Measure J Commission finalizes recommendations for funding $6 million in community projects

With city staff operating calculators and anxious applicants waiting in the wings, the Palm Springs Measure J Oversight Commission on Thursday put the last pieces of a puzzle together, finalizing how it will recommend that the city council allocate $6 million in funding for projects proposed by community members.

The final votes came after commissioners evaluated 52 applications over an eight-month period. They were tasked with carefully balancing the needs of various organizations while staying within budget constraints.

“There were no easy decisions to be made,” Commission Chair Peter Sipkins said, highlighting the challenging process. “Maybe one or two that were pretty simple, but by and large, they were all notable, valuable projects that we had to carefully analyze and make tough decisions on.”

The $6 million available to the commission this year comes from a pool of funds that typically exceeds $20 million, all thanks to a one-cent sales tax — Measure J — that was initially approved by city voters more than a decade ago. The tax pays for road repairs and other necessary work in the city, with a portion set aside for projects proposed by members of the public.

The tax is set to continue indefinitely following passage of a November 2024 ballot measure removing its sunset clause.

“I think in part because of the fact that Measure J was on the budget in November, we were deluged with 52 applications for millions and millions of dollars,” Sipkins noted.

After months of deliberation, the commission narrowed down the approved projects list to those totaling $5.2 million in March. Among the approved projects were solar installations for multiple community organizations’ buildings, an elevator upgrade at Palm Springs Art Museum, and accessibility improvements at the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center.

At Thursday’s meeting, commissioners faced the challenge of deciding how to allocate some remaining funds between eight other final projects it was considering. However, they needed to trim approximately $375,000 to $400,000 from the total cost of those projects to stay within the $6 million budget.

The commission received significant public input throughout the process, with hundreds of public comments and strong attendance at meetings. They also considered recommendations from other city commissions when making decisions.

Among the projects considered Thursday evening was a request from Owen Coffman American Legion Post 519 for $281,000 to fund kitchen remodeling, bar remodeling, and general interior renovations. Representatives from the American Legion presented details about their historic building, which was designed by noted architects John Porter Clark and Albert Frey.

Legion representatives explained that the building, dedicated in 1948 and in need of a number of upgrades, has significant historical value, having hosted performances by Hollywood stars including Bob Hope, Groucho Marx, Doris Day, Judy Garland, and Bing Crosby.

Several commissioners expressed strong support for the project, which commissioners will recommend receives $256,000 in funds.

“The American Legion Project is the last place I would take money from,” Commissioner Larry Isaak said during deliberations. “These people did a heck of a job here tonight.”

Another project considered was the Oswit Land Trust’s “Nature in Our Backyard” initiative for the Prescott Preserve. The organization was requesting $259,000 for trees and irrigation repairs and received support for $234,000.

The commission also reviewed a Filipino heritage mural project by Bayanihan Desert, which was approved by a 6-3 vote — with one commissioner abstaining — for $140,000.

The mural was first proposed to be installed on an exterior wall of the Demuth Community Center in 2022. With concerns over the aging building not being able to support a large, heavy tile mural, however, the city is hoping to install it on a new free-standing wall.

Commissioners who voted against funding the mural project did so only because a final cost has yet to be determined.

For Commissioner La Toya Thigpen, however, the project’s significance stood out. As a youth, Thigpen was one of the students chosen to help Richard Wyatt Jr. create the large mural painted on the west side of the Unity Center gymnasium.

“I think this would be very good from a cultural standpoint and also for the Filipino youth and the future generation,” Thigpen said.

The First Baptist Church application for $100,000 to assist in expanding its services in the community was approved in full, as was a request from a citywide neighborhood organization for $44,000 to fund blade signs on traffic lights.

To stay within budget, the commission ultimately decided to reduce funding for both the American Legion project and the Prescott Preserve project by $25,000 each. Also helping was the fact three projects failed to move forward as no commissioners made motions to approve them.

For the projects that were recommended for funding, Palm Springs Director of Finance and Treasurer Kristopher Mooney reminded the commissioners that they had a $1.2 million contingency fund built into the budget, and that “if the project costs more, there is money available ultimately if needed.”

The commission’s recommendations will now go to the City Council for final approval. Councilmembers are working toward finalizing the next city budget by the end of June.

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