Council creates two‑member oversight subcommittee for tourism business improvement district

The Twentynine Palms City Council on a 4‑0‑1 vote created a two‑member oversight subcommittee to provide regular council input to the Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID). Councilwoman April Ramirez and Mayor Bilderink were appointed as the council’s representatives.

Council and TBID leaders described the move as a way to provide more consistent council guidance while the TBID pursues a possible conversion from a short‑term (1989) district structure to a five‑year (1994) district model. Staff told council the 1994 conversion requires a five‑year plan and broader stakeholder outreach; TBID leaders said the organization wants to pause the conversion temporarily to conduct additional outreach and stakeholder education before returning to council for renewal or conversion.

Public comment reflected concern about TBID governance and staff workload. Cindy Menard, who previously served on TBID, told the council, “Brianne is not the marketing director. She's the director of the TBID. She's doing a lot of the work that some of the board members…should probably be doing,” and urged more board engagement and clearer direction. Other stakeholders recommended more outreach to lodging, business and neighborhood stakeholders and argued the TBID budget should better support both visitor services and local economic development.

Council action: A motion to establish a TBID oversight subcommittee of two council members (Ramirez and Bilderink) passed with the following roll call: Councilmember Scott: Aye; Councilwoman Ramirez: Aye; Councilmember Wright: excused absence; Mayor Pro Tem Mintz: Aye; Mayor Bilderink: Aye. The clerk recorded the item as approved 4‑0‑1.

Why it matters: Councilmembers and members of the public said the TBID has limited staff and uneven board engagement; under the proposed 1994 district conversion, the TBID would operate on a multi‑year cycle and would be expected to produce a five‑year plan and budgets. Supporters of more council oversight argued that a subcommittee can provide clearer direction, help with stakeholder outreach and reduce the chance of governance lapses.

What’s next: Staff and TBID leaders said they will begin stakeholder outreach and workshops to explain the potential conversion and to develop a five‑year plan. The TBID signaled it will perform a standard annual renewal for the current year while it conducts outreach for a potential conversion. The new council subcommittee will meet with TBID leadership to review strategy and stakeholder input and report back to the full council.