Dawn Rowe appointed as new Supervisor

On December 18, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors appointed Yucca Valley resident Dawn Rowe to be the new Third District Supervisor. She follows former Supervisor James Ramos who won a California Assembly seat in the November 2018 election. Rowe will leave her current position as a field representative for Congressman Paul Cook.

The selection process was delayed due to accusations of a Brown Act violation. The process of narrowing the 43 candidates was occulted from the public and took place through serial meetings, a violation of California State law.

Rowe has hired Mark Lundquist as a field aide. Lundquist was a former field aid to James Ramos and the Chair of the Ramos's Municipal Advisory Committee, or MAC. It is not known if Rowe will consitute a new MAC, but it is hoped by many that she will.

Third District voters will be able to elect a Supervisor in two years.

Constituent services are available at (909) 387-4855 or by email at BOSD3@SBCounty.gov.

Yucca Valley's Dawn Rowe named San Bernardino County supervisor
http://www.hidesertstar.com/news/article_879c7bee-04b9-11e9-9e01-6fac1c3ad7ba.html

Wonder Valley on the BOS Agenda

These are regular annual updates already agreed upon by the voters.

SEPARATED ENTITIES
Board Governed County Service Areas
62) Acting as the governing body of the Board Governed County Service Areas:
1. Adopt the following Resolutions continuing special taxes, which were previously approved by the voters, for 2017-18 and direct the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to place the special
taxes on the 2017-18 tax roll:
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c. Resolution setting a special tax for County Service Area 70, Zone TV-4 (Wonder Valley Television), at $5 per parcel, per Attachment C (no increase from previous year).
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q. Resolution setting a special tax for Zone A of County Service Area 70, Zone M (Wonder Valley), at $30.75 per parcel, per Attachment Q (includes the electorate-approved 2.5% inflationary increase).

2. Direct the Clerk of the Board to publish a copy of each of these Resolutions once in a newspaper of general circulation within the district.
(Presenter: Jeffrey O. Rigney, Director, 387-5967) 
Consolidated Agenda for Tuesday, April 18, 2017 www.sbcounty.gov/cob Page 14 of 19

San Bernardino Countywide Plan

Notice the first community workshop - when is it? "TONIGHT." Not exactly the minimum 3-day notice, and not an appropriate notice if you really want the public to participate.

My main complaint, though, is that not all communities are included in the Countywide Plan - and Wonder Valley is one of those omitted. Early on, when I realized we were not included, I contacted the people putting on these workshops. They had no intention of including us and declined when I asked if we could be included with the "homestead communities."

They said we could participate in the final meetings in Morongo Valley, which are noticed above. So, if you want your 3 minutes to speak up for Wonder Valley, go to the Covington Park Community Center next Thursday, November 16 at 6:00 p.m. and you'll have your chance to represent us.

For more information go to: http://countywideplan.com/

Luncheon with Supervisor James Ramos in Joshua Tree

Third District (us) Supervisor James Ramos met with constituents today at the San Bernardino County Building on White Feather. About 100 people were in attendance and Ramos made his best effort to speak with everyone individually.

Mark Lundquist (above left), Ramos' new field aide and the Chair of the Morongo Basin Municipal Advisory Council, attended, as well as many members of the MAC, including me (Teresa Sitz, Wonder Valley).

It was a nice event. I apologize that I didn't notify you of it - I only just found out about it yesterday. I have no idea how this one slipped past me. Thanks, Almut Fleck, for the heads up!

Adopt-a-Road Program

Hi All,

I've been researching county programs that might help us reduce dumping in our beautiful desert. One that looks very promising is the San Bernardino County Adopt-a-Road Program. You can adopt an entire road, or just a mile, and then you are responsible for 4 cleanups a year. The county provides the tools you need including trash bags and they come pick up the bags. They'll also pick up any bulky items that have been dumped in the area.

People who adopt a road may apply for a sign and the SIGN is what I think will make the difference. I know that many people who dump in the desert are thoughtless, but I believe that SOME of them may see a sign that says the "Smith Family" or the "Wonder Valley Hiking Club" maintains this road, then they MAY think twice about dumping there.

Adopt-a-Road signs would give the appearance that Wonder Valley is owned by the people who live here and is not just a wasteland for people to dump in.

So, I would encourage you to join. If you have any questions, please contact me: teresa_sitz@gmail.com.

To learn more about the program, and sign up, follow this link:
http://www.sbcounty.gov/dpw/operations/adopt-a-road.asp

To see the map of available roads, follow this link:
http://sbcountydpw.maps.arcgis.com/apps/PublicInformation/index.html?appid=53a06871b7324ad9b947df3ad1ba9164

Here are the available roads in Wonder Valley:
These are called "County Maintained Road System" (CMRS)

Amador between Amboy and Montalyo
Amboy to Bullions Mountain Road
Anza from Amboy to the end of the road
Bullion Mountain Road between Valle Vista and Amboy
Diamond Bar between Bullion and Falderman
Encanto between Bullion and Falderman
Falderman between Amboy to a little past Sunny Sands Drive
Godwin between 62 and Amboy
Montalyo between Bullion and Falderman
Pinto Mountain Road from Amboy to Valle Vista
Raymond Drive between Bullion and Mojave Road
Valle Vista between Pinto and Bullion

Please let me know if any of these roads have dump sites contiguous to them or are high crime areas.

Important Survey - Please fill out.

This is our chance to tell our county about the services we need in Wonder Valley. Please fill out this survey. It only takes a few minutes.

Greetings,

Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County (CAPSBC) is conducting a 2015 Community Needs Assessment for San Bernardino County.

