In what appears to be a forced exit, Stone James, who had served as Twentynine Palms city manager over the last 24 months, tendered his resignation on Thursday, April 9.
James’ official departure will be effective on June 8, though sources say his duties as city manager beyond fully orienting whoever is to succeed him in an interim capacity have drawn to a close.
James was previously the economic development director for Cathedral City, a position he had filled since 2017. His was hired to serve as city manager in Twentynine Palms in March 2024 to replace interim City Manager Larry Bowden, who had been filling that spot since October 2023 when the previous City Manager, Frank Luckino, accepted an offer to serve as the city manager of Desert Hot Springs.
James’ forte in seeking out and encouraging local investment and economic development was perceived positively by the city council at the time of his hiring and for sometime thereafter, but was less well received by some city residents who saw a downside to certain economic advances, such as the conversion of what were traditionally residences into short-term rental units for vacationers, which exacerbated an already existing housing shortage and pushed the cost of housing to a point that resulted in some families being priced out of the community.
James’ possession of a doctorate in policy, planning, and development from the University of Southern California’s Price School of Public Policy was widely hailed as an attribute that would serve to improve Twentynine Palms and place the city at the cutting edge of the ever-evolving application of urban development principles in charting and preparing for the city’s growth. While James did embody a degree of expertise in that arena, accompanying it was what was perceived by not only members of the public but city council members as a degree of loftiness and an air or presumed superiority some found irritating. James’ hauteur in that regard spilled over into a disdain for a fair cross section of the city’s residents, in particular those of a lower economic standing, particularly if they did not have skill sets or marketable talents that would contribute to the city evolving toward the modern model of an upscale municipality he believed he had been hired to guide Twentynine Palms into becoming. This attitude carried over into a lack of connection, or even tension, with civically active individuals and groups who were advocates for the economically disadvantaged, the impoverished, those out of the mainstream both economically and socially or those prone to eccentricity or alternative lifestyles.
James wound up finding himself increasingly at odds with three members of the city council, most notably Octavious Scott, while able to rely on the solid support of a single council member, April Ramirez.
The signaling of his leaving was abrupt, reflecting that it had been precipitous, without an opportunity for the city council to determine who would next step into the municipal leadership role, which included not having designated who would be brought in as interim city manager.
An effort was made to preserve both James’ and the city’s dignity in making the announcement, as fraught with contradictions as it was. James was quoted by radio station Z107.7 FM as saying that the two years he had spent in Twentynine Palms were “the most rewarding time of my career.” It was further was suggested through public statements released by the city or attributed to him that it was his decision to leave the city rather than the other way around. He was given the opportunity, and used it, to say that it was his decision “to step down,” one he had “agonized” over but which was ultimately in the best interest of his family. In making the explanation of the considerations that went into the decision, James said he was offered and had accepted position with a private real estate development company in the Coachella Valley. Working there will give James, 49, more time to interact with his family, he said.
The ultimatum that James leave was delivered to him during the closed session discussion of the city council on Thursday, April 9.
The next morning James said publicly, “I left City Hall at 10:15 last night.”
Twentynine Palms has had mixed success with city managers over the years. The city of 25,814, which is down from a population of 28,060 in 20202, has had decent success in attracting talented city managers but a somewhat more dismal record in keeping them in place.
In May 2011, former Livingston City Manager Richard Warne assumed the city manager’s post. One month shy of his two-year anniversary with the city, Warne was terminated without cause and given one year’s worth of pay to depart. The city brought in Joe Guzzetta, the former city aministrator of Rialto and former director of the Joshua Basin Water District, to replace Warne. Guzzetta lasted only about half as long as Warne. He too was given one year’s worth of pay as a severance. The city’s finance director, Ron Peck filled in for Guzzetta. On June 19, 2014, Andrew Takata, who was up to that point working as the interim city manager in Calexico, was hired to serve as Twentynine Palms City Manager. Upon Takata’s departure from Calexico, Warne moved there to become that border city’s top staff member. In November 2014, Takata abruptly resigned as city manager to become the chief of staff for San Bernardino County Second District Supervisor Janice Rutherford. He was replaced by former Twentynine Palms High School Basketball Coach Larry Bowden, who was serving as the city’s recreation director. In March 2015, the Twentynine Palms City Council persuaded Frank Luckino, who was then Blythe city manager and had formerly been the general manager of the Hi-Desert Water District in Yucca Valley, to assume the city manager’s post. In October 2023, after eight year’s as city manger in Twentynine Palms, Luckino accepted the Desert Hot Springs post and Bowden came in for another stint as interim city manager, remaining until James replaced him.
-Mark Gutglueck