Protest Form now online

The protest form for the Expansion of FP 5 can be accessed at the link below:

https://sbcfire.org/Portals/58/Documents/FP-5/ServiceZoneFP-5Expansion_ProtestForm.pdf?utm_source=SBCFireWebsite&utm_medium=Button&utm_campaign=FP5

COUNTY FIRE MEETING

Folks, before I say anything else I'm going to ask you to 

SHARE this information with EVERYONE you know 

in the unincorporated areas of the Morongo Basin.

Get on the phone, text, the Googles, Facebook..., share like you've never shared before.

Everyone is invited and welcome to attend and participate in a community meeting called by

FIRE CHIEF MARK HARTWIG from 

COUNTY FIRE

(and other public officials)

Who will present on the proposed expansion of Fire Protection District 5, 

which would include a tax of $157.26 per parcel.

4:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Wonder Valley Community Center

80526-½ Amboy Road (next to the palm tree cell tower)

Wonder Valley CA 92277

For more information, call Teresa Sitz at (760) 367-9889, or

write to teresa.sitz@gmail.com.

County Fire just notified us today, Thursday, August 2, 

so there is not enough time to get the meeting notice into the local paper. 

Therefore it is important that you share this event with everyone you know.

Call someone and tell them about this meeting.

Wonder Valley Community Meeting - July 2018

Everyone is invited and welcome to attend and participate in a

Wonder Valley Community Meeting
11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Wonder Valley Community Center
80526-1/2 Amboy Road, Wonder Valley CA 92277

The agenda is linked below and will be posted online and at the WVCC by July 10, 2018.
https://tinyurl.com/wv07182018

We will be addressing the proposed expansion of FP 5 (Fire Protection District). If you'd like to come prepared, please read:
Fire deficits possible resolution at
http://www.wondervalley.org/2018/06/fire-deficits-possible-resolution.html.
County Fire will not be present to review the plan, but will be sometime in the future.

We'll also be talking about positive changes in the Salvation Army Food Distribution, and their help with EAF applications (Energy Assistance Funds).

I encourage everyone to attend.

Exemptions for FP-5 proposal

On proposed County Fire parcel tax, there are exemptions

Exemptions from the proposed expansion of FP-5 (fire protection district 5) are for those areas covered by a CSD - Community Service District. (We are a CSA - Community Service Area). These include Yermo, Newberry Springs, Baker and Daggett community services districts, and the city of Hesperia. Other areas are exempt, too. For a full list, refer to the article. Wonder Valley is not exempt.

Mark Lundquist, field aide for Third District Supervisor James Ramos, assured me there will be a presentation for Wonder Valley, and we'll be notified when the presentation schedule is released.

Consultants are crafting a special tax which would be an alternative to the proposed FP-5 expansion. A 3-month analysis is underway.

Fire deficits possible resolution

To rectify County Fire budget, supervisors eye parcel tax in unincorporated communities
By Shea Johnson, Staff Writer
Posted Jun 18, 2018 at 5:18 PM
VV News (Victor Valley)

County Fire and the Supervisors have been busy, and quite tight-lipped, about this possible solution to deficits.

"County Supervisors voted 3-2 last week to initiate proceedings to expand the boundaries of the FP-5 Service Zone, with notices set to be delivered to affected parties in August, the same month the first of two public hearings will occur."

Read: 
Resolution #2018
Board Copy of Fire Budget
From the Agenda of the June 12, 2018 Board of Supervisors Meeting

"Inclusion in the service zone means a $157.26 yearly parcel tax for property owners, which can rise up to 3 percent annually."

Other fire protection districts, like FP-4 in Wonder Valley, would be dissolved along with their assessments. There is no guarantee that County Fire would return to Wonder Valley.

"For those who already pay a parcel tax, the expansion won’t act as an additional cost, but as a replacement, according to County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez."

In the meantime we should research both County and State property tax deferments for seniors who will not be able to pay the additional tax.

CA Property Tax Postponement
SBC Tax Collector -- Frequently Asked Questions

Special Community Meeting with County Fire

Everyone is invited and welcome to attend and participate in the Special Community Meeting, from 10 a.m. to noon, on Wednesday, May 2, at the Wonder Valley Community Center, 80526-½ Amboy Road, in Wonder Valley.

The meeting will be an update on “plans for Wonder Valley Fire,” according to Mark Lundquist.

