The Morongo Valley Community Services District has been struggling to keep operational both the district and its aging main fire engine. At last night’s board meeting, the public learned one of those issues appears to be solved, while the board took action that may address the other. Assignment reporter Mike Lipsitz has details …
In its audit and review last month, the Local Agency Formation Commission cautioned that while the district’s finances were stable, they were not sustainable. Loss of their fire engine was one of three perilous scenarios outlined by LAFCO, any one of which could spell the end for the CSD. Well last night Morongo Valley Fire Chief Jock Johnson announced the District has been awarded a $420,000 federal grant for purchase of a new fire engine. It was great news, but tempered by a warning from Finance Committee Chair Johnny Tolbert. He warned, “If we do not come up with a way to bring more money into this district we are going to lose it. It’s not spending,” he said, “we just don’t have it coming in.” Left to grapple with a precarious financial outlook, the board also voted last night to seek proposals for takeover of Morongo Valley’s fire protection services by Cal Fire and County Fire.
MORONGO VALLEY CSD GETS SHORT TERM HELP. LOOKS TO LONG TERM SOLUTIONS
