In lieu of last night’s canceled Morongo Valley Community Services District meeting, The Morongo Valley Community Relations Ad-Hoc Committee met at 6pm at Covington Park’s multi-purpose room, where two MVCSD board members and the general manager provided information and answered questions regarding the uncertain future of the Morongo CSD.
Comprised of Park Commissioner Christina Gorke, Finance Director Johnny Tolbert, and General Manager and Fire Chief James Brakebill, The Morongo Valley Community Relations Ad-Hoc Committee did their best to enlighten attendees on the CSD’s current unprecedented purgatory, since Fire Commissioner Michael Emory hasn’t attended a meeting since March, and two other members have since resigned. By law, a CSD must meet once every three months without intervention from the county, and the MVCSD has lacked quorum for longer than that time frame, placing them in potential legal danger.
While Emory had asked Chief Brakebill to postpone the night’s regular meeting to June 30th, Tolbert reminded attendees regular meetings cannot legally be postponed—only cancelled, then replaced with a special meeting. Despite what was previously reported, both Gorke and Tolbert confirmed they are available to attend a special meeting on June 30th, as the CSD’s agenda is full of time sensitive budget items, as well as motions to fill vacant seats. While doubts of Emory’s ability to show up linger among attendees due to complicated personal family matters, or “his strategy” as one local woman speculated, Tolbert affirmed they are hoping for the best.
Tolbert said, “There are things we just have to get done. So in my opinion, we’re gonna have a meeting on June 30th, because he said he’ll come. If he doesn’t come, that’s just more information we have to present to the county supervisor.”
Tolbert confirmed the board is in discussion with attorneys regarding Emory’s absentee status, as well as LAFCO, who say they have 60 days from the day a board member resigns to appoint that seat before the county intervenes. With President Henning’s resignation on April 18th, Tolbert said, “As of three days ago, we have lost control of her seat.” With Vice President James Whitney’s resignation last month, another could be looming.
Gorke and Tolbert said this conundrum could play out one of three ways: The county appoints a new member, Morongo Valley holds a special election, or the county grants an extension for Morongo Valley to “take care of it.”
