2nd Round of BLM WEMO Proposals

Poleline Road, Wonder Valley, with illegal incursions into Cleghorn Lake Wilderness Area

PUBLIC MEETING ON THE BLM’S PROPOSAL 

TO DRAMATICALLY INCREASE ORV ROUTES IN OUR COMMUNITIES

Saturday, December 5, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Community United Methodist Church,

6213 East Parkway, Joshua Tree, CA 92252

[My note: Yep, we need to go through this for a 2nd round. Please don't give up now. Everyone is invited and welcome to attend.]

The ALLIANCE FOR RESPONSIBLE RECREATION
will be hosting an informational workshop to discuss the proposal by the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to dramatically increase access for off-road vehicles in our rural communities, allowing ORVs to ride on our public roads, private property and public lands. Law enforcement is unable to deal with existing problems with ORV trespass, and the BLM wants to double the mileage of ORV routes in our communities.

The meeting will feature a detailed explanation of the BLM’s Western Mohave (WEMO) Route Management Plan, maps of the network of proposed ORV routes in the Morongo Basin, and an opportunity for the public submit comments on the plan.

WHEN: Saturday, December 5th, from 2:00 to 5:00 pm
WHERE: Community United Methodist Church, 6213 East Parkway in Joshua Tree (4 blocks north on Park Blvd. from Highway 62.)

For more information, please visit to www.orvwatch.com
Sponsored by The Alliance for Responsible Recreation, Community ORV Watch, Morongo Basin Conservation Association, Friends of Juniper Flats, Western San Bernardino Homeowners Association, Sierra Club (partial list).

REFERENCES:
BLM West Mojave (WEMO) Route Network Project, Pat Flanagan, May 23, 2015, Wonder Valley
http://bit.ly/wemopp

BLM's West Mojave (WEMO) Route Network Project and Plan Amendment 
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/cdd/west_mojave__wemo.html

Photo: Pole Line Road to the north of Shadow Mountain Road in Wonder Valley, one of many ad hoc entrances to the Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness Area. 34.209078, -115.835102
Though the photo is from Wonder Valley, the BLM's WEMO plan will affect everyone in the entire Morongo Basin.

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1044105502306736/

Still up at the Glass Outhouse Gallery

If you missed the opening reception on November 7 you still have another week or two to catch the spectacular art at the Glass Outhouse Gallery.

Lorelie and David Greene of Wonder Valley shared their stutter stop photography.

Perry Hoffman, the owner of Tile House in Wonder Valley shared paintings

of the Buddha and a mail art show.

Tom Carvelles of Yucca Valley shared paintings of fantasy landscapes,
many with a desert theme. 

New church is coming right along

The new church near the corner of Godwin Road and Highway 62 is coming right along. The new building will house the Godwin Christian Fellowship and is across the road from the Wonder Valley Thrift Store which partly funds these efforts.

Visit the WV Thrift Store on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/WonderValleyThriftStore/info/

WV Citizens Fire Committee

Wonder Valley Volunteer Fire Department, some time back.

You are invited to attend a

Citizens Fire Committee Meeting

Sunday, November 22, from 1 – 2:30 p.m.

Wonder Valley Community Center

80256½ Amboy Road, Wonder Valley, CA 92277

Please submit agenda items to me by Thursday evening at teresa.sitz@gmail.com. At this meeting we'll review the budget submitted by John Chamberlin and formulate questions to send to him for the December 12 meeting.

This is a working meeting to prepare for the December 12 Community Meeting.
Membership on the committee is open to all residents of Wonder Valley. Current members include:

• Jim Brakebill, Master Fire Instructor, Copper Mountain College
• Ramon Lomeli, General Manager, Morongo Basin Ambulance
• Jim Copeland, former Assistant fire chief of Wonder Valley Fire Department
• Bob Tellefson, Wonder Valley
• Ed Vallerand, Wonder Valley
• Karen Meyers, Columnist, Desert Trail

Proposed budgets for a 2 and 3 person fire station are now online at:
bit.ly/wvfiretax2
bit.ly/wvfiretax3

WV Community Meeting Notes - Monday, November 9, 2015

WONDER VALLEY MONTHLY MONDAY MEETING

Second Monday of the month, November 9, 2015, 9:00 a.m.

Wonder Valley Community Center

80526 Amboy Road, Wonder Valley, CA 92277

Wonder Valley MAC Delegate and Meeting Chair: Teresa Sitz

Everyone is invited and welcome to attend and participate.

