Election Day, November 8, is fast approaching and includes a race for Twentynine Palms City Council, District 4. Newcomer Octavious Scott is challenging council incumbent and current Mayor Karmolette O’Gilvie. We posed the same five questions to both candidates and here are O’Gilvie’s responses.
What makes you uniquely qualified to sit on the council?
I have been a resident of Twentynine Palms for 29 years. I came to Twentynine Palms as a Marine spouse and college student. My love for this city is what has kept me here. I have seen growth over the years, and the potential is within our grasp. I strongly believe that my longevity and love for Twentynine Palms is one aspect that qualifies me to sit on the City Council. I have lived and worked in the Morongo Basin for over 19 years. I have worked as a registered nurse for the local hospital, provided hospice care and worked local clinics. During the various positions I have had in administration, I have overseen staffing as well as capital budgets emergency management. My experiences allow me to have compassion for those whose lives and paths I have encountered.
On the diocese, I provide a unique prospective for the council. As a woman, this allows another unique vantage point. Women have been the backbone of this country. As a Marine spouse, I managed a household and care for two children while my husband served our nation. I balanced attending college and universities along with family obligations. I have volunteered my time giving back to the residents of Morongo Basin. My life has been built upon caring and being a voice for the voiceless and the disenfranchised. I have a passion for this, and I have been faithful to the people of Twentynine Palms and will continue to serve the people. I will not run a campaign on false hope. I believe in helping people achieve their dreams. I have knowledge of the inner workings of our city which I bring to the council. I understand the importance of coming together as a council and
getting things done for the good of the people.
What is the most urgent issue facing your District? The city?
Although I live in District 4 and will receive votes only from those constituents, my colleagues and I believe our community is a whole, not a part, so with that, my response will be about issues facing the city.
I would say the top three issues facing the community are, in no order, resources to accomplish our needs (infrastructure, programs, and services). We all desire and need numerous things, but it takes resources, and we are a small rural community with limited resources, so we must be very judicious with our resources.
Second is housing; as mayor this has been the biggest issue I have heard from the community, the need for more affordable housing. The city itself, does not build housing, but we can use the policies and resources of the State of California to develop housing as we are with the 100-unit housing project behind City Hall.
These three items are not the only issues facing the city but within the top three is economic development. As a resident of the city for 29 1/2 years, we have heard and wanted another grocery store, and now we are about to get one. The same for Starbucks, also on my watch, we needed it and got it. The city needs to continue the economic development approach to aggressively pursue amenities to the city that adds to our needs and quality of life.
What is your position on the Vacation Home Rental situation in Twentynine Palms?
First, I would like to say that there will not be answer that I can give to make both sides happy. Second, I do not personally have a vacation rental property. I do not believe that the city of Twentynine Palms should behave like an over-arching city government. It should not be a city’s practice to stop people from buying property and be restrictive with what they can do with that property. There were policies and procedures in place in place regarding VHRs.
The council will review those policies. There have been issues that are unique and deserve another look. I have heard both sides and understand the passions. I have seen vacant homes stay in deplorable condition for years. I have also seen homes owners renovated and revitalized some of the same vacant houses. I have seen a long-time neighbor move because the property was a rental property. The council and I will work diligently to provide a workable solution.
What can the city do to encourage job growth?
Job growth in Twentynine Palms is connected to economic development. More businesses equal more jobs. I see myself as pro-business and pro-property rights. I believe the way we can encourage economic growth is to be customer service oriented; to be business friendly. A good example is the policy that I was part of is the Business Loan Improvement Program. We created a program for businesses to improve themselves, and then expanded the boundaries. Hopefully, this will increase revenue of these businesses which, in turn, will hopefully create more jobs.
How best to address homelessness in the city?
There are a few components and sub-categories of homelessness. Those categories can be unique to the individual. First, those that cannot find housing due to economic reasons. The city has been proactive in this arena, as mentioned above, we are working on developing more affordable housing.
Also – albeit a smaller project – a fourplex, which we are attempting to turn into a five unit, will be for very low-income veterans. Then finally, the city has been supportive – logistically and financially – with Morongo Basin Arch (Aligning Resources Challenging Homelessness). Most recently, the city loaned and granted funds to Morongo Basin Arch for their services.
So outside of the economic reasons for homelessness are mental health issues and substance abuse. These issues are more problematic and will take alliance with several agencies. Many individuals, which may be related to mental health and drug abuse issues, are NOT looking for help in their current state. The city works hand in hand with the sheriff’s department and HOPE (Homeless Outreach and Proactive Enforcement) to eradicate, if necessary, and provide resources for these people.
Homelessness is a problem, not only for the city, but for California and our nation. In addition to the resources mentioned, we need to change our laws to allow the sheriff’s department, which does an excellent job, but their hands are tied in multiple ways. There is a need for effective tools to enforce the laws protect our quality of life and safety for law abiding citizens.
You can read Heather Clisby’s interview with Octavious Scott here.
