Four candidates are running for Yucca Valley Town Council in District 4: incumbent Robert Lombardo is being challenged by Jeff Brady, Myra Kennedy, and Travis Puglisi. Managing editor Tami Roleff gives a brief highlight of the four candidates…
Incumbent Robert Lombardo said he feels the biggest challenge facing Yucca Valley is bringing the community together to recover from the damage done by COVID-19 pandemic. Jeff Brady, who is on the town’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Commission, said the biggest challenge facing the town is complacency, trying to find a happy medium for balanced economic growth. Myra Kennedy believes the town’s biggest problem is that few residents are benefitting from the money spent by the three million visitors who travel through Yucca Valley to get to Joshua Tree National Park. Travis Puglisi believes one of the challenges facing Yucca Valley is the rise of the short-term rental market and its impact on long-term rentals. For their complete answers, including their views about listing Joshua trees as threatened, see below.
ALL RESPONSES ARE REPRINTED AS RECEIVED FROM THE CANDIDATES
ROBERT LOMBARDO
Thanks for the opportunity to get some info out there prior to the elections. I will answer your questions in numerical order.
[Why are you running for election/re-election?]
1) I’m running again for council because there continues to be some very important projects still unfinished. Like the Aquatics Center , development of North Park , Bike and hiking trails . I feel that my experience as an employer, long time resident , problem solver and businessman provide needed direction and vision for our future.
[What do you see as the biggest challenge/problem facing Yucca Valley?]
2) Bringing the community together to fully recover from the damage done by COVID-19 to our business community and reconnect the citizens to each other and the town activities are what I see as immediate challenges on what will be a scaled back budget in the years ahead.
[What is your view on listing Joshua trees as a threatened species under the California Endangered Species Act?]
3) I know protecting the joshua tree is important, but it needs to be in balance not a one sided shutdown . There are several ways to compromise. We can protect Josua trees without stopping all town projects and economic activity. It is important to allow the town the ability to find those compromises without the State forcing a heavy hand on us to accept their solutions and damage our economy.
[What’s your top priority as a council member?]
4) My top priority as a council member is to use our town resources efficiently to continue to provide opportunities to work ,play,live and,enjoy this wonderful town. Making it even more a place my grandkids would be proud to call home or at least visit often.
[If you could change anything (with a magic wand) what’s the one thing you would change about the town/town council?]
5) I often joke if I had a magic wand I would build a lake off of pioneertown road that winds through the canyons and allows a place for recreation and water storage. Not to mention some beautiful lake side vistas.
As a current council member one of the perks is I’m reasonably easy to contact by calling the town to set up a meeting or email at [email protected] . My use of social media is limited due to the current levels of political venom and cancel culture that seems so prevalent. I enjoyed the days when people could discuss disagreements and could reach a compromise without such hatred. You can text me on my cell 760-218-3247 and reach me on e-mail at [email protected]
Dr. Robert Lombardo – Yucca Valley town Council
JEFF BRADY
1. Why are you running for election/re-election?
I am running for election to serve my community and bring another perspective to the town council. I represent a different generation then the other members of the town council. Constituents that are in my generation have great ideas and perspectives and I would like to be the mouthpiece for them on the council. My mission as a Council Member is to address problems from the perspective of our current residents’ while being mindful of future generations, preserving the quality of live we have for generations to come. I hope through my service to inspire the next generation to become involved in community service and to help mentor them to become future leaders of our community.
2. What do you see as the biggest challenge/problem facing Yucca Valley?
The biggest challenge that I see facing Yucca Valley is complacency. There are two factions of people in our town who either want the town to grow or they want the town to stay the same that it is. I believe that we need to find a happy medium. I am for balanced economic growth. I want to attract more businesses to come to Yucca Valley to create more jobs for our residents and to help our economy grow.
3. What is your view on listing Joshua trees as a threatened species under the California Endangered Species Act?
I fully support the preservation of the Joshua Tree. It is a treasure of our community. I also support the Commission’s review of the petition submitted by the Center for Biological Diversity. What I think needs to happen from the Department of Fish and Wildlife is guidance on how individual property owners can properly use their property as they want to but while still preserving the iconic Joshua Tree. I have been told that this guidance has not be provided at this time, and I believe before any decision is made, a plan should be in place. I believe that individuals should be able to improve their property while also preserving the Joshua Tree in the best manner possible. I believe that local regulations provide for a more effective protection of the Joshua Tree, but our local regulations need consistent accountability and enforcement.
