The six candidates for three seats on the Twentynine Palms City Council participated in a forum sponsored by Z107.7 News at Theatre 29 on Thursday evening. A full house heard two-minute opening and closing statements from each candidate, and one-minute responses to 12 questions posed by moderator Gary Daigneault. Reporter Dan Stork snapshots what the candidates said, in the second of a two-part report. (A detailed summary of what was said is available online at Z1077fm.com with part one of the story, in the October 10 news.) Here is part two…
At the candidates’ forum, the six candidates for three seats on the Twentynine Palms City Council—John Cole, Bill Easter, Jim Harris, Adam Lunn, Dan Mintz, and McArthur Wright—were presented with questions on a range of topics.
All thought that a race track could be a good tourist and Marine draw. Mintz and Harris noted that a feasibility study for various forms of visitor attractions is in progress, and that the city cannot and would not build such a site, but would look to outside sponsors.
Cole and Lunn favored permitting vacation home rentals. Easter, Harris, and Mintz did not offer opinions, since they expect to have to rule in current discussions on the subject. Wright said the decision should rest with the citizens.
Cole, Mintz, Lunn, and Wright all acknowledged the problem of homelessness and hunger, but did not offer suggestions for city involvement. Easter and Harris advocated converting certain vacant facilities in the City to temporary shelters.
Roads were on the top of everybody’s list of infrastructure improvements. Linn and Cole added flood control. Easter and Harris looked for improvements in the Project Phoenix context. Wright wants business facelifts and dealing with vacant buildings.
TWENTYNINE PALMS CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES FORUM, PART 2 OF 2
