Last night, the Morongo Valley Community Services District Board of Directors held a special meeting in Covington Park’s Mesquite Room to discuss fire apparatus repairs and tree removal in the park.
While it was recommended the board discuss, review, and approve the repairs for the Fire Department’s Medic Engine 461, the board decided to table the item until the next regular meeting, when they would have more information on the specific repair quote and a better idea if they would be able to move money around within the district budget. With the diagnostics inconclusive, the bill to merely get the engine from the mechanic is speculated to be around $12,000, and Chief McEachen voiced concern whether the apparatus is worth keeping on the front line, or whether it should be demoted to a reserve unit.
For the department’s Water Tender 461, Chief McEachen reported that its problem is a fuel issue, and repairs were approved by the board for an amount not to exceed $1000, likely to be done in-house.
For tree removal in Covington Park, it was recommended the board discuss, review, and approve the removal with a budget not to exceed $500. However, Park Commissioner Hayden suggested that even with the donations of a tractor from KK Rents and four roll-off boxes from Burrtec, the amount would be considerably more expensive at $62.04 per organic ton, which would fall solely on the district. The board discussed the opportunity for the community to pick up sawed segments of the fallen trees as firewood; in the meantime, the board approved a $1500 budget for the tree’s complete removal. The next regular MVCSD meeting will be on Wednesday, February 19th at 6:00 p.m. in Covington Park’s multipurpose room.