The meeting was arranged in response to a request by Municipal Advisory Council delegate Teresa Sitz. Mark Lundquist, the Field Representative for 3rd District Supervisor James Ramos; Molly Wiltshire, Chief Of Staff for Supervisor James Ramos; and John Chamberlin, Deputy Fire Chief Fire Administration, San Bernardino County Fire, will present.

If you've been wondering when our firefighters will return to Wonder Valley, this is your chance to ask questions and get answers.

AGENDA: posted Sunday, April 29, 2018, 12:43
https://tinyurl.com/05022018-meeting
NOTES: posted Wednesday, May 2, 2018, 5 p.m.
https://tinyurl.com/05022018-notes

NOTE: If you'd like to get yourself up to date on the recent past history of Fire and Emergency Services in Wonder Valley, please click on the FIRE tab in the main menu. At least leaf through Chamberlin's October 15 Power Point Presentation.

Wonder Valley Community Meeting, May 6, 2017

Everyone is invited and welcome to attend and participate in the

Wonder Valley Community Meeting

Saturday, May 6, 2017, from Noon - 2 p.m.

Wonder Valley Community Center

80526-1/2 Amboy Road, Wonder Valley, CA 92277

On the agenda:
- Assistant Fire Chief Tom Marshall will present on a recent structure fire and the status of our Fire Department
- MAC Delegate Teresa Sitz will report on a recent meeting with Land Use Services regarding illegal landfills in Wonder Valley
- A discussion on the differences between a Community Service Area (CSA) and a Community Service District (CSD)
- A discussion on creating committees, such as Recycling, Illegal Dumping, Fire, Historical Landmark

AGENDA (posted 04302017, 7:08 a.m.)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/z09lvnp4a4v5whn/05062017_wv_meeting.pdf?dl=0
NOTES (posted 05112017, 5:36 p.m.)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i2ekf6hl3e2ttd0/05062017_wv_meeting_notes.pdf?dl=0

Coffee and refreshments will be available.

The Permaculture Presentation with Tim DeLorey starts at 3:00 p.m. for those of you who would like to stay for that.

For more information, visit WonderValley.org.

Wonder Valley Community Meeting April 8, 2017

Everyone is invited and welcome to attend and participate in the

Wonder Valley Community Meeting
Saturday, April 8, 2017
10:00 a.m. - Noon

At the
Wonder Valley Community Center
80526½ Amboy Road
Wonder Valley, CA 90026

Issues that will be addresses at this meeting are the WV Fire Department (agendized by Copeland/Quamme) and a possible bottle and can recycling program (agendized by Peek).

The community edits and approves the MAC report, and decides which items should be placed on the next agenda.

AGENDA
(posted April 5, 2017, 8:30 a.m.)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/go0zmqj7c1muea3/04082017_wv_meeting.pdf?dl=0

DRAFT AGENDA
(posted March 23, 2017, 10:20 a.m.)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2322mp0ps3ley3n/04082017_wv_meeting_DRAFT.pdf?dl=0

MEETING NOTES(posted April 23, 2017, 3:00 p.m.)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ql5cuwfjdd86ren/04082017_wv_meeting_notes.pdf?dl=0

There will be Cuban pastries and French Roast coffee.

If you have any questions about the event, please contact Teresa Sitz at teresa.sitz@gmail.com.

Water Tender is gone

"A" water tender, not "our" water tender

For the first time in 50 years Wonder Valley is without a water tender. The old one that we had was on its last legs with more than a million miles on its odometer. It was a behemoth and with a gear box that made it nearly impossible to drive, but it was OUR water tender.

We learned that we lost the water tender at last Saturday's Community Meeting. I talked with Assistant Chief, South Desert, Tom Marshall at last night's MAC meeting and he said they are replacing the water tender with a newer, better one that will be housed at the Twentynine Palms Fire Station. The water tender should be able to get to a fire in Wonder Valley within 10 minutes. Assistant Chief Marshall affirmed that he was doing the best thing for the Community of Wonder Valley.

It is important to consider that we have a 2-person fire station with one captain and one firefighter/paramedic at any one time. These two take the brush patrol truck to any event - fire or medical. It takes two people to operate the brush patrol at a fire. We do not have the manpower at Station 45 to respond with a brush patrol and a water tender. We have depended on Twentynine Palms and the Base to back us up with a water tender.