Please complete this survey by May 15, 2015.

Thank You.

http://csusbpsych.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_0H4iQLRX6mnjtMF

MAC Meeting - March 9, 2015

MAC Meeting, March 9, 2015

Hello, Wonder Valley!

I went to my first MAC (Morongo Basin Municipal Advisory Council) meeting last night and was sworn in as your representative.  What follows is my take on the meeting – UNOFFICIAL in every way, and I invite correction for anything I got wrong.

If you’d like to review the meeting for yourself, it’s on YouTube at:

In attendance were Elizabeth KARMAN (Yucca Mesa); Mark LUNDQUIST (Joshua Tree, who served as Chair); Pat FLANAGAN (Desert Heights); Gayl SWARAT (Morongo Valley); Mary Helen TUTTLE (Copper Mountain Mesa); Lib KOENIG (Flamingo Heights); Teresa SITZ (Wonder Valley). Two seats, Pioneertown and Landers, remain vacant.

PUBLIC COMMENT
Bob KARMAN, Yucca Mesa, spoke about the mission and goals of the MAC
Tom O’KEY, Joshua Tree, spoke about Earth Hour on March 28 – turn out your lights from 8:30-9:30 p.m. and graffiti in the Park.
David FICK, Joshua Tree, spoke about unfinished projects on which Mike LIPSITZ had been working.
Greg GILBERT advocated for a bicycle path along Highway 62.
Gary BENEDICT commented on how dangerous driving on Highway 62 can be and advocated for bicycle lanes.
Deb BOLLINGER, Morongo BasinConservation Association, urged everyone to destroy Sahara mustard, an invasive non-native plant, growing anywhere they see it.

Sahara mustard looks very much like the plant pictured here and competes with our beautiful native spring wild flowers. A single plant may produce thousands of seeds. If the plant you pull has seed pods, dispose of it in a sealed black plastic trash bag.

If you’d like to make a comment or ask a question you are welcome to come to the next meeting, Monday, April 13, 2015 at 6:30 p.m., or you can send your comment or question to me at teresa.sitz@gmail.com and I’ll share your concern or try to get your question answered.


REPORTS
California Highway Patrol
Lieutenant Eric ROBLES cautioned the audience about inattentive driving, obeying the speed limit and wearing seat belts.

Sheriff’s Department
Captain Dale MONDRAY spoke of Sheriff McMahon’s 4-year plan.
Almut FLECK, Wonder Valley, asked about the priority of sheriff’s calls.
Captain MONDRAY said the highest priority is emergencies, crimes in progress and major traffic accidents. The second priority is recent calls, crimes not in progress. The third priority is for crimes against vacation properties and identity theft. The fourth priority is non-emergency – telephone harassment, loud music, barking dogs, and we later learned – off-road vehicle violations.

PRESENTATIONS

Haissam YAHYA presented on the CALTRANS Highway 62 continuous left turn lane project. I will post links to materials that he brought with him when his department sends them to me. The project does not extend into Wonder Valley. I asked if the project would require power poles to be moved (no), if shoulders would be paved (yes), and if it were possible to include bicycle lanes in the project (no – bike lanes are a city mandate, not Cal Trans).

Sergeant Rick MILLARD, San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department, presented on off-road vehicle (ORV) safety. The department applies for and receives a grant each year for ORV safety and enforcement.  There are 6 trained deputies, 3 – XL 650 dirt bikes, a Chevy Tahoe and a Dodge pickup. The officers travel in pairs.

Last year the SBSD had 433 contacts with ORV riders, gave 37 warnings, and wrote 10 citations.

ORV calls are “cold crimes,” against property and are priority 4, though he said that they will always come check them out. It’s important to record as much information as possible – describe the vehicle, the rider and the direction they were going. They also work proactively in known hot spots.

It is against the law to ride without a helmet, to carry passengers, to ride at night without lights, to ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or for any child under the age of 16 to ride on an ORV.

It’s important to post NO TRESPASSING signs on your property. It’s also important to REPORT any crime, especially in areas which are not often patrolled. Wonder Valley got a shout out for reporting the most ORV violations which has caused the SBSD to focus most of their attention here.

To report ORV violations call the NON-emergency line at the Sheriff’s Department at: (760) 366-3781 or (760) 245-4211. You are also encouraged to report to Code Enforcement and to the BLM.

ACTION ITEM
The MAC unanimously passed a motion approving a resolution against the BOWMAN SOLAR PROJECT in Landers. The SB Board of Supervisors will meet on this issue on May 5. You may attend and comment at this meeting via video conference at the Bob Burke Government Center, 63665 Twentynine Palms Highway, in Joshua Tree.

COMMUNITY, OFFICER and COMMITTEE REPORTS
Teresa SITZ, Wonder Valley, I reported that I had created this blog and was very happy to be on the council and to serve the people of Wonder Valley.
Elizabeth KRAMER reported on solar projects and asked that we agendize an item forbidding new solar and wind projects in the area.
Lib KOENIG, Flamingo Heights, also newly sworn in, said she was happy to serve the community.
Mark LUNDQUIST, Joshua Tree, reported that the project is requesting 9.8 million gallons of water for the project and this is probably an underestimation.
Gayle SWARAT, Morongo Valley, is working with the community to raise funds for a new fire engine.
Mary Helen TUTTLE, Copper Mountain Mesa, reported on the homeless count – 150, stating that there are likely more that did not want to be counted.
Pat FLANAGAN, Desert Heights, gave a report on ORV deaths. Last year 62 children died, 25,000 were injured and went to the emergency room.