Hello, Wonder Valley!
I went to my second MAC (Morongo Basin Municipal Advisory Council) meeting last night and picked up my business cards - thanks, Gayl! What follows is my take on the meeting – UNOFFICIAL in every way, and I invite correction for anything I got wrong.
Call to order: 6:30 p.m. by Chair Mark Lundquist
Roll Call: 5 members present = quorum. Mark LUNDQUIST,
Joshua Tree; Lib KOENIG, Flamingo Heights; Pat FLANAGAN, Desert Heights; Teresa
SITZ, Wonder Valley; Mary Helen TUTTLE, Copper Mountain MesaAdoption of the Agenda and Approval of Minutes from April
13, 2015
Public Comment:
David FICK: spoke on Dollar General in Joshua Tree, that they have filed a
notice to prepare an EIR. The comment period is open from May 8 through June 9.
Asked that the MAC prepare a resolution to vote on for the June 8 meeting.
Issues attached to the Dollar General have to do with traffic, the Joshua Tree
Plan, and urban decay. If one is overturned they’ll all be overturned.
Donna LANDRY: Suspects that money is at the root of the
BLM’s WEMO Plan and suggested that we “follow the money.”
PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS
COUNTY FIRE
Mike SNOW, Batallion Chief of San Bernardino spoke. He was married on March 27
so has been away. He said that in April there were 242 responses: 6 fires, 105
medical aid, 22 calls of service (cats in trees type of stuff), 39 good intent
investigations (like smoke scares), 4 false alarms and 1 miscellaneous
(undetermined). He said we are in the
vegetative fire season and suggested we maintain a 30’ vegetative clearance
around our properties in the flats, more on the hillsides.
CHP
Joan GRIFFIN said that tomorrow is the first day of the nationwide “Click it or
ticket” campaign regarding seatbelt compliance. A first ticket for not wearing
a seatbelt is $142 for an adult and $445 for a child. The Age Well drivers
course is taking place. Seniors 55 and over can sign up for the free course.
There is no driving test. Some insurance companies may offer a reduction in
rates for those who take the course.
SB SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
Captain Dale MONDARY is being hired by Desert Hot Springs. His last day here is
June 12. He will be at the next MAC meeting. No word yet on who is taking his
place.
Almut FLECK asked about the arrest of Pastor Stephen Burns who was recently
charged with terrorist threat.
MONDARY could not comment on the ongoing investigation.
Teresa SITZ (I) asked about the charge of “terrorist threat,” that I associated
the term “terrorist” with terrorism and wondered how the term became associated
with “threat” which is a crime as it is.
MONDARY said it originated with the legislature and that it had been
problematic. Minorities had been beaten in jail when others incarcerated
learned they’d been charged with “terroristic threat.” He believes it may have
since been changed to “criminal threat” and will look into making sure they are
using the correct term.
ACTION ITEM – Approved unanimously.
MAC Resolution 013, May 11, 2015https://www.dropbox.com/s/pz6sg7nbyjb3zjj/mac013_resolution.pdf?dl=0
COMMUNITY, OFFICER and COMMITTEE REPORTS
Teresa SITZ, Wonder Valley
The Wonder Valley Well Owners Association met on Sunday, May 3 with 28 people
in attendance. Clarence Chambers, president, spoke on the state of wells in our
area, water levels remaining unchanged. He advised people to secure a small
generator, pump and tank so they would have access to their water in the event
of an electrical outage.
The neighbors then moved to the topic of community safety. I
was able to speak on efforts to arrange a meeting with the San Bernardino
Sheriff’s Department who have agreed to come address various issues including
dumping, crime, Citizens on Patrol and setting up a Neighborhood Watch.
Kip’s Hi-Desert Book Club met Monday, May 4th at
my house and many of our Wonder Valley neighbors attended.
We had a Meet and Greet this morning at the Community Center
with 7 people attending. Many issues were discussed.
The Neighbors of Wonder Valley
will meet on Saturday, May 23, at 11:00 a.m. for a presentation on the WEMO
Plan given by Pat Flanagan. Everyone is invited and welcome to attend. I am
distressed to see a new ORV route adjacent to my own property, fronting 10
acres of pristine BLM desert with intact desert pavement. The BLM is unwilling
to answer questions regarding this route. I urge everyone to write and send
their letters before June 4th.
Issues of crime, dumping, access to social services, road
safety and access to representatives top the list of community concerns.
My own goal is to raise the profile of Wonder Valley. I am
blessed to have met many of my neighbors and find them to be some of the finest
people I have met anywhere. We have world-class musicians, artists, academics,
engineers, and fine retired folks living in our area. They embody the pioneer
spirit of independence and interdependence, resilience and creativity that
formed this area into a community so many decades ago. I count myself very
fortunate to live in Wonder Valley.
I’m also happy to see that WV attendance at this meeting has
doubled – thank you almut and donna for attending.
Thank you.
ADJOURN 7:30 p.m.
From Heather: "This is Isaac. He helps out stray motorcyclists on their way south (or north). Last November, two British guys riding from Alaska to Tierro del Fuego camped in his garage. One of them, 4 nights after waking up one morning covered in mosquito bites, came down with Dengue Fever. Isaac spent two weeks nursing him back to health, and in the end the pair reached their destination. I am honored to be the fourth rider to camp in Isaac's garage."
