Third District County Supervisor James Ramos addressed yesterday’s meeting of the Homestead Valley Community Council in Yucca Mesa. In a surprise, but long overdue, announcement, Ramos introduced 33-year Joshua Tree resident, Mark Lundquist, as his new field representative here. Lundquist is chairman of the Municipal Advisory Council, sits on the board at Morongo Basin Transit Authority, and served as board president at Morongo Basin Mental Health for 25 years. Lundquist will maintain office hours in the County Building on White Feather Road following the expected approval of his appointment at the August 25 Board of Supervisors meeting. Many residents turned out for yesterday’s meeting eager to hear of progress on the Scenic Byway designation for Old Woman Springs Road and for an update on efforts to reverse the county policy of denying building permits for properties that rely on hauled water. But despite long-time community efforts to resolve both matters, Ramos could not report any substantive progress on either.
