Indio arts commission recommends Miles Avenue Park sites and $25,000 increase for 9/11 memorial

The City of Indio Public Arts Commission recommended on Tuesday that a previously approved 9/11 memorial be placed near the museum area at Miles Avenue Park and that a veterans memorial — likely featuring tall pillars and branch seals with donor pavers — be sited nearby, and approved increasing the 9/11 memorial budget from $130,000 to up to $155,000 to cover site conditions and lighting needs.

City Manager Bridal Montgomery told commissioners the 9/11 design had already been approved by the council but its location remained to be decided and that the City Council had identified Miles Avenue Park as the preferred site. "The city council identified Miles Avenue Park as a preferred location," Montgomery said during the joint meeting.

Commissioners and community members discussed several layout options for both memorials (displayed in the packet as alternatives A–E). A prevailing preference emerged for a veterans memorial that uses vertical pillars with seals for the military branches and a separate 9/11 circular element with backlighting and an optional area of engraved pavers for donor names. Commissioners flagged durability in Indio’s climate, seating and shade, pedestrian access, proximity to the museum for educational visits, and the need to avoid placing memorials adjacent to active playfields.

The commission voted 5–0 to forward a recommendation to the City Council supporting alternative B with a modification that moves the 9/11 circular memorial slightly southeast toward the museum and positions the veterans pillars in the adjacent visible corner, and to approve additional contingency funding. The motion as recorded: "going with option alternate B, moving the 9/11 Memorial slightly to the southeast to that other grass area and also, adding an additional $20,000 to the budget for site conditions" (final authorization adjusted during the discussion to increase total available funding for the 9/11 project to $155,000). Roll call recorded Commissioners Marujo, Puttolm, Neumeier, Vice Chairperson Armenta and Chairperson Sanchez voting yes; the motion carried.

Staff and the artist warned that moving the 9/11 memorial may require design changes for the memorial’s uplighting and new site work (electric conduit, sprinkler removal, grading), and estimated those extras at roughly $20,000 or more. Staff said they would return detailed change-order costs to the council as they work with the artist. Leila, the staff report author, told the commission the $130,000 figure covered the originally scoped 9/11 design and that the veterans memorial budget had not been determined.

Council member Gutron, present at the meeting, praised the commission’s engagement: "I'm very impressed how you were involved. This is what we need to see," he said, urging commissioners to maintain momentum.

The commission’s recommendation will be presented to the City Council at its next meeting. Montgomery said that if the council approves the recommended locations and budget modification the city could hold a groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the selected site on Sept. 11, subject to final council action and scheduling.

Minor design decisions remain open: commissioners endorsed the idea of using donor pavers rather than inscribing names directly on the primary memorials, discussed which branch seals to include (some noted the recent addition of the Space Force and occasional inclusion of Merchant Marine seals in other cities), and emphasized the need for seating, shade, walkways and event space for gatherings such as Memorial Day. Staff also noted maintenance issues at the park (an existing rose garden in poor condition) and that parts of a prior Miles Avenue Park master plan had identified memorial locations years earlier.

The commission’s action was advisory; final site approval and budget appropriation rest with the City Council.