Despite the appointment of new Board Director Lance Fisher at Friday’s (July 14) special meeting of the Morongo Valley Community Services District Board of Directors, the board is still short one member as Director Michael Emory has resigned. The CSD oversees the Morongo Valley Fire Department and Covington Park, and has struggled to fulfill their duties in 2023 because of conflict with board members and within the community.
Emory, whose inability to appear at scheduled Board meetings has prevented the board from meeting since March, submitted his resignation to the county late Thursday afternoon (July 13). He and two other board directors, Jennifer Henning and James Whitney, were facing a recall efforts, but all have resigned since that March meeting.
Photo: Jef Harmatz
On Tuesday (July 11), the County Board of Supervisors appointed Lynn Watts the Morongo Valley CSD Board. With Watts in place, the board scheduled Friday’s special meeting solely to make their own appointment to the board.
Among six candidates, five of whom spoke at the meeting the CSD Board Directors appointed Lance Fisher to the board. Fisher is a lifelong resident of Morongo Valley, plumber, and volunteer.
Fisher said, “It’s really humbling, and I think it’s a great opportunity to good by the community.”
With two new appointments, the CSD directors said they were eager to get back to work at this Wednesday’s (July 19) regularly scheduled meeting. Director Johnnie Tolbert said that the CSD’s budget has not been looked at since February, and is due to the state by an revised deadline of August 10. He said the board expects to consider Emory’s vacant seat at August 16th’s meeting.
