On last Friday’s Up Close Show, host Gary Daigneault mediated a forum with four candidates for Joshua Basin Water District’s board of directors. Joining Gary were Division 3 incumbent Jane Jarlsberg and her opponent Ryan Cherlin. And in the water district’s Division 5 incumbent Stacy Doolittle is running opposite challenger Debra Truncale.
Joshua Basin Water District Division 3 incumbent Jane Jarlsberg was drawn to Morongo Basin by the lure of affordable housing, that was in 2017. She says she’s been a lifelong community activist and has always been interested in water issues. She points to her service on the district’s Community Advisory Council and her four years of service on the board as experience that will serve her well for another term.
Jarlsberg is facing Division 3 challenger Ryan Cherlin. Cherlin has a long history dealing with global health-related issues with safe water programs being a big piece of that. His career focus has been on public policy, advocacy, and communications and he’s used those tools to improve the lives of less fortunate people. That experience has given him a unique skill set to bring to the district. He says the key to getting things done is partnerships.
Joshua Basin Water District Division 5 incumbent Stacy Doolittle says she brings to the board the best practices she learned working with Fortune 50 companies. She says her background in business and communications have been great asserts during her time on the board. Doolittle has distinguished herself on the board by her thorough study of background materials and by asking tough questions that might otherwise go unanswered.
Doolittle is facing Division 5 challenger Debra Truncale, a 35-year resident of Joshua Tree. Truncale says she’s really interested in water which she says is a resource we need to prepare for and take care of. Truncale’s background is in finance and she points to her background in money as a resource she would put to good use on the board.
You can hear the entire Joshua Basin Water District candidate forum on the Up Close Show with Gary Daigneault page here.
