Jan. 12 Daily Briefing: Reports of surf club issues, library project moves forward, city’s airport sets record, and more

TGIF, everyone! You may want to take this report with a grain of saltwater, but a website that one Reddit user described as “the TMZ of surfing” claimed Thursday that the much-hyped Palm Springs Surf Club is being shuttered indefinitely due to “technical challenges.” The culprit was apparently a lightning strike, according to the site, which quoted the creator of the pool’s tech, Tom Lochtefeld. There’s no word yet on when the facility might reopen. But if you booked a session this month or next, you might want to watch your email for a cancellation notice.

🎶 Setting the mood: “Sure As Spring” by La Luz

LEADING OFF

Council approves moving forward on library renovations, funding study

With an eye toward the future, the Palm Springs City Council voted unanimously Thursday to move forward with the renovation of the Palm Springs Public Library. It directed staff to begin the process of an issuance of debt service.

Zoom in: The estimated cost of the renovation is about $40 million. With $15 million of that money already covered by city funds and a state grant, the City Council voted to begin the process of financing the rest of the money.

What that means: The affirmative vote on Thursday night was crucial for the project to stay on track. The state grant is contingent on a strict timeline: the money must be spent by March 2026.

Why it matters: More than a dozen people spoke in support of the move at Thursday evening’s regular Council meeting. Each of the speakers mentioned the necessity of a library as the “beating heart of a community,” as one speaker said, even in the digital age. 

Yes but: Though city councilmembers voted unanimously to approve the step forward, they were wary of the lack of public input so far in the process. Councilmembers worried the survey didn’t reflect the future demographics of Palm Springs and wanted to ensure the library was something the community could be proud of in 50 years.

What they’re saying: Councilmember Grace Garner wanted those working on the project to look at, “Who’s not here, and why are they not here? How do we make sure we’re creating a library space available for everyone, even if they haven’t come to the library in the past?” 

Next steps: City Manager Scott Stiles explained that with the green light from the Council, the city’s finance director can begin a preliminary financial analysis on debt issuance before returning to the Council with options.

Dive deeper with our complete story here.

BRIEFLY

🗑️ Expanded services are part of contract extension

In a unanimous vote, the Palm Springs City Council voted to change the terms of a waste collection agreement, along with several other expanded resident services Thursday evening. 

• In order to meet new state mandates, the city needs more waste collection vehicles. There’s about a three-year lead time for new trucks, and the Palm Springs Disposal Service (PSDS) takes seven years to amortize the vehicles.
  
  
• The problem is the current contract agreement expires in five years. “The numbers just aren’t lining up,” explained Lindsey-Paige McCloy, the city’s director of sustainability. “We’re collecting more stuff, so we need more trucks, and we go through the trucks we have more quickly.”
   
• Bottom line: Baked into the approved contract extension through 2034 — which comes without a fee increase for customers — are several expanded resident services. Among them are free kitchen compost pails, on-demand bulky pickup for multifamily homes, and a new program to hire individuals referred by the city’s forthcoming Homeless Navigation Center.

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YOUR WEEKEND

ALL WEEKEND

Palm Springs International Film Festival
It’s the 35th anniversary of the Palm Springs International Film Festival, and there are screenings of films, new and old, all weekend at multiple locations.

TODAY

Country Western Dancing
7:30 p.m. | Step By Step 
Enjoy a night of country western dancing, including two-step, waltz, shadow, East and West Coast swing, and line dances. Lessons at 7 p.m. ($5)

Drag Race Viewing Party
8 p.m. | Play Lounge and Cafe
Join other fans for a viewing party of another episode of the new season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”

Elements Dinner
7 p.m. | PS Underground
The dinner promises an “ethereal wonderland” of tastes relating to air, water, earth, fire, and space. ($195)

SATURDAY

Certified Farmers’ Market
8 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Camelot Theatre
The market returns to its outdoor location, with local farmers and vendors offering fresh agri­cul­tural and related products.

Auditions for Modern Men Chorus
11 a.m. | United Methodist Church
The Modern Men Chorus is looking for new members to join in its mission to promote harmony through performance. Auditions are to be held on a first-come, first-served basis. 

The Lofts Art Walk
5 p.m. | Lofts Art District
Held on the second Saturday of every month, the art walk attracts tourists, locals, and art enthusiasts of all kinds who want to explore galleries and meet artists.

Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence Bingo
6 p.m. | One Eleven Bar
Support the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence by playing bingo on the second and fourth Saturday of the month. Money goes to the Sisters and to charities they support. ($20)

SUNDAY

Film Festival Family Day
12 p.m. | Mary Pickford Theatre
The inaugural Family Day is a special day dedicated to all generations of film enthusiasts, featuring a carefully curated selection of family-friendly films and activities that cater to the young and the young at heart. ($5 for children, $10 for adults)

MLK Commemoration Celebration
2 p.m. | La Quinta High School
Councilmember Grace Garner and the Palm Springs Black History Committee will attend the MLK Commemoration Celebration. The theme this year is “Living the Dream: It starts with spreading Hope, Courage and Unity”

SAVE THE DATE

• Alzheimer’s at the Opera: A Conversation and Recital at the Mizell Center on Jan. 17.
  
  
• “Mid-Century Moderns” at the Revolution Stage Company from Jan. 19 to March 31.
  
  
• Janet Davidson book signing on Jan. 20 at Barnes & Noble in Palm Desert.
  
  
• Palm Springs Health Run & Wellness Festival at Ruth Hardy Park on Jan. 27.
  
  
• PS Woman’s Club Annual Patio Sale on Feb. 3.
  
  
• Black History Committee 14th Annual Awards Gala on Feb. 3.
  
  
• Palm Springs Woman’s Club Scholarship Luncheon at the Palm Springs Hilton on March 27

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AND FINALLY …

The Palm Springs International Airport shattered its passenger traffic record by handling over 3.2 million travelers last year.

By the numbers: This achievement represents a nearly 9% increase from 2022, bolstered by eight new monthly passenger records set throughout the year.

In addition: Executive Director of Aviation Harry Barrett, Jr. announced several measures to improve passenger experience, like the remodel of the Bono concourse and the ongoing work on future expansion with a new Master Plan in development.

Context: City leaders have laid out some of the ideas for the Master Plan at previous public meetings, including a complete restructuring of the airport in an effort to accommodate an estimated 6 million passengers by 2042.

What to watch for: PSP is forecasting over 650,000 passengers in the first quarter of 2024 alone. This optimistic projection is in line with the airport’s trajectory of rising traveler numbers,