Among the many items on tomorrow’s (March 1) agenda, County Supervisors are expected to approve one item to assure a long future for uninterrupted, over-the-air television for residents of Morongo Valley and offer some broadband internet options as well. Don’t turn that dial, reporter Mike Lipsitz is here with the details…
County Service Area or CSA 70 TV was established in 1976 to transmit ten television channels to about 2,000 households spread across 38 square miles in Morongo Valley. Property owners pay about $25 a year to maintain the service, but engineers say the planned addition of new broadband equipment is too much for the 44-year-old steel towers. So, when County Supervisors meet at 10 a.m. tomorrow in San Bernardino, they’re expected to approve $320,000 from reserve funds for the construction of a new tower. Because the new tower will be roughly the same height and use the same foundation as the existing tower the project is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act. Tomorrow’s action will pave to way for the county to open the project up for bids. Replacement of the tower and installation of the new equipment will assure Morongo Valley has reliable television and expanded broadband options well into the future.
Tomorrow’s meeting will be live-streamed to the video conferencing facility at the Bob Burke Government Center in Joshua Tree where the public may attend and comment.
The following applies to meetings:
(1) The public may view the Board Meeting live stream at http://www.sbcounty.gov/Main/Pages/ViewMeetings.aspx;
(2) If you wish to make a comment on a specific agenda item or a general comment prior to the meeting, submit it via email to [email protected] or online at http://www.sbcounty.gov/cob/publiccomments/default.aspx. Comments received prior to the start of the meeting will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for review;
(3) If you wish to comment on a specific item or make a general remark, limit it to 250 words, and submit to the Clerk of the Board at http://www.sbcounty.gov/cob/publiccomments/default.aspx. Comments received prior to the end of the meeting will be provided to the supervisors after the meeting;
(4) If attending the meeting in person, facial covering and a temperature reading are required. Seating in board chambers is limited to maintain social distancing. Additional seating with video and audio of the meeting is available in the Joshua Room and the Rotunda on the first floor of the Government Center adjacent to the chambers.
Any person interested in viewing or addressing the Board during a meeting by interactive video may do so at the Bob Burke Joshua Tree Government Center, 63665 Twentynine Palms Highway, in Joshua Tree.