N O T E S

1. Call to order and Flag Salute, 9:15 a.m.
   Present: Eric Robles and W.L. Green, CHP, Jerry, Almut, Jill, Stewart, Ed, Mary, Glenda, Willis, Bob Adams, Debbie, Joan, Jim B., Bob T., Karen and Ted M., Teresa Sitz
   
   The community agreed to allow the CHP to present before Community Comment (see below).
2. Community comment on items not on the agendaThe community is also invited to comment after the reports and during the discussions below.
   Teresa: a fellow almost burned down his cabin trying to stay warm. Is there any way we can address this as a community?
   Jill: commented on the sheriffs
   Bob: What’s going on with the road folks? Added to agenda planning
   Jerry: Thanked the MAC delegate for her work
   Almut: Asked for heating centers to be identified in 29 Palms
3. Reports and Presentations
   A. Stewart West, Veterans Benefits AdvisorVeterans – Bob, Jim, Robert, Willis, Jerry, Ed, Stewart
   Stewart is one of two VA advisers at the marine base. Reach Stewart at work at the base at: 760-830-6976, Office Building 1427, or will meet you off base.
   Joan: Had questions as her veteran husband recently died. Served in three wars. Still shops at the base.
   Stewart: There’s a Veterans Benefits timetable pdf online. Some benefits don’t run out. Chronic medical issues can apply for benefits at any time if the medical issue started during service. Join e-benefits online for medical benefits – fairly easy to use. If you have any problems with the system, call Stewart.
   VA Home loan available throughout your lifetime.  Can eliminate a down payment.  Can be used more than once.
   Burial benefits. State or national cemetery when available, marker, medallion, etc.
   Jill: Do wounded vets have to drive down the hill?
   Stewart: If you have to drive more than 40 miles you can use the Choice Act to visit a civilian doctor.
   Ed: Reach Out Morongo takes people down the hill once a week,
   Karen: The number for Reach Out Morongo is 760-361-1410 ROM, Robin Schlosser
   Stewart: There are two crisis lines: Veterans Crisis Line: 800-273-8255, text 838255
   General Info Number: 800-827-1000
   Ed: Who do you call about complaints
   Stewart: You can call me.
   B. Eric Robles, W.L. Green, CHPMary: Could you post a camera on Amboy and 62 to catch speeders?
   Robles: Since Jan there have been 6 collisions on 62, 3 on Amboy, 4 resulted in minor injuries. The last fatality was more than a year ago. The Marine Corps ball is coming up, and the holidays, be cautious.
   Jim B: Traffic has been very heavy on weekend. Cars hauling boats are passing me and I’m going 70mph. Target Amboy and 62 on Friday and Sunday.
   Jill: Do you patrol state and county roads?
   Green: Yes. And all adopted roads, those maintained by special districts, and enforcement issues on those roads as well.
   Ed: Do you carry emergency medical supplies?
   Green: Yes – EMT kit, and O2 – we’re trained in CRP, EMR.
   Bob: Why is there a difference in the speed limit on 62 and Amboy.
   Robles : That’s a Caltrans determination. The #1 accident in the Morongo Basin is the single car rollover in sand.
   Karen:  Amboy should be widened and we should have a bike path.
   C. Discussion and possible action:Shall the community endorse the delegate’s MAC Report to be read at the MAC meeting tonight? No corrections. No objections
4. Ongoing Business"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent Van GoghA. Neighborhood Watch and NextDoor (66 members)There is a new dump started at Two Mile and Shelton – anyone interested in helping clear it tomorrow? A couple of people expressed interest.
   
   
   
   
   i. I did a demonstration of a window alarm – 2 for about $9, and a $15 taser from Amazon. I mentioned that my neighbor has a driveway alarm turned out to the street so he always knows when someone drives into our neighborhood and he checks them out.
   ii. I suggested that everyone in the community make sure they have lighted street numbers visible from the street for emergency services.
   