4. What’s your top priority as a council member?
Attracting New businesses and encouraging locals to open small businesses will be my top priority as a council member. I believe that residents of our town should always try to shop local and support small businesses. We should strive as a town to attract small family owned businesses that help support the residents of our town. Big- box stores are needed in some cases for certain items, but we should strive to encourage small businesses to open and thrive in our community. One way this could be accomplished is by awarding small business grants yearly to encourage residents to open and establish small businesses that will help our economy.
5. If you could change anything (with a magic wand) what’s the one thing you would change about the town/town council?
I think we have a great town, but I think community access could improve. We have isolated neighborhoods but none of them really connect to one another. I think if we had more walking and biking trials and increased places to gather it would change the social vitality of our community. I also would love to see Old Town Yucca Valley develop with a pedestrian walkway, with increased shopping and a food district.
Also, do you have a website or FB page? Email or phone number for people to contact you?
http://www.electjeffbrady.com
https://www.facebook.com/ElectJeffBrady
Email: [email protected]
MYRA KENNEDY
1). Why are you running for election/re-election?
I have always loved the small-town feel of Yucca Valley, and all the wonderful acquaintances my husband and I have made over the 25 years we have lived here. I’ve also seen our community grow. New faces, new voices, and new perspectives. I welcome out town’s new diversity along with the economic growth and the new friendships that it has brought.
There are many people, including myself, that have felt they have not been fully represented by the ideals, goals and attitudes of our current local government. Many in our community felt that it is time for a change. It’s time for our town council to represent all of us, not just some of us.
As a town council member, district 4, I will bring my energy and enthusiasm, my ability to communicate with people and find common ground, and my patience to respectfully listen to all sides of a position without prejudgement. I am a problem solver, a conflict mitigator, and a believer in working hands-on to get things done.
It would be an honor to give back to our community by serving as a member of town council. I will be committed to upholding out values as a small town while embracing the advantages of change.
2) What do you see as the biggest challenge/problem facing Yucca Valley?
I believe the biggest problem facing Yucca Valley is the fact that we are not adequately addressing the challenges and opportunities of the 3 million visitors who come through our town while visiting the Joshua Tree area every year. As a gateway to the national park, money that could be generated by visitors is slipping through our fingers. Tourism is thriving in our community, but so far, very few of us are experiencing any benefits from it. We need to build a long term vision that fully considers how we will take advantage of the opportunities and manage the challenges of being one of the most popular destinations in Southern California.
If we address this growth thoughtfully, it can propel us into a greater level of economic prosperity while preserving the interests and way of life for all our residents. But if we continue to ignore the unavoidable influx of visitors, developers, and opportunities, our locals will be priced out and we will risk losing the very essence of our small-town culture.
3) What is your view on listing Joshua Trees as a threatened species under the California Endangered Species Act?
When I moved here many years ago, the Joshua Trees were protected with ordinances and regulations from the town of Yucca Valley. Permits were required for the removal of any trees, whether they were alive or dead. There was an adoption program where Joshua Trees were relocated from building sites. There was no cost to the developer to move the trees and citizens like myself were able to have them transplanted on to our properties. And there was no cost for the trees, only the fee for relocation from a professional with a tree spade. I still have four large Joshua Trees that were transplanted in my backyard and have been there for 20 years.
Somewhere along the way, the regulations that had been in place are now being ignored. The permit process has been allowed to get sloppy. The adoption program is no longer promoted and advertised even though the town still claims it exists. Joshua Trees are currently being bulldozed ahead of the impending restrictions from the state. If the town’s own ordinances and regulations regarding the protection of he Joshua Tree had been respected and followed as in the past, they probably would have never needed protection from the state. I do not believe that anyone on both sides of this issue wanted to be in the position we are in today.
I believe the study for the endangered species designation should move forward. The fate of the Western Joshua Tree hangs in the balance. With the added negative effects from climate change, we must do all we can to protect our valued, unique, and irreplaceable Joshua Trees.
4) What is your top priority as a council member?
My top priority will be to bring the voices of everyone to the attention of a town council that has been serving only a small subsection of our community. Yucca Valley is growing and changing, whether we like it or not, and we need to ensure everyone has a stake, a place, a voice in shaping its future.
I will work to ensure that the diverse needs and goals of Yucca Valley residents, new and native alike, are balanced in a way that brings a net benefit to all. A strong community is one where we can cut past our differences and get to a firm common ground. From there we can grow together with shared goals. But without a shared understanding and vision, all we’ll have is in-fighting and stagnation that will prevent us from addressing the very real and pressing challenges of our community.