Residents at the meeting were very upset to hear that we no longer had a water tender. James Copeland, a former assistant fire chief of the Wonder Valley Volunteer Fire Department, described the water tender as our portable fire hydrant, and said that without it we are basically without fire coverage.

If you get a bill for paramedic service from County Fire

A Wonder Valley resident recently wrote that they called 911 for ambulance service. The ambulance was accompanied by County Fire. The resident later received a bill from County Fire for service and the resident's insurance company refused to pay it.

I brought the issue up at the MAC meeting in Joshua Tree last night. Assistant Chief, South Desert, Tom Marshall told me that the resident should call him about the bill at his office: (760) 228-6380.

This bill is most likely a "paramedic stabilization" bill intended solely for the resident's insurance company. Bills for paramedic stabilization are not meant to be sent to customers and we were told that County Fire will not attempt to collect payment from individuals.

Please bear this in mind and call County Fire if you get a bill for service.

Notes and action items from the April 23, 2016 meeting with LAFCO and County Fire

Everyone commented that they took a lot away from this final informational meeting on the Fire Issue. County Fire has recommended that the Board of Supervisors continue to subsidize Fire Station 45 in Wonder Valley for the fiscal year of 2016/17. We'll know more in May when they've voted.

In the meantime we'll be working on the following items listed below agreed to by the Volunteer Fire Committee. We'll begin having meetings after the Board of Supervisors votes to decide what we want to do as a community.

If you weren't able to attend all or any of the meetings, the agendas and notes, and the supplementary materials are all listed under the [Fire] tab. I suggest watching the first video and then work your way through the rest of the materials.

If you feel that you aren't getting the meeting notices, please sign up bit.ly/nextdoorwv, or call Teresa Sitz at 760-865-9550 to be added to a phone tree.

Thanks,

Teresa Sitz
MAC Volunteer

Download the notes from the April 23, 2016 meeting:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bg2a3pa960dxcys/04232016_wv_notes.pdf?dl=0

ACTION ITEMS
These actions came out of the Fire Committee meeting that met directly after the LAFCO Meeting, on April 23, 2016, about 12:15 p.m.

Present:
Division Chief John Chamberlin; Teresa Sitz, MAC Delegate; Karen Meyers; James Copeland; and James Brakebill

TERESA SITZ, MUNCIPCAL COUNTY ADVISORY COUNCIL VOLUNTEER

• Contact Mark Lundquist to find out how community mandates are determined for possible ballot measures or requests for actions.

DIVISION CHIEF JOHN CHAMBERLIN, COUNTY FIRE

• Take Darlene Parris’ suggestion for an incremental increase of $50 a year over 7 years back to County Fire for consideration.
• Provide the community of Wonder Valley with requirements for Paid Call Firefighters, including disqualifying criminal charges.
• Investigate forming a JPA - joint powers authority that would transfer the Water Tender to the Parks or Roads department. Will need to coordinate with Special Districts.
• Order a porta-tank so the water tender can draw from tanks and pools.

Posted April 25, 2016

Lessons from Morongo Valley

Morongo Valley is facing increases in their fire assessments quite similar to our. Wonder Valley can learn from their research, experiences, and choices.  Donald Krouse of Morongo Valley wrote the Guest Soapbox below for the Desert Trail.

Morongo Valley has its own Paid Call Fire Department and the tax increase would fund a shortfall in their budget. Currently they have four people on staff at all times. County Fire's proposal would reduce them to a 2- or 3- person firehouse for a much higher increase.

Costs of rejecting tax proposal will be too high, January 7, 2016
Your View: Guest Soapbox, By Donald Krouse, Morongo Valley

Some additional information and persuasion may be useful for Morongo Valley voters about “Morongo Valley to vote on $350 fire tax” (Dec. 17).

The net increase for the fire tax, after eliminating the existing fire assessment, will be approximately $200 for improved properties (55 cents more per day). The increase for unimproved properties is a big jump (93 cents per day) if now paying $10 per year.

Unimproved parcel owners may not like it today, but if people purchase parcels while calculating a future profit, they generally weigh costs and benefits. Future values are easily threatened by lack of fire and paramedic services. Smart buyers negotiate for lower prices when unprotected risks exist. A “high fire risk” area surrounds Morongo Valley.

If you someday want to sell your home, you will see downward pricing pressures if potential buyers cannot get mortgages because insurance companies decline to insure the high risk. That is called an undesirable market.

