UPDATE May 6, 5 p.m.
The Town of Yucca Valley released this statement: At this point, the fireworks event is not cancelled. Rather, the Town is evaluating all options on the celebration and ensuring any event that is presented is consistent with the direction from the State and County Health Officers. The Town Council has not cancelled the event. It will be dependent on the direction of the State/County with respect to mass gatherings
Tuesday’s meeting of the Yucca Valley Town Council began with the council members wearing sporty BMX shirts with the Yucca Valley logo on the front, and their names on the back. The shirts were courtesy of Mayor Jeff Drozd, who is a big supporter of the BMX track in Yucca Valley. The council learned that due to the COVID-19 outbreak, field operations for the 2020 census have been temporarily suspended. It’s hoped that census operations can resume June 1. Due to the temporary suspension, the Census Bureau is asking Congress to give it an extra 120 days to deliver the final counts. Managing editor Tami Roleff says the council made a couple of big decisions that will affect trash and the town’s summer programs…
The Yucca Valley Town Council approved a new contract yesterday with Burrtec for solid waste and recycling services that was years in the making. While fees for trash pick-up will not increase, the way payment is collected will. All residential property owners will