July 9 Daily Briefing: Previewing tonight’s City Council meeting, power outage impacts 1,200, and more

Happy Tuesday! With the temperatures cranking up — delivering “the real heat” that we like to tell people is coming when it’s only 105, — so, too, does the chatter about what the exact high temperature is on any given day. Last week, when it officially hit an all-time high of 124 degrees, we watched as the debate played out online as usual. Some claimed their car’s temperature gauges read much higher. Others said it never got to 124 at their house. They were all probably right. What counts for the official records, however, is the temperature at the airport. For that, you can always turn here. And to see if the day’s temperature broke any record (yesterday’s 122 was the highest for a July 8, for example), turn here.

🎶 Setting the mood: “Campus” by Vampire Weekend

LEADING OFF

Mayor, commissioners meet to reevaluate Human Rights Commission’s purpose

The Palm Springs Human Rights Commission is undergoing a comprehensive review and potential restructuring as commissioners and city officials alike seek to clarify its role and update its 30-year-old ordinance.

Driving the news: Mayor Jeffrey Bernstein led a listening session with some of the commissioners Monday evening to gather input on redefining the commission’s mandate and improving its effectiveness in addressing community needs.

Context: The move comes after concerns were raised about the commission’s direction and lack of clear objectives. 

• Rather than putting the commission on indefinite hiatus as initially proposed, the City Council opted to have it continue meeting, but with a sole focus on redefining its purpose.

Zoom in: A Feb. 13 story by The Post detailing what allegedly happened behind closed doors when some members of the HRC elected to rescind a Community Service Award that the entire commission had earlier approved awarding, a possible violation of state open public meetings rules, preceded discussion of the hiatus.

What they’re saying: “Not every city has a human rights commission, and I think we should make the most of this,” Bernstein said Monday evening, emphasizing his desire to get the commission back on track as soon as possible. 

• “I don’t think anyone wants to drag this out,” he said. “There’s a lot of potential for doing really great work and we don’t want to miss that opportunity.”

Concerns: Each of the commissioners raised concerns and ideas about the future of the HRC. Commissioner Carlotta Rinke said she wished there were more specific deliverables from City Council, noting, “There’s a lot of inertia, but we need some definite job descriptions” rather than “squishy terms” like advocate, educate, collaborate.

• Chair Hugo Loyola highlighted the commission’s lack of investigative or mediation powers, which limited its ability to address public concerns effectively.

In addition: Vice Chair David Vignolo said he hoped the future commission would be a more formal advisory body, saying it should be able to “propose policies and look at each city agency and [see if] they are complying with human rights.” 

• Vignolo also wanted the commission to take in community concerns about human rights and offer concrete solutions for councilmembers.

What happens next: The commission next meets on Sept. 9, when commissioners will come back with more suggestions and a review of other cities’ human rights commissions.

• A subcommittee made up of city councilmembers will also meet with the commission to work on refining the new roles.

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BRIEFLY

🏛️ What to watch for at tonight’s City Council meeting

The Palm Springs City Council will meet in closed and regular sessions today. According to the agenda, councilmembers will consider a resolution that would lead to the permanent vacation of the portion of Museum Way that is home to the “Forever Marilyn” statue.

• Last month, the Planning Commission determined the street vacation would be in line with the city’s General Plan, paving the way for councilmembers to make a final decision.
  
  
• In addition, councilmembers will vote on whether to put a measure on the November election ballot that would do away with Measure J’s sunset date in 2036.
  
  
• Also on the agenda is a discussion over regulating homeless encampments, an ordinance regulating co-share housing units like Pacaso, and the approval of a cost-share agreement for a turf conversion rebate program.
  
  
• Plus, councilmembers will consider an update to the city’s tree-trimming policy which would allow for the removal of dry fronds, or tree skirts, which have injured pedestrians in the city and caused damage to property.
  
  
• Details: The regular meeting is open to the public in council chambers at City Hall. You can submit comments via an online public comment form, in person, or by calling the city clerk’s office at (760) 323-8204 at any time prior to the end of the public comment period. View the meeting live on the city’s website, YouTube or Spectrum channel 17.

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Palm Springs City Council
5:30 p.m. | City Hall
City councilmembers meet on Tuesday instead of Thursday this week and will discuss several issues. The meeting can be viewed online via Zoom or the city’s YouTube page.

Library Board of Trustees meeting
5:30 p.m. | Learning Center at Palm Springs Public Library
According to the agenda, trustees will discuss the library’s upcoming renovation and the appointment of a chairperson and other positions.

Palm Springs Toastmasters
6 p.m. | Palm Springs Toastmasters Club
Learn to speak with confidence with the Palm Springs Toastmasters and practice with friends. Guests are always welcome.

PSUSD Board of Education
6 p.m. | PSUSD Headquarters 
The Palm Springs Unified School District’s board meets this evening to approve and discuss several measures including course descriptions and School Resource Officer agreements. Check out the agenda here.

Palm Springs Power
7 p.m. | Palm Springs Stadium
Tonight, the Power take on the Havasu Heat. Tickets can be purchased at the stadium’s box office.

SAVE THE DATE

• Jazz in the Pines through July 13 in Idyllwild.
  
  
• Happy Hour for a Star fundraiser at Wildest Restaurant on July 14.
  
  
• Desert Wildlife Center Breakfast Fundraiseron July 20.

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AND FINALLY …

Yesterday, a Southern California Edison power outage affected about 1,200 customers in northern Palm Springs near the Mountain Gate neighborhood. The outage left them without power for almost two hours in the afternoon as temperatures climbed toward their peak. Now is a good time to brush up on some tips for keeping cool and reducing power demand.

Driving the news: Heat waves are guaranteed in the desert during summer, and it’s always good to be prepared for a power outage. Precautions include taking note of the nearest cooling centers and creating a safety plan with your family and neighbors.

In addition: With high heat comes high bills. SCE said customers can save money by shifting some of their heavier electricity usage outside peak hours from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. That includes using energy-intensive appliances, like dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers or charging electric cars before or after that window.

• Customers can also raise the thermostat to 78 degrees or higher to use less air conditioning between those hours.

What else: To cope with the heat, SCE suggests customers try pre-cooling their homes before peak hours and using curtains and blinds to block out direct sunlight. SCE also tells customers, if possible, to use the microwave instead of the stove or oven to prevent further kitchen heating.

As always: Never leave a child or pet alone in a vehicle, even if the windows are cracked, and check up on elderly or disabled neighbors during heatwaves.

What SCE is doing: SCE said it has added more utility-scale battery storage and is performing ongoing maintenance on the grid. “Our crews are prepared to respond to outages quickly,” wrote Jeff Monford with SCE.

• Find more information on SCE’s website.