Five miles from a locally staffed fire station is a first consideration in fire insurance risk assessment. Without local fire services, existing homeowners’ insurance premiums increase by amounts that dwarf the cost of the fire tax.

After East Contra Costa voters lost their fire protection district, fire risk ratings shot up. Before voting “no,” East Contra Costa citizens passionately accused their local board of lying, fear mongering and over-generous spending even after the board documented the facts.
Local property owners now report annual insurance increases of $3,500 to $5,000 over their old premiums. Outsiders might honestly wonder about the intelligence of East Contra Costa voters casting penny-pinching rather than dollar-wise votes.

San Bernardino County Fire could annex Morongo Valley into its fire district, but that comes with even greater cost. They gave us two written proposals. They make no distinction between improved and unimproved land. The proposed parcel cost is 181 percent higher ($635 for the minimal staffing proposal), or 242 percent higher ($853) than the Morongo Valley CSD board’s recommendation to maintain current services. Future tax increases would be determined at the county level, not by Morongo Valley voters.

All fire departments have seen costs escalate since Morongo Valley approved the (to-be eliminated) assessment in 2002. Morongo Valley cost increases are not primarily due to wages, as some mistakenly claim. Ours are among the lowest paid firefighters in California, so why would anyone credibly argue for cutting firefighter staffing or salaries when they put their lives at risk for us, just to save less than $1 per day?

Wonder Valley Community Meeting with LAFCO

You are invited and welcome to attend and participate in a Wonder Valley Community meeting with LAFCO, San Bernardino County's Local Agency Formation Commission from 10 a.m. until Noon on Saturday, April 23, 2016.

County Fire gave us four options to address our tax/assessment shortfall for our fire services. The fourth option, and the only one we have not yet addressed as a community, is the dissolution of FP 4 - our fire protection district 4 along with its $34.10 assessment.

LAFCO will be present to discuss the process for dissolving FP4, and the consequences - good and bad. They will also be able to answer any questions regarding forming a CSD, or city, or any other agency formation questions you may have.

Division Chief John Chamberlin, County Fire Division 5 South Desert, will also be present to discuss the issue and answer questions.

AGENDAhttp://bit.ly/firetaxppt

SPECIAL MEETING
April 23, 2106, 10:00 a.m.
Wonder Valley Community Center
80526½ Amboy Road, Wonder Valley, CA 92277
Wonder Valley MAC Volunteer and Meeting Chair: Teresa Sitz
Everyone is invited and welcome to attend and participate.

A G E N D A
http://bit.ly/fp4meeting

1. Call to order and Flag Salute

2. Community comment on items not on the agenda
The community is also invited to comment after the reports and during the discussions below.

3. Presentation on the Possible Dissolution of FP-4
- Kathleen Rollings-McDonald, Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO)
- Division Chief John Chamberlin, County Fire, Division 5, South Desert

BACKGROUND:
On May 20th, 2005 the residents of the community of Wonder Valley voted on a 72% margin in favor of establishing a fire tax. This tax started at $30 annually and had an inflationary value of 2.5% attached. The Board of Supervisors declared the official results of the mailed ballot (Item #15) on June 7th, 2005 for Improvement Zone M, with a 1.5% inflationary measure. This tax was built on the premise of both Limited Term Firefighters and Paid Call Firefighters.

FP-4 started at a rate of $30 for the 2005-06 tax year. Through the 1.5% accepted increase from the Board of Supervisors, it has gone up an average of .471 cents each year per parcel. The current rate is $33.80 per parcel for 2015-16. SFP-4 is made up of 4,636 total parcels. Year to Date collections 2014-15 are $151,218.81.

SOURCE: San Bernardino County Fire Department FP-4 Wonder Valley Presentation, Division Chief John Chamberlin, http://bit.ly/firetaxppt

5. Announcements

6. Adjournment

View County Fire's presentation, with the 4 options, here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/75d0e0g4n3hkio9/Wonder%20Valley%20Presentation.pptx?dl=0

Monthly Monday General Meeting

Monthly Monday General Meetinghttps://www.facebook.com/events/1664536677096825/

Monday, January 25, 2016, 9 AM - 11 AM
Wonder Valley Community Center
80526 1/2 Amboy Road, Wonder Valley, CA 92277

This will be a general meeting and an opportunity for the community to address issues of concern.

AGENDA:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zyku2wtp55htgrb/01252016_monday_meeting.pdf?dl=0

Please let your neighbors know about these meetings.