5) If you could change anything (with a magic wand) what’s the one thing you would change about the town/town council?
There are so many things I wish we could improve on in Yucca Valley. A more diverse group of people in local government. High-speed internet for all. Better trash solutions to solve the dumping issue.
But if I had to pick one thing, I’d want to see Yucca Valley have a thriving dining and hospitality industry. This sounds like a simple wish, but I see it as one of the most obvious and beneficial opportunities for our community.
The additional jobs will increase economic opportunities for our residents across the board, from maintenance workers to food truck entrepreneurs. It would give everyone more options to enjoy a nice meal or drink without having to drive “down the hill”, thus keeping more money in our community. Out-of-town visitors would spend money here in Yucca Valley, and help pay for all the wear and tear they put on our infrastructure. Complementary businesses like retail shops will have more traffic from people being out and about town. And all this increased revenue will boost our local economy, which supports our services and programs, fixes our roads, and aids those in need. Everybody wins.
The great news is that we don’t really need a magic wand. We can do this! Yucca Valley can strike a balance between growing our economy and maintaining our small-town lifestyle in a way that benefits us all.
Thank you for your patience in receiving my answers.
TRAVIS PUGLISI
1. Why are you running for election/re-election?
My wife and I began discussing the prospect of running for Town Council sometime around June, although, at that time we were deliberating on which of us would run. We both felt that there was some special historical context guiding our desire to participate.
On the national level the upheaval of the Black Lives Matter movement, the disruption of most American institutions with the onset of the pandemic, and the horrific polarization of political discourse in our country all amounted to alarm being sounded for one of us to take action. On a local level, with 2020 being the first year that Yucca’s District 4 was seeing an election for a new representative it seemed like a unique opportunity to bring a younger perspective to the Council. It seems like an opportune time to break up the homogeneity within the existing leadership. Now that Yucca is broken into districts there is a chance to make the Council more representative as each district has its own unique set of social, economic, and cultural interests.
2. What do you see as the biggest challenge/problem facing Yucca Valley?
The “unprecedented in our lifetime” level of change occurring in our Town and planet as a whole. I choose to view this as a challenge and not a problem. In order to address the challenges of the Modern Era I believe the Town leadership needs to reflect the evolving demographics and diversity of beliefs that exist within the Town. As it stands, the current Town leadership is too homogenous to effectively guide the town into the future during these dynamic times.
I try to view the matter in a somewhat historical context and for me that means breaking up the history of desert inhabitants into four distinct periods.
The Indigenous Period
- Considered to have largely come to an end with the culmination of Spanish exploration in the region
The Pioneer Period
- Late 19th century – 1930’s
The Bridge Community Period
- 1930’s-Early 2000’s
The Modern Era
- 2008 – Present
I believe each of these distinct periods, along with the physical environment, lends in some significant fashion to our identity as a region and a Town. Yucca Valley is a civic entity because it was and continues to be a cultural and economic hub for the region. In order to remain current and forward thinking we must have leadership that understands the historical context of our moment and represents the populations most responsible for dealing with it, working age adults and the young.
For more details on my view of these distinct periods please see my outline below:
The Indigenous Period
- Considered to have largely come to an end with the culmination of Spanish exploration in the region.
The Pioneer Period
- From the late 19th century well into the 1930’s
- Cattlemen, miners, and those seeking a societal fringe in order to cultivate autonomous living.
The Bridge Community Period
- From the late 30’s into the early 2000’s
- Those seeking recovery from illness and war traumas in the 30’s and 40’s
- The Jack Rabbit Homestead phenomenon
- The discovery of the desert by cultural creatives in the 50’s and 60’s
- The considerable influx of conservation minded and civically engaged young professionals and people seeking lifestyle realignment from the 1980s to 2005.
The Modern Era
- Began with the financial collapse of 2008 and extends to the present day.
- The housing crisis disrupted nearly all facets of American society
- Forcing property values that were already significantly lower than state averages even lower
- Creating an environment of opportunity for intense reorganization and diversification of desert culture and the economic landscape
Includes:
Going from thousands of tourists a year to millions
The rise of the short term rental market and it’s impacts on:
- Long term rental costs and accessibility,
- Continuity of local culture and values
- Perceived influence of “outsiders”
Increased awareness of climate and environmental cycles
- Higher temperatures than historical averages
- More destructive fires that have a longer burning season
- Access to adequate and safe drinking water
Intense social and political polarization that has left many feeling frozen and untrustworthy of the “other”
The impact of public health crises
- Homelessness
- Mental illness
- Substance abuse
- Global Pandemics
3. What is your view on listing Joshua trees as a threatened species under the California Endangered Species Act?
This is a matter of intense concern at the moment and not just within the Town of Yucca Valley but for the entire planet. I do not consider this global concern hyperbole, as the American southwest is the ONLY place on the planet that hosts Joshua Tree Woodlands, and thus it is an ecological resource for the planet as a whole.
