless subcommittee:
I realized that all of us, in our own different capacities and with our own different strengths, do work and focus on housing and homeless. For example, when Councilmember Bilderain and I went to California League of Cities, we both attended different housing education sessions. He and I have worked before with the DA law enforcement figuring out prop 36 and the legislative aspect of homelessness.
Set Free openly describe themselves as accepting “referrals from one or many agencies in the inland empire — social service, parole, and probation.” 6
Is it possible the two Future Agenda Items Councilmember Ramirez proposed are related?
City Manager’s Report
Outgoing City Manager Stone James covered three items in his update:
A sales tax survey mailer has gone out to approximately 5,000–5,500 registered voters, with paper forms available at City Hall and an online version accessible via url and QR code; James urged as many residents as possible to complete the survey.
The free Levitt AMP concert series at Freedom Plaza continues on April 18, April 25, and May 2, with gates opening at 6 p.m. and live music from 7–9 p.m.
Finally, James reported that the April 4 community cleanup drew 220 participants, and reminded residents that their Burrtec contract includes four free bulky item pickups per year — call Burrtec at 1 (760) 365-2015 to enquire or schedule via this online form.
After the conclusion of Public Comment at 8:30pm, covered in Part Two of this recap, City Council then continued their late evening by adjourning to a closed session on Public Employment - City Manager.
Watch for Part 2 of our recap, covering Public Comment on Sunday morning
The Desert Trumpet is within $150 of meeting our $10,000 paid subscription goal!!! We need your paid subscriptions to publish the coverage you depend on. Basic subscriptions are $50 per year or $5 per month.
Become a sustaining subscriber by increasing your subscription to $100 or more per year! Want to make a one-time donation or are you able to give more than $100? Donate via Paypal!
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.
Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it.
We are unsure of the spelling of this name.
Mayor Mintz is referring to a 90–100 unit affordable housing project on the City-owned parcel west of City Hall was under contract with Milestone Housing LLC from 2022 to 2024, and the City committed $1 million to the project. It went through conceptual design, had a site plan proposed, but never broke ground. As the Desert Trumpet reported here, the developer’s conditions of approval expired in October 2024 with nothing built.
The year was 2023 and the Desert Trumpet addressed the use of the City seal in the promotion of the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast in an editorial.
In an email chain between Cindy Bernard, City Manager Frank Luckino, and Mayor McArthur Wright dated Aug 26–28, 2023, Cindy Bernard argues Set Free Ranch is a Bible-based discipleship program, not a clinical rehab facility. Luckino responds calling it "semantics." Wright says he won't respond to Bernard and still considers it a good program the community needs.
Set Free website: https://setfree-wondervalley.org/the-ranch
Set Free website: https://setfree-wondervalley.org/the-ranch
just what is involved in the "annexation" of these two parcels that seem to be owned by a private party ?? will the annexation be the same as taking by eminent domain ? will the city then own these two parcels ?