HOSTED BY:
Teresa Sitz
MAC Delegate
Wonder Valley, CA
CONTACT: teresa.sitz@gmail.com

2nd Fire Tax Meeting Notes Transcribed

Download the December 12 meeting notes from the Second Fire Tax Meeting here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/etmoxme3tgn0goc/12122015_special_meeting_notes.pdf?dl=0

Download the Power Point presentation here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/75d0e0g4n3hkio9/Wonder%20Valley%20Presentation.pptx?dl=0

Tom Marshall presents to the Wonder Valley Community

Questions asked of County Fire and Special Districts

To properly evaluate the four options presented to us by County Fire we will need to know the answers to the following questions. A group of Wonder Valley Community members got together to formulate these and presented them to Division Chief John Chamberlin of County Fire, and Special Districts.

Many of these questions were sent to us from members of the Wonder Valley Community.

County Fire's PowerPoint Presentation with the 4 options - slides 21-23
bit.ly/firetaxppt

Wonder Valley
Citizen’s Fire Services Committee
Questions Submitted to County Fire

ISO Ratings

1. What is the ISO rating for Wonder Valley under the current fire service provided by San Bernardino County Fire?
2. What would be the ISO rating for Wonder Valley with the proposed 2 fire personnel staffing at a cost of $1,607,058.00 or $347.00 per parcel per year?
3. What would be the ISO rating for Wonder Valley with the proposed 3 fire personnel staffing at a cost of $2,265,881.00 or $489.00 per parcel per year?

Call Volume

1. What is the average call volume per year based on the last five years for the Wonder Valley Fire Station?  Please itemize the average call volume for the following within Wonder Valley:
   a. How many calls were for emergency medical services (EMS)?
   i. How many calls required advance life support services?
   ii. How many calls were actual calls that resulted in basic life support services (BLS)?
   iii. How many calls for emergency medical services were either canceled or required no medical aid from arriving fire and EMS personnel?
   iv. How many of these calls were outside the Wonder Valley area?
   v. How many patients who called for EMS died in the prehospital setting because a BLS engine arrived first on scene and began BLS services while ALS units were responding from 29 Palms?
   b. How many calls were for fire suppression services?
   i. How many of these calls required automatic and/or mutual aid from other fire agencies?
   ii. How many of these calls were either canceled in route or required no fire suppression services once fire personnel arrived on-scene?
   iii. How many of these calls were outside the Wonder Valley area?
   c. How many calls were for technical rescues?
   i. How many of these calls required automatic and/or mutual aid from other fire agencies?
   ii. How many of these calls were for auto extrication?
   iii. How many of these calls were for swift water rescue?
   iv. How many of these calls were for mine shaft or confined space rescues?
   v. How many of these calls were either canceled in route or required no fire suppression services once fire personnel arrived on-scene?
   vi. How many of these calls were outside the Wonder Valley area?
   d. How many of these calls were for hazardous materials events?
   i. How many of these calls required automatic and/or mutual aid from other fire agencies?
   ii. How many of these calls required a hazardous materials response at the technician level or higher?
   iii. How many of these calls were either canceled in route or required no fire suppression services once fire personnel arrived on-scene?
   iv. How many of these calls were outside the Wonder Valley area?
   e. How many of these calls involved an off-road vehicle accident?
   i. How many of these calls required automatic and/or mutual aid from other fire agencies?
   ii. How many of these calls were either canceled in route or required no fire suppression services once fire personnel arrived on-scene?
   iii. How many of these calls were outside the Wonder Valley area?
   iv. How many of these calls required either BLS or ALS services?

Staffing

1. What are the minimum requirements for our local citizens to become paid-call firefighters
2. Where would the paid-call firefighters receive their initial training and their in-service training to qualify and remain proficient with the skill set required of a paid-call firefighter?
3. How does the compensation work for paid-call firefighters?
4. Will all paid-call firefighters receive the training and be qualified to drive and operate all fire apparatus assigned to station 45?
5. Who will provide the management of station 45 if it becomes a paid-call fire station?
6. Can County Fire provide the citizens of Wonder Valley with a staffing organizational chart for a paid-call fire station?
7. Can the paid-call firefighters assigned to station 45 be trained to the Emergency Medical Responder Level since MBA Ambulance currently provides both Advance Life Support Services and transport?
8. What alternative staffing plans does the county propose for fire protection since full-time staffing levels are cost prohibitive? 
9. Does the county honestly feel the call volume from station 45 justifies full time fire personnel assigned to Wonder valley?

