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MORONGO VALLEY CSD APPROVES BUDGET, INTRODUCES CANDIDATES

After months of planning and an unexpected rescheduling, the Morongo Valley Community Services District Board of Directors finally held its public hearing on the district’s 2020-2021 budget. After additional discussion on a split decision to combine the district’s fire chief and general manager positions into one director of operations position, the board voted 3-2 (Directors Matthew Campos and Johnny Tolbert voting no) to officially adopt the 2020-2021 district budget with the combined position unchanged. Reporter Andrew Dieleman has more…

At last night’s meeting, the board also held a forum to meet the candidates running for one of two seats on the board during the upcoming November election. Incumbent Johnny Tolbert and candidates Sue Lefevre and Christina Gorke will appear on the ballot. A full Morongo Valley CSD “meet the candidates” story is coming soon. The board then heard a report from Fire Chief Gary Yearsley discussing the Morongo Valley Fire Department’s assistance in fighting the Apple Fire, Lake Fire, and SCU Lightning Complex Fire. Members of the Morongo Valley Fire Department are currently fighting the EL Dorado fire.

The board then discussed possible ways to safely hold the district’s annual Halloween Trunk-or-Treat event. After several unique ideas were shared, the board tabled the topic until the October board meeting pending input from the county health department on safety and district liability for the event.

Director Christina Brook presented extensive figures and numerous possible schedules to the board on having volunteer firefighters work as duty officers for the Morongo Valley Fire Department. The board agreed to begin reviewing the logistics of staffing the position with the volunteers. Finally, the board expressed gratitude towards a Morongo Valley citizen who secured the donation of a large commercial freezer from Home Depot for the Morongo Valley Fire Department for food storage.


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