Palm Springs uses a "council-manager" type of government. This means the city council, which has five members elected by the public, makes the laws. The council then hires a professional manager. This manager helps run the city's daily operations and carries out the council's decisions.
The role of mayor was created in 1938. This was when Palm Springs officially became a city. On April 12, 1938, residents voted on whether to become a city and who would be on the first city council. There were 910 registered voters. Most voters, 442, said yes to becoming a city, while 211 said no. The city's official start was on April 20, 1938.
For a long time, the mayor was not directly elected by the people. This changed in 1982 when voters started choosing the mayor directly. However, direct elections for mayor stopped in 2019. Now, the mayor's role is mostly ceremonial. The title of mayor rotates each year among the city council members. These council members are elected from five different areas, or districts, within the city. There is no limit to how many terms a city council member can serve.
This is a list of people who have served as mayor of Palm Springs, California.
| # |
Mayor |
Picture |
Term(s) |
Notes |
Significant civic events during term(s) of office |
| 1 |
Philip L. Boyd |
|
April 1938 – April 1942 |
First mayor under the original city charter. The city was 16 square miles and represented by seven wards. |
- Fire Protection District dissolved and Palm Springs Fire Department formed
- City establishes Palm Springs Public Library, July 5, 1939
- The Welwood Murray Memorial Library opens February 19, 1941
- Palm Springs High School opens; students no longer travel to Banning
|
| 2 |
Frank V. Shannon |
|
April 1942 – April 1944 |
|
- The 21st Ferrying Group of the USAAF Air Transport Command occupies PS Muni Airport – April 1942
- General Torney General Hospital opens in the former El Mirador Hotel – October 12, 1942
- 459th Force Support Squadron joins the 21st Ferrying Group – October 28, 1942
|
| 3 |
Eugene E. Therieau |
|
April 1944 – April 1946 |
|
- Thomas A. O'Donnell donates the O'Donnell Golf Course to the city, which names it the Thomas A. O'Donnell Municipal Park (1944–1945)
|
| 4 |
Clarence E. Hyde |
|
April 1946 – April 1948 |
|
- Executed Lease Agreement No. 209 between the City of Palm Springs and the O'Donnell Golf Club on July 1, 1947. Lease ends on December 26, 2043
|
| 5 |
Charles Farrell |
 |
April 1948 – July 1953 |
|
- The Committee of Twenty-Five formed to promote civic activities and sponsor visits of influential and important persons in business
|
| 6 |
Florian Boyd |
|
July 1953 – November 1957 |
|
- Boyd joined Governor Goodwin Knight in welcoming President and Mrs. Eisenhower to PS on their way to Smoke Tree Ranch as guests of businessman Paul Helms
- City rejects the Agua Caliente's land-use strategy plan for Section 14 prepared by Victor Gruen and Associates claiming it would "pull business away from downtown Palm Springs"
- New City Hall, designed by architect Albert Frey, opens
|
| 7 |
Gerald K. Sanborn |
|
November 1957 – April 1958 |
Acting mayor |
|
| 8 |
Frank Bogert |
 |
April 1958 – January 1966 |
|
- City purchases land from Agua Caliente Indians for present day airport
- New Police Station opens on McCallum Way, October 12, 1959
- Municipal Golf Course opens with 18 holes on October 28, 1959
- President John F. Kennedy visits Palm Springs on December 9, 1962
- City authorizes the demolition and razing of homes and structures on the Agua Caliente Reservation in Section 14 – February 19, 1962
- Vista del Monte Park (present day Victoria Park) and neighboring Fire Station dedicated on November 15, 1964
|
| 9 |
George Beebe, Jr. |
|
January 1966 – April 1966 |
Acting mayor |
|
| 10 |
Edgar L. McCoubrey |
|
April 1966 – April 1967 |
|
- City installs the Pearl McCallum McManus fountain at PS Airport. McCoubrey voted against funding it.
|
| 11 |
Howard Wiefels |
|
April 1967 – March 1974 |
|
- Proposition R provided funding for the following projects:
- Sunrise Park
- PS Public Library
- Leisure Center
- The Pavilion
- PS Swim Center
- Desert Highland Park (present day James O. Jessie Park)
- Community Center
- Gymnasium
- Playground and baseball field
|
| 12 |
William Foster |
|
April 1974 – March 1977 |
|
- PS Tennis Center opens
- PS Library Center opens on October 28, 1975
- PS Library Dedication featured U.S. Senator S. I. Hayakawa, December 7, 1975
|
| 13 |
Russ Beirich |
|
March 1977 – April 1980 |
|
- PS Police Training Center is dedicated on April 17, 1977
|
| 14 |
John Doyle |
|
April 1980 – April 1982 |
|
|
| 15 |
Frank Bogert |
|
April 1982 – April 1988 |
First directly elected mayor |
- New Police Department building on South Civic Drive dedicated August 21, 1985
- PS Convention Center opens on December 31, 1987
|
| 16 |
Sonny Bono |
 |
April 1988 – April 1992 |
|
- Library reinstated as a full Municipal Department through the efforts of Library Board President Kleindienst on October 3, 1990
- Fire destroys the historic El Mirador Tower – July 26, 1989
- Created Palm Springs International Film Festival. Debuts on January 10, 1990
- The downtown redevelopment plan called "Vision Palm Springs" presented on May 16, 1990
- Grand opening of the restored El Mirador Tower designed by architect Chris Mills – November 10, 1990
- Vintage Grand Prix returns as the Palm Springs Road Races – November 15–18, 1990
- Villagefest Street Fair debuts on February 28, 1991
- Mizell Senior Center opens, designed by architect Chris Mills – March 14, 1991
|
| 17 |
Lloyd Maryanov |
|
April 1992 – December 1995 |
Date for elections moved from April to November to coincide with state and nation election cycles.