Fire Apparatus and Equipment

1. What equipment and fire apparatus is currently assigned to station 45?
2. How many fire personnel assigned to station 45 under the current fire service plan are qualified to drive and operate all of the fire apparatus assigned to Wonder Valley?
3. If station 45 becomes a paid-call fire station will the county provide the Wonder Valley Station with modern fire apparatus that meets current NFPA and OSHA standards?
4. Who currently owns the fire apparatus assigned to station 45?
5. Can we get a complete inventory of all equipment and fire apparatus assigned to station 45?

Budget

1. Will the county provide a line item breakdown for the current operating expenses for station 45?
2. Will the county provide a proposed budget to include income and expenses for station 45 to be operated as a paid-call fire station?
3. What kind of accountability can the citizens of Wonder Valley expect in the future, in terms of an annual budget, financial statements, and a quarterly meeting with all stakeholders to ensure the taxes collected for fire services remains on the books for Wonder Valley?
4. Can the county operate a paid-call fire station without raising the current tax rate for fire services in Wonder Valley?

Taxes

1. Is the proposed tax increase for full time fire personnel as outlined in your presentation in addition to the current $34.00 tax and the ad valorem tax?
2. How will this tax increase in future years; through cost of living increases, through inflation, or any other type of formula used to justify tax increases?
3. How did a 1000% tax increase sneak up on the citizens of Wonder Valley?  Who is being held accountable for these increases that seem like an unjust tax rate for the Wonder Valley Area compared to other areas within San Bernardino County?
4. Is the county imposing this tax on other areas?  Can the county prove that the taxes are being applied equitably?
5. Can the county provide the citizens of Wonder Valley a chart or graph of the amounts of ad valorem tax allocated to County Fire from Wonder Valley since July 2008?
6. Why did Wonder Valley have to become a separate fire protection zone? Why does any area have to become a fire protection zone?
7. There is a perception that County Fire is only interested in being the sole provider for fire and emergency medical services for the entire county.  It appears the only organizations that will benefit from this will be the county, County Fire, and the fire union.  Who is looking out for the best interest of Wonder Valley?
8. What will happen to the citizen that can’t afford to pay the proposed tax increase?  Will the county place a tax lien on the property and sell it out from underneath the property owners of Wonder Valley?
9. Are the citizens of Wonder Valley being taxed for fire services outside the Wonder Valley area, for example, when station 45 is dispatched to a call in Amboy, or I-40, or Essex?  If not, then who is providing the funding for responses outside the Wonder Valley area?

Special Districts/LAFCO (Local Agency Formation Commission)/County

1. Could the county transfer the tax dollars collected from Wonder Valley to a private company to provide fire and emergency services to the Wonder Valley area?
2. What are the Wonder Valley boundaries defined by the fire protection zone 4?
3. If the fire protection zone 4 is dissolved, then what defines the boundaries of Wonder Valley?
4. If station 45 becomes a paid-call fire station, how large of a response area will station 45 be responsible to provide coverage for?

Fire & Emergency Medical Services Response

1. There are too many instances when the fire personnel assigned to station 45 have been observed driving the fire apparatus outside of the Wonder Valley area such as within the City of Twentynine Palms and on Hwy. 62 traveling W/B towards Yucca Valley.  Who is covering the fire and emergency response needs for Wonder Valley while the fire apparatus is allowed to leave their primary response area?  This has become a daily occurrence.  Why does County Fire allow this to occur on a daily basis when the Wonder Valley citizens are being taxed for fire and emergency response services 24/7?
2. Under the current service /staffing plan what is the typical response to a single family dwelling structure fire in the Wonder Valley Area?
3. Under the current service /staffing plan what is the typical response to a vehicle accident that requires extrication in the Wonder Valley Area?
4. How would the various responses for fire and emergency services differ from the current level of service as compared to station 45 becoming a paid-call fire station?
5. Which agencies currently provide automatic and mutual aid for fire and emergency services to the Wonder Valley area?
6. What is the current response area for station 45?
7. Many times station 45 fire personnel have been called out of Wonder Valley to provide mutual aid to the City of Twentynine Palms and surrounding county areas which left Wonder Valley with no fire and emergency medical services coverage.  What are the current plans to back fill station 45 when fire personnel and apparatus are out of their assigned response area?
8. Most vehicle fires and auto accidents are caused by travelers who do not live in the Wonder Valley area but require emergency responses from station 45 which is funded by the citizens of Wonder Valley.  Does County Fire have a cost recovery program to off-set the cost of providing services to travelers/tourist who live outside the Wonder Valley area?  If there is no cost recovery program, then can we initiate such a program to help pay for fire and emergency response services.