   B. Fire Tax UpdateThe community agreed to bump the Fire Tax Update to the end of the meeting.
   The second fire tax meeting will be Saturday, December 12 at the Community Center. We’ll have additional speakers including:
   Jim Brakebill – head of the Fire Program at CMC, owns property in WV
   Ramon Lomeli, General Manager of Morongo Basin Ambulance
   Jim Copeland
   Someone from ISO (Insurance Services Office)
   The Needles City Council just voted 5 to 4 to accept County’s proposal. The same issue is coming up before Pioneer Town.
   Ed: Passed out handouts that showed the labor rates listed for the Twentynine Palms Proposal, and the rates were discussed.
   The Community voted unanimously to start a Citizens Fire Committee to research alternatives to the proposal by County Fire. Bob Tellefson, Ed Vallerad, and Jim Brakebill volunteered to be on the committee and Teresa Sitz agreed to announce the creation of the committee and to call for new members.
   
   C. Illegal Dumping – Code EnforcementTeresa reported on several submissions to the county and updates from our current code enforcement office Shari Rotruk.
5. Agenda planningThe community is invited to suggest items to place on the next meeting agenda.
   - There was a request to widen Amboy and add a bike lane. (Meyers)
   - There was a request to have a reserve deputy assigned to WV. (Bill)
   - There was a request for the latest road report from Special Districts. (Bob)
6. Announcements
   - The agendas and notes from these meetings are posted online at Wonder Valley CSA.blogspot.com
   - Time of this meeting? The Community agreed that the meeting will continue to start at 9 a.m.
   - MAC meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m., but also a County El Niño meeting in Yucca Valley Community Center, 57090 Twentynine Palms Highway in Yucca Valley
   - HEAP Workshop of Friday
   - 2nd Fire Meeting, Saturday, December 12
7. AdjournmentThe meeting adjourned at 11:00 a.m.

Proposed Fire Tax Budget Released

Fire Chief John Chamberlin, Division 5, sent the proposed fire tax budgets for both a 2-person and a 3-person station.

• 2-person station: http://bit.ly/wvfiretax2
• 3-person station: http://bit.ly/wvfiretax3

SUMMARY

2-PERSON STATION
Salaries Total $1,226,905
Station Expenses Total $380,153
Total $1,607,058
Divided by 4,636 parcels = $347 per parcel

3-PERSON STATION
Salaries Total $1,885,728
Station Expenses Total $380,153
Total $2,265,881
Divided by 4,636 parcels = $489 per parcel

Sheriff's Calls Wonder Valley

I am very happy to see that Wonder Valley community members seem to be reporting more crimes to the Sheriff's Department. I went on a Ride-Along yesterday and learned that Landers is currently receiving a lot of attention from the Sheriff's Department because they have been reporting a lot of burglaries. I don't know that it's because they're having more burglaries but reporting more burglaries is making a difference for them.

One interesting thing I learned yesterday is this: you can call 911 and ask for a deputy to call you back. When they do you can report your incident and the deputy will document it and provide you with an incident number. Be sure to ask for one if one is not offered. These calls will not be counted in the monthly crime stats but they are noted in Sheriff's Department briefings. Reporting INCIDENTS may be something that those of you who do NOT want a Sheriff's car seen at your house, for whatever reason, CAN do.

I'd also encourage as many people as possible to sign up for Ride-Alongs. That way you will be fully informed regarding the services of the Sheriff's Department and MORE Wonder Valley residents will have personal relationships with Deputies, which can only help our community.

Sheriff's Calls: Desert Trail
Thursday, November 12, 2015

WEDNESDAY, November 4
Illegal Entry and Vandalism, 64700 block of Sullivan Road, 3:35 p.m.
Someone broke into a vacation home between April and today. Nothing was stolen but damages will cost about $100 to repair.

SATURDAY, November 7
Death Investigation, 3300 block of Sunlight Road, 10:07 a.m.
Subject was discovered by his roommate. Morongo Basin paramedics pronounced the subject dead at the scene. A deputy did not discover any obvious signs of foul play.

Burglary, 6300 block of Godwin Road, 3:40 p.m.
The reporting party said an unknown subject removed a battery from a loader and attempted to steal diesel fuel from another heavy equipment vehicle. The subject may have been spooked by the presence of another employee and fled with the battery.

Miscellaneous Law Enforcement Call, 82800 block of Indian Trail, 3:45 p.m.
The reporting party went to the residence to check on the property and saw broken glass near a trailer. The deputy thought the damage may have been caused by an animal.

SUNDAY, November 8
Warrant Arrest, 3300 block of Wilson Road, 7:33 p.m.
A subject contracted at the residence was found to be the subject of a $50,000 warrant out of Los Angeles County.