Public and presenters urge council to retain community-events grant funding as budget is adopted

Nonprofit event organizers urged the Twentynine Palms City Council on June 10 to preserve the community events grant pool after staff presented a two‑year general fund budget that staff said would reallocate portions of miscellaneous community-event funding.

Vicki Waite, chairperson of the Joshua Tree National Park Council for the Arts, told council her organization had historically received city sponsorship for the Joshua Tree National Park Art Expo and that the group applied for $5,000–$5,000 in city support this year. She said the city’s proposed reallocation of $50,000 away from the community events grant pool was a late change that left organizers with no time to pursue alternative sponsors or apply to other granting bodies whose deadlines had already passed.

“At this late date…we feel blindsided,” Waite told the council, asking that the city reconsider the proposed reallocations so events already in planning could proceed.

Jimmy Brower, director of Friends of the Historic Plaza, echoed the concern: he said the $10,000 grant his organization received funded four events and credited the city’s support with increased business for downtown vendors and improved animal-shelter adoption outcomes following event pop-ups.

Why it matters: Staff presenters told council the preliminary budget reallocated some community events funding to other priorities; organizers said signature events are scheduled or in-planning and need predictable city sponsorship. Council adopted the budget as presented but directed staff to revisit allocations for community events and suggested July as the time for that review.

Council and staff context: The city’s preliminary budget documents show a reduced line item for the housing and homeless activity program and a reallocation of $25,000 from community events into nonprofit contributions and other department line items. Staff said community events budget items would be revisited in July during strategic-planning follow-ups and midyear budget adjustments.

Public speakers and requests

- Vicki Waite (Joshua Tree National Park Council for the Arts) requested council reconsider reallocation of the $50,000 community events grant pool, noting application deadlines for other sponsors had passed. - Jimmy Brower (Friends of the Historic Plaza) requested continued support for small, locally run events, said the grant had been used to host four events and provided event attendance and adoption statistics. - Other speakers suggested the TBID and PAC might be alternative funding sources but said deadlines and program scopes differ.

What council said: Councilmembers replied that budget approval tonight need not be the final step on allocations and that staff would return with recommendations; they emphasized the budget is a living document and can be adjusted prior to final disbursements.