Coachella City Council Votes In New Member Friday Night

The City of Coachella officially has its fifth city council member.

On Friday night, the Coachella City Council unanimously appointed local real estate broker Juan Martinez to fill the vacant District 2 seat left open when Dr. Frank Figueroa was appointed mayor in April.

The appointment came after an extensive public interview process that lasted more than three hours and featured nine candidates from a variety of professional and community backgrounds. City council members questioned applicants on several issues facing the city, including community engagement, conflict resolution, economic development, and the ongoing debate surrounding data center projects.

Throughout the interviews, candidates were asked how they would handle disagreements with fellow council members, engage residents in city government, and address controversial issues currently facing the community.

When the interview process concluded, three of the four council members nominated Martinez for the position. Mayor Frank Figueroa was the only council member to nominate another candidate, Martin Pallares Perez. However, when the final vote was taken, all four council members voted in favor of appointing Martinez to the seat.

Speaking with NBC Palm Springs after the meeting, Martinez said he was surprised by the outcome but grateful for the opportunity to serve.

“I was definitely surprised,” Martinez said. “There were a lot of qualified candidates, but I’m ready to get to work and address the issues our city is facing.”

Martinez said his focus will be on listening to residents, improving communication between city leaders and the community, and helping move Coachella forward as it continues to experience growth and development.

Mayor Figueroa said the council faced a difficult decision given the quality of the candidates who applied.

The appointment restores the council to its full five-member body at a time when the city is navigating several high-profile issues, including discussions over future development projects, economic growth, and rebuilding public trust in local government.

Martinez will serve on the city council until the general election in November.