Kathleen Kelly Vies for Palm Desert District 2 Seat

Kathleen Kelly is One of Three Candidates Seeking District 2 Seat

PALM DESERT — Kathleen Kelly has served on the City Council since 2016. This will mark the first time she has run for a District 2 seat in a field of three candidates.

On Jan. 25, the City Council passed Ordinance No. 1406, which creates five single-member council districts. The current council members will remain in office until the end of their terms.

The shift to district-based elections will start with the General Municipal Election on Nov. 5. During this election, residents will vote for council members in Districts 1, 2, and 3. The transition will be completed with the November 2026 election, when residents of Districts 4 and 5 will elect their council members.

Others running for the seat are Gregg Akkerman and Joe Pradetto. Uken Report 9UR) distributed identical candidate questionnaires to all the candidates. Pradaetto did not respond.

Following are the responses from Kelly.

UR: Age and occupation:

Kathleen Kelly: Member of the City Council

UR: Who or what motivated you to run for the City Council?

Kathleen Kelly: Initially, I ran to contribute skills in resolving disputes built over a lifetime of work in employment law and conflict resolution.  In my 8 years on Council, my skills have indeed defused hot topics and produced solid process allowing all points of view to be heard and considered.  A perfect example is short-term rentals. At my urging, Palm Desert was the first city in the Coachella Valley to fully address this issue, and we arrived at a thoughtful outcome protecting neighborhood housing while allowing STRs in appropriate circumstances.  My demonstrated ability to bring diverse people together is needed more than ever to keep our Council focused on topflight city services and away from divisive politics.

UR: How long have you lived in Palm Desert full time?

Kathleen Kelly: 14 years (preceded by 32 part-time)

UR: What is your No. 1 priority for the city?  Building the infrastructure today that we will need tomorrow.  This has been a core value making our city special, and it must be maintained.  Palm Desert fared very well during Hilary compared to other valley cities because past leaders responded to the floods of the 1970’s by investing $60 Million in flood control.  Hilary and more recent thunderstorms have revealed where that system needs to be bolstered.  We have consistently built fire stations to accommodate growth and keep our emergency response near 4 minutes. Right now, we need another fire station, and the vintage of our existing stations demands major work.  In our hot conditions, we must also find ways to cultivate redundant sources of energy, to avoid life-threatening power losses.  Many of my supporters have young children.  They inspire my work. When they reach adulthood, I want them to enjoy the benefits of investments we make today.

UR: What makes you a better candidate than your opponents?

Kathleen Kelly: Three things:  1) I am the only candidate fully committed to honoring the non-partisan character of the office. Endorsements tell the story.  I am not running to promote a political agenda; I am running solely to serve. 2) My long involvement in many community organizations (The Joslyn Senior Center, The Rotary Club, The Palm Desert Area Chamber of Commerce) demonstrates the truth of that service commitment, and 3) The respect I have gained regionally.  Key issues we face (air quality, energy infrastructure, policing, safe transportation) can only be tackled with regional collaboration. I have volunteered for extra regional work beyond my Council assignments and been chosen by peers in our 6-city area to represent our region in SoCal planning.  No other candidate could step into that work. I earned that spot, and through that work helped land an $8 Million grant to assist Palm Desert with more flood control.

UR: Do you see yourself a team player or an individual who will fight for your opinion? Why?

Kathleen Kelly: I build teams where no one thought teamwork would be possible.  Then I keep everyone playing nicely together by interjecting myself only selectively.  See my reply to the next question.

UR: How do you deal with conflict? Give us an example.

Kathleen Kelly: Most people fear conflict.  I relish it, because it holds seeds for creative progress if diverse views can all be heard.  I am happy to give away the formula to get there:

1. Create a transparent process that will not be rushed.
2. Establish a calm and respectful tone, so everyone is confident of being heard and won’t have to scream.
3. Interject when necessary to help a speaker express themselves in a way that can be heard by others.
4. Give everyone time to process what they hear and accomplish any needed fact-finding that may resolve differing perceptions.
5. Encourage consideration of new ideas not previously considered.
6. Test draft solutions before any one outcome is advanced.

I followed this approach as Mayor when Council considered changing to district voting. I was among those who personally felt waiting until our north is fully built out would be best.  But the process produced unanimous adoption of districts after the voters showed they favor it. That was a form of fact-finding.

UR: Does Palm Desert need to change way it’s been doing business? Change its image? If so, in what way?

Kathleen Kelly: Adaptation to new conditions is always appropriate.  I am running to assure we maintain four core values as we adapt:  1) Sound fiscal management, 2) Non-partisanship in local government.  3) Investing today in the infrastructure we will need tomorrow in order to offer topflight services and amenities to all our residents; and 3) Staying active in regional government, as just explained.

I have heard my opponents question use of consultants.  This has allowed Palm Desert to secure expertise while keeping long-term payroll and pension commitments low.  With balanced use of such expertise, we have historically been the city where the best developers want to bring quality projects, and tourists want to visit for a relaxed yet elegant experience.  We should keep polishing our image, not change it.