The process by which the most iconic of our desert flora is, or is not, listed as endangered has effectively put development of a certain scale on pause within Town limits. I support such a pause. I believe that the observation of the natural world imparts the greatest wisdom with which to guide our decisions as a community, both local and global. Humanity, as a whole, has more often than not taken more good from the planet than it has given and I believe that, as a species, it is time for us to assess how much we really need in order to have a quality of life that is equitable, compassionate, and joyous.
I would like to note that I DID sign the petition circulated by the Center for Biological Diversity.
I DO believe that humans HAVE had an impact on the cycles of climate on our planet that requires us to change nearly all of our practices as a civilization.
I DO believe that science is, quite frequently, a positive lens through which to understand our place in the universe.
I DO believe, in many cases, that the individual rights of property owners have primacy over governmental controls. I consider this to be true to the extent that single family homes on parcels under 1.5 acres should largely be exempt from certain government interferences such as trimming or removing a Joshua Tree.
I DO believe that single family homes on parcels greater than 1.5 acres SHOULD be subject to scrutiny on how native plants are treated.
I DO believe that the more land you intend to own, develop, and otherwise steward over, the greater the responsibility is to protect the ecology. More Power = More Responsibility.
I DO NOT believe that there is a significant number of residents living within the Town limits of Yucca Valley that want to murder, mutilate, or remove Joshua Trees without reasonable cause, even if the definition of “reasonable” is subject to vigorous debate.
Perhaps I am optimistic, but I choose to believe that nearly all members of our community hold the plant in the highest regard. That “tree” is part of us.
I DO believe that the economic system under which we all operate promotes major disregard for the value of species other than Homo Profitus speculatus. I DO believe that land developers, operating on non-infill tracts in the High Desert have, do, and will continue to unnecessarily harm Joshua Tree’s.
I DO believe that land developers, operating on non-infill tracts in the High Desert, REQUIRE intense levels of scrutiny, observation, and vetting before, during, and after any processes relating to such developments.
I DO believe that such a process of scrutiny, observation, and vetting should be of reasonable cost, relative to the overall value of the Joshua Tree (which is quite high), such that any revenues generated through the permitting process be a direct financial benefit to Quality of Life related matters in the Town of Yucca Valley. This suggested policy route would amount to revenue for budget line items related to recreation, conservation, and education.
I DO believe that Capital Projects undertaken by the Town of Yucca Valley, local utility providers, state, and federal agencies should also be subjected to levels of intense scrutiny regarding any actions requiring the disturbance of Joshua Trees within the path of proposed projects.
Whether the Joshua Tree is listed as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act or not, my beliefs will largely remain the same. I DO NOT believe that laws and policies of government are required to know what is reasonable or right or good.
Again, perhaps I am optimistic, but I do believe that as a species we naturally have more in common than not and that what we hold in common is our most powerful civic guide. The key, I believe, is to go as far back as necessary in our shared narratives to find what we hold in common.
4. What’s your top priority as a council member?
To fulfill what I have established as my guiding principles as a representative of Yucca Valley’s District 4
1. To maintain or improve the transparency of Town governance
2. To increase the access to and the dissemination of information regarding the workings of Town governance
3. To increase the level of community participation in the processes of Town governance
4. To do my best to represent the values, interests, and concerns of District 4 residents
5. If you could change anything (with a magic wand) what’s the one thing you would change about the town/town council?
Diversification of the representation. The largest single demographic of voting aged adults in the Town of Yucca Valley is 18-54 year olds. 23% of the Town population is of Hispanic Origin and 20% are “non-white.” 50% or more of the population is female. I believe that the more diverse a governing body is the more equitable and able to respond to change it is. I do not believe the current Town Council qualifies as diverse enough to adequately navigate the Town into the future.
Also, do you have a website or FB page? Email or phone number for people to contact you?
Facebook: Travis For Yucca Valley’s District 4 / @Travis4YVDistrict4
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 760-492-5576