Special Districts
The questions above under Special Districts/LAFCO were taken from these.

1. Who owns the Wonder Valley fire station property?
2. Who owns the Wonder Valley fire station building & living quarters?
3. Who owns the Wonder Valley community center property & building?
4. Who owns our fire equipment?
5. If our fire station is closed, could another entity use or lease the building?
6. Could we transfer our tax dollars to a private or non-profit entity to provide us with fire or emergency services?
7. Who owns the other fire station in Wonder Valley? Can the community, or another entity, use or lease the building?
8. If the proposed fire tax is approved, what will happen to a person who cannot afford the tax? Will the county take their home and land?
9. Are the boundaries of Wonder Valley defined by FP 4? Whether or not the proposed tax is approved, will FP 4 remain, or be dissolved? If FP 4 is dissolved, what will define the boundaries of Wonder Valley?
10. If FP 4 is dissolved, will the FP 4 assessment be discontinued? If FP 4 is not dissolved, do we still have a right to the agreed upon service? What will the FP 4 assessment provide us?
11. May we have a complete inventory of all of the equipment in the WV fire station? What will happen to this equipment if the proposal is approved, and if the proposal is not approved?
12. Does Wonder Valley have the right to form its own fire / emergency service? If so, what is the procedure to do so? If not, why not?

MAC Meeting - April 13, 2015

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.

Review the meeting for yourself, on YouTube on Bob Stepheson's channel.

IN ATTENDANCE WERE: Pat FLANAGAN (Desert Heights), Mary Helen TUTTLE (Copper Mountain Mesa), Mark LUNDQUIST (Joshua Tree), Lib KOENIG (Flamingo Heights), Gayl SWARAT (Morongo Valley) and Teresa SITZ (Wonder Valley).

ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR
Mark Lundquist was elected Chair and Pat Flanagan was elected Vice Chair.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Tom O'KEY traveled to Santa Rosa, CA this month to advocate for the bobcats - AB 1213. There will be a discussion meeting on June 9 and a decision meeting in Fortuna in August. A group of 4th graders attended to testify for the bobcats.

Watch: 

David FICKS of Joshua Tree reported on the Dollar General campaign which he said was officially in limbo. He offered applause to the Sheriff’s department on their recent notoriety.

PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS

County Fire. The new battalion chief Rick Dennison introduced himself. He serves the south desert which includes Joshua Tree. Chief Chamberlain was unable to attend.

California Highway Patrol (CHP). Officer Joan Griffin reported on Distracted Driver Month including following too closely and texting.

Sheriff’s Department. Captain Mondary reported on “social engineering” where a con man psychologically engages someone, by computer or phone, to takes their identity. He told everyone to never give private information like your birthday or social security number over the phone.

PRESENTATIONS
Officer Joan Griffin presented on START SMART free teen driving  class for parents and teens (14-19) once every month at the CHP Office on Highway 29 in Joshua Tree. The next class is Wednesday, April 29 at 6:00 p.m. RSVP to 760-366-3707. The teen does not need to be licensed yet. They will show the movie Red Asphalt, version 5. There is also a class for elder drivers called Age Well.

Steve Martinez from the California Department of Public Works spoke on the ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM, a statewide opportunity to obtain infrastructure funds to encourage biking and walking. His proposal was to extend a class 1 bike path to the new elementary school on Sunburst. They are asking for $1.2 million. The DPW is doing a traffic count and then a survey in the community.

Gary, in the audience, spoke on the dangers for pedestrians and bicyclists on Sunburst, Alta Loma and Park Boulevard.

Pat Flanagan, MAC, Desert Heights spoke on the WEMO (West Mojave) Route Network Project and the BLMs preferred strategy to double the number of roads available to off-roaders. There will be a meeting tomorrow night with the BLM in Yucca Valley.

Wednesday, April 15, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Yucca Valley Community Center Complex – Yucca Room
57090 29Palms Hwy, Yucca Valley

Everyone is invited to attend and to comment.

Ms Flanagan’s presentation can be viewed at ORV Watch.
http://www.orvwatch.com/

The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.