MAC* NOTES for Wonder Valley, June 8, 2015
- Call to order
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Roll Call:Pioneer Town – Vacant; Yucca Mesa – Elizabeth KARMAN – absent; Landers – Vacant; Joshua Tree – Mark LUNDQUIST – present; Flamingo Heights – Lib KOENIG – present; Desert Heights – Pat FLANAGAN – present; Wonder Valley – Teresa SITZ – present; Morongo Valley – Gayl SWARAT – present; Copper Mountain Mesa – Mary Helen TUTTLE – present.
- Adoption of the Agenda – unanimous
- Approval of the Minutes from May 11, 2015 – unanimous
- Call for Public Comment
A. Ed Vallerand – status of the Desert Heights Fire Department
B. Al Marchese – agreement between Joshua Basin Water District and Hi-Desert Medical Center
C. Thomas Fjallstam– burglaries and ADA lawsuits against small businesses
D. Tom O’Key – bobcats and public comment at the Board of Supervisors on WEMO
E. David Ficke – Noah Purifoy at LACMA
F. Almut Fleck – Diane Feinstein’s desert preservation bill and OHVs
G. Teresa Sitz – no dumping signs - Public Safety Reports
A. County Fire – John Chamberlain, Division Chief, South Desert
It’s fire season – open fires are illegal. Call 911 if you see an open fire and a truck will be dispatched. Permits are required for fire pits. Barbecues, like in Webers, are permitted.
B. CHP – Joan Griffin
Be prepared with summer driving. Carry water and extra supplies. You don’t want to break down east of Twentynine Palms. (Yep! She actually said that!) She said to call Code Enforcement for dumping, that they have been tracking people down and citing them.
C. Sheriff’s Department – Captain Mondary. There were 10 burglaries in April and 6 auto thefts. He suggested talking the following steps to reduce burglaries:
- Keep your doors and windows locked.
- Leave your lights on at night or use motion detectors.
- Know your neighbors. Watch out for each other.
- Start a Neighborhood Watch.
- Keep detailed notes on anything suspicious – day, time, descriptions,etc.
- Invest in an alarm.
- Invest in a security system. - Presentation – Drought 101, Marina West, General Manager of the Bighorn Desert View Water Agency, http://www.bdvwa.org/about-us/agency-staff/
The presentation focused on state mandated water cutbacks for residents and how desert communities and disadvantaged communities, who have already drastically cut back, may be unable to cut back further. A one-size-fits-all approach to water conversation may not yield the biggest water savings. - Community, Officer and Committee Reports
My Wonder Valley Report is posted at:
http://wondervalleycsa.blogspot.com/2015/06/mac-report-for-wonder-valley-monday.html - Adjournment.
* The MAC is the Morongo Basin Municipal Advisory Council. Nine delegates represent nine unincorporated communities including Copper Mountain Mesa, Desert Heights, Flamingo Heights, Joshua Tree, Landers, Morongo Valley, Pioneertown, Wonder Valley, and Yucca Mesa. The council advises San Berndardino Supervisor James Ramos, 3rd District.
