Coachella City Council Meets Tonight with New Face at the Table

Coachella City Council holds its regular meeting tonight at 6 p.m. at City Hall, and it will be a session with several firsts. Newly appointed Councilmember Juan Martinez, a local real estate broker, will take his seat for the first time tonight, filling the vacancy left when Dr. Frank Figueroa was sworn in as temporary mayor. That seat opened after former Mayor Steven Hernandez was convicted of a conflict of interest charge he pleaded guilty to earlier this year.

Martinez was selected last Friday during a special public interview session with multiple candidates.

It will also be the first meeting since the city approved a 45-day moratorium on AI data centers and cancelled its agreement with Stronghold Powers for a new utility grid, two decisions that drew significant community attention in recent weeks.

On the agenda tonight, council members are set to vote on a design-and-build contract with Bergman Construction for the Bagdouma Wellness Center, which would cost around $4.9 million with an additional $816,000 set aside for contingency.

Council will also discuss whether to put out a formal search for a new city attorney, which could reshape one of the city's key legal relationships. Separately, residents can weigh in during a public hearing on an entertainment permit request for Clamatosdel43 Sport Bar on Cesar Chavez Street, which is asking to host limited events in its space.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at Coachella City Hall, 1515 Sixth Street. It can also be attended via Zoom, with the link and call-in information available on the city's website at coachella.org.