|
- Mid-Valley Parkway
- Welwood Murray Memorial Library is closed by Library Board on June 30, 1992
- Residents vote to abandon status as a General Law city to become a Charter Law city
- Implemented 5% Utility User Tax (UUT)
- Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort is completed by the city making it Palm Springs' second publicly owned course – February 4, 1995.
|
| 18 |
William G. Kleindienst |
|
December 1995 – December 1999
December 1999 – December 2003 |
First two-term directly elected mayor |
- Library creates the Palm Springs Virtual University (PSVU) offering college courses via the internet with video-teleconferencing from UCLA, CSU San Bernardino, Stanford and other universities. Dedicated December 3, 1998.
- PS Amtrak Station opens 1999
- Sonny Bono Concourse at Palm Springs International Airport
- City acquires Albert Frey designed Tramway Gas Station for new Visitors Center – December 7, 2002
- Citywide playground equipment replacement
- PS Boxing Club reopens with a $50,000 city funding grant
- PS Skate Park
- PS Dog Park is opened. "Desert Reflections", the Dog Park Fence, was funded as a Public Art program and designed by Artist Phill Evans
- Downtown parking structure
- Palm Springs Convention Center expansion
- Dinah Shore bridge
- Created the Council Cabinet
- Privatized tourism operations with SMG
- City privatized waste water treatment facility operation with US Filter/Vivendi
- Privatized PS Tennis Center operations with the Plaza Racquet Club
- Congressman Sonny Bono dies in skiing accident near Lake Tahoe
- Sonny Bono Memorial Fountain by sculpture Emmanuil Snitkovsky is dedicated, 2001
- Community-based parades created:
- Festival of Lights Parade Kleindienst is the parade founder.
- Veterans Day Parade and concert
- Homecoming Parade
|
| 19 |
Ron Oden |
 |
December 2003 – December 2007 |
First African-American and openly gay mayor |
- "Cirque Dreams" premiers in a temporary theater downtown – November 18, 2005
- Oden loses Democratic primary bid for State Assembly to Steve Clute – November 7, 2006
- "Cirque Dreams" shut down in its second season without repaying the city the $300,000 interest-free loan
- College of the Desert Board of Trustees voted unanimously to bring future West Valley Campus to Palm Springs – September 22, 2007
- Airport opens new Regional Air Terminal
|
| 20 |
Steve Pougnet |
 |
December 2007 – December 2015 |
Second openly gay mayor of Palm Springs |
- Pougnet lays out plans for The Hard Rock Hotel and the Mondrian Hotel
- Pougnet loses bid to unseat Rep. Mary Bono Mack on November 2, 2010 election
- Pougnet reveals "iHub" (innovation hub) to invest in new green businesses to locate in city
- Pougnet proposed renaming the "Pearl McManus Fountain" at Palm Springs International Airport after Mayor Frank Bogert.
- Pougnet proposes an initiative for a 1% sales tax (Measure J) to help city buy and develop downtown Fashion Plaza Mall – December 16, 2010
- Measure J passes with 58% approval – November 8, 2011
|
| 21 |
Robert Moon |
 |
December 2015 – December 2019 |
Last directly elected mayor of the City of Palm Springs |
- Council saves historic Tahquitz Plaza from demolition. Restored and repurposed complex renamed Kaptur Plaza in honor of its prominent Palm Springs mid-century architect Hugh Kaptur.
- Moon leads move of Walk of Stars program to Chamber of Commerce.
- College of the Desert announces new Palm Springs Campus on site of old Palm Springs Mall
- New Kimpton Rowan Hotel and retail development completed and opens on site of razed Fashion Plaza Mall
- Palm Springs residents vote to allow vacation rentals in the City of Palm Springs under strict new legal controls
- Moon and Councilmember JR Roberts organize "Rebirth of an Icon" project to begin fundraising for restoration of the historic 1936 Plaza Theatre in downtown Palm Springs
- In a 3-to-2 vote, council votes to change from direct elections of at-large mayor and four councilmembers to five districts, with the title of mayor rotating between councilmembers each year.
|
| 22 |
Geoff Kors |
 |
December 2019 - December 2020 |
Fourth openly gay mayor of Palm Springs |
|
| 23 |
Christy Holstege |
 |
December 2020– December 2021 |
First Female, Millennial & Bisexual mayor of Palm Springs |
|
| 24 |
Lisa Middleton |
 |
December 2021 – December 2022 |
First transgender mayor of Palm Springs |
|
| 25 |
Grace Elena Garner |
 |
December 2022 – December 2023 |
First Latina mayor of
Palm Springs |
|
| 26 |
Jeffrey Bernstein |
 |
December 2023 – December 2024 |
Fifth openly gay mayor of Palm Springs |
| 27 |
Ron deHarte |
 |
December 2024 – Present |
Sixth openly gay mayor of Palm Springs |
|
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