The Joshua Tree Rotary Club held a virtual candidate forum Monday night for contenders who are running for the Copper Mountain College and Joshua Basin Water District governing boards. Reporter Mike Lipsitz has forum highlights from the candidates running for the Joshua Basin Water District board…
When the three candidates were asked what they see as the greatest challenges facing the district Frank Coate says getting Well 14 back up and future waste-water treatment are most concerning. Stacy Doolittle is most concerned with aging infrastructure and how to fund upgrades to it. And for incumbent Robert Johnson, budgeting and prudent use of district money are among the top challenges.
Abridged answers from the Joshua Basin Water District candidates follow:
Why do you want to serve as a director for the Joshua Basin Water District?
Robert Johnson, Incumbent
Seeks re-election for the consistency and stability it would mean for the current board which has been able to fund, implement, and work through major issues at a rapid pace. Johnson wants to continue that work along with the fiscally conservative edge, transparency, good sense, order, decorum, and a bit of humor he brings to the board.
Stacy Doolittle
Aims to assure safe and affordable water for all residents of Joshua Tree including those who struggle to afford the water. Doolittle enjoys setting policy and wants to bring her strengths to the board. Her priorities will be managing and sharing stakeholder requirements, technical understanding of projects, and focus on fairly representing the views of all Joshua Tree residents.
Frank Coate
Wants to bring the 30-plus years of management and supervisory experience he offers the district so that it may continue in the direction it is headed. He will draw on the three other times he served on this board.
What do you see as the biggest challenge or problems facing the Joshua Basin Water District?
Frank Coate
To get Well 14 that has been down for several years, back up and running. Coat has been working on a four-tier process with the aim of getting that well going and wants to see that expedited. Another challenge is aquifer management and waste-water treatment particularly in the most densely populated areas where nitrates will be a problem. At some point regulators are going to mandate a treatment plant. Another challenge is to maintain affordable water rates; right now they are high, but where they need to be.
Stacy Doolittle
The biggest challenge is negotiating infrastructure improvements because right now many of the district’s pipelines are 40- to 70-years-old. Will ratepayers be responsible for replacing those or can the district look for state and federal monies? She feels the district can save costs through creative thinking. Doolittle wants to explore functional consolidation with other local water districts to reduce costs and increase value for ratepayers. Additional savings could come from more use of solar energy.
Robert Johnson
An obvious challenge is keeping up with the times—money and budgets are always issues. A huge portion of current resources has just been put into improving infrastructure. He wants to look into how creative funding can help to manage the budget. Maintaining reasonable rates is always a challenge so everyone has access to clean water. He says that effort is especially important in our economically-disadvantaged community. Johnson gives priority to transparency to assure folks that the district is getting the best that its money can buy.
When the waste-water treatment strategy goes into effect should everyone pay the same amount or should businesses pay a higher rate?
Robert Johnson
Legislation prohibits the district from giving preferential treatment to some, whether business or residential. Board members sometimes come up against situations where they’re not entitled to vote their own personal opinion, but unfortunately, that is out of the jurisdiction of the board.
Stacy Doolittle
Believes the water protection plan should be shared by all members of the community.
Paul Coate
Legislation prevents the district from deciding who pays more or less, and concurs that the costs of waste-water treatment must be shared by all in the community.
How long have you lived in the Joshua Basin Water District and what specific activities have you been engaged in to get to know the community better?
Paul Coate
Has lived in Morongo Basin for 43 years and in Joshua Tree for 29 years. Served as a volunteer firefighter, Search and Rescue mounted posse, EMT, on Joshua Basin Water District board three separate times, and has helped teach district employees studying for their certifications.
Stacy Doolittle
Has lived in Joshua Tree for nearly a dozen years, been involved in many organizations and helped found Transition Joshua Tree. Been involved in the Morongo Basin Conservation Association for approximately ten years as an advisor to the board and as a social media consultant. Been involved with the Mojave Desert Land Trust and the former Joshua Tree Chamber of Commerce; was active in the effort to end trapping of bobcats and the opposition effort aimed at the Cadiz water project.
Robert Johnson
Been here 27 years and been involved in Search and Rescue as well as a lot of the conservation groups. Worked with the Joshua Tree Municipal Advisory Council and its work with issues like off-highway vehicles, night skies, bobcat protection, and big box stores. Also volunteered for seven or eight years on the water district’s Citizens Advisory Council learning the basics of the water district. And obviously has served on the Joshua Basin Water District Board.
CLOSING STATEMENTS
Robert Johnson
Wants to see momentum continue within the district, which is moving forward at a progressive pace. Concerned about the community of Joshua Tree and its ability to someday become an entity of its own. Would like to see continuation of the Joshua Tree Community Plan and work to manage rates and charges with a quarter of the population in the poverty zone.
Paul Coate
Says he will use his integrity and experience, and will put his heart and soul into helping the water district move forward. Aquifer management, affordable rates, and how to fund infrastructure are primary issues and wants to allow the people to have a say in how those issues are managed.
Stacy Doolittle
She’s been meeting with residents at their homes which have included everything from palatial haciendas to cozy “jackrabbit” homesteads, and has come to understand that no matter the demographic, residents are all concerned with the same thing and that is keeping costs down. She promises to be a warrior for keeping costs down and passing savings on to the ratepayers. She wants to put into action the phrase, “service before self” as a board member.
