Danielle Mead Goes Head-to-Head with Antonio Baciu in District 5

Editor’s Note: Uken Report posed a series of identical questions to each candidate. Following are Mead’s unedited responses. The District 5 seat is now held by Mayor Raymond Gregory.

CATHEDRAL CITY — With voting now underway, Danielle Mead is talking and walking to get out her message. She, unlike others, also made time to answer questions from Uken Report.

UR: Why are you a better candidate than your opponent?

Danielle Mead: In the five years I’ve lived in Cathedral City, I’ve served on the Historic Preservation Committee, the Planning Commission (now as Chair), and the Steering Committee for the city’s new development code, which defines how the city will grow in the coming decades. Being involved, supporting our community, and working to make the city better have been priorities for me since the day I arrived.

The other candidate has a longer history of involvement with the city, but is has been centered around events and volunteering. While those are part of a councilmember’s role, the majority of what Council does is very detailed and sometimes tedious work: heavy reading, analysis, long meetings, and working with staff and the public. That’s the same type of work I already do on Planning Commission.

Cathedral City is facing some serious challenges: we’re behind on our housing goals, we’re struggling to recruit the businesses residents want and the jobs they need, and the vision of downtown as a walkable commercial district remains unfulfilled. We also have quality of life issues like road maintenance, flood prevention, and code enforcement that haven’t been fully addressed.

Tackling these issues requires more than a background in events. I know how to review project plans, identify potential impacts, ask tough questions, incorporate public feedback, and propose changes that produce better results for our community. I understand contracts, budgets, and what businesses need to succeed. Those are the skills and experience I bring from Planning Commission and running my own company – and they’re exactly what City Council needs to address our current challenges, set a vision for the city’s future, and create a plan to get us there.

UR: Would you ever approve a data center in Cathedral City? Why or why not?

Danielle Mead: I do not support data centers in Cathedral City or the Coachella Valley generally. Data centers need large amounts of energy and water for cooling, which can raise costs for residents while creating very few long-term local jobs. The desert is simply not the right place for them.

As a member of the Planning Commission, and based on public input, I suggested that we prohibit data centers in all zones during our review of the new development code. That recommendation was incorporated into the Public Hearing Draft and will become part of our official zoning code if adopted by City Council.

UR: There was recent discussion in Cathedral City about its Pride Festival and the city funding the annual event. Do you support the City funding the Pride Festival? Do you support the raising of the Rainbow Flag at City Hall for Pride Month? Do you support the painting of the Rainbow Crosswalk in Downtown Cathedral City?

Danielle Mead: Yes, I support the city’s funding of the annual Pride event (formerly LGBT+ Days) and flying the Rainbow Flag at City Hall, and I’ve participated in painting the Rainbow Crosswalk for the past several years. As a lifelong ally of the LGBTQ+ community, I believe our city should be a place where everyone feels welcome.

UR: What is your vision for the city?

Danielle Mead:  Cathedral City has always been a place for people who make things: artists, craftspeople, mechanics, contractors, people who work with their hands. I’d like to see us embrace this defining characteristic and make it the foundation for future growth. A young person here should be able to pursue a trade, start a business, grow it, and never have to move away to take the next step.

That means creating an environment that makes it possible: live-work units, shared workshops, small industrial spaces, and housing that young people can actually afford. As a city, we should support existing spaces like the Perez Arts District, expand our Ignite program, and work with College of the Desert and local high schools to expand pathways to the trades. Neighboring cities have built their economies around visitors. We can build ours around the people who live here, with good local jobs, full storefronts, and a community that makes things instead of just consuming them.

UR: How much do you plan to spend on your campaign? Keep in mind your spending and contributions are public record.

Danielle Mead: I expect to spend about $12,000 on my campaign, with the majority of it raised from individual donors.

UR: Who or what prompted you to run?

Danielle Mead: I had thought about running for City Council in 2030. But late last year, people in the community started reaching out and asking if I’d consider running now. They pointed to my work on the Planning Commission, my experience on a Neighborhood Council in Los Angeles, and the way I approach issues by listening, incorporating public input, and building consensus. I was hesitant at first and had many conversations with friends, colleagues, and community leaders. Ultimately, I realized that with the city about to adopt a new development code and set a vision for the future, this was the right time for someone with my experience to serve.

UR: Is there a project unique to your district? What will you do about it?

Danielle Mead: Panorama Park

Panorama Park is one of District 5’s best amenities. It’s a gathering space for residents and attracts people from all around, but it’s underutilized. The city has contracted with Desert Recreation District (DRD) to maintain our parks and provide programming, but I think they could be doing more in Panorama Park. I’d like to see improvements to the baseball diamond, shade structures with seating in the tennis area, and better maintenance of the soccer field to encourage more use by the community. Better lighting would improve security at night, reducing safety concerns that I’ve heard from residents who live nearby. The roads leading to the park, especially Tachevah Drive, should be repaved so visitors get a good first impression of the neighborhood. We also need to regularly audit the money we’re paying DRD to ensure the funds are being spent in a way that most benefits the community.

UR: What is the best quality about your opponent(s)?

Danielle Mead: He volunteers with several local organizations