Last night’s Morongo Basin Municipal Advisory Council meeting featured lively discussion around the Council’s resolution to proclaim the Morongo Basin a Hate-Free Zone. Reporter Heather Clisby was there…
Faced with a locked door at the Joshua Tree Community Center, yesterday’s meeting of the Morongo Basin Municipal Advisory Council moved down the road to the Bob Burke building to host a spirited discussion around Resolution MB-MAC020 to declare the Morongo Basin a Hate-Free Zone.
Council member Jim Harvey of Johnson Valley first questioned the Council’s authority to create and pass such a resolution while Gayle Swarat seemed perplexed about the controversy. Several members of the public stood and spoke passionately both for and against the resolution. Some shared personal stories, like Marylee McIntyre, owner of Boo’s Organic Oven in Joshua Tree, gave a first-person account of racial insults aimed at her employees. Others felt the resolution would simply “whitewash” the problem and give a false sense of security. In the end, the Council passed the resolution 6-3 (with Mary Helen Tuttle (Copper Mountain Mesa), Jim Harvey (Johnson Valley), and Steve Reyes (Wonder Valley) voting no) and it will be passed along to the Board of Supervisors.
Joe Ruddon of the Morongo Basin Healthcare District gave a brief presentation on the Mobile Medical Unit and the LIFT Transportation Program, and cited the need for helping remote or home-bound citizens to access healthcare. After adjournment, attendees were able to tour the unit and see for themselves. For the unit’s community schedule, visit http://www.mbhdistrict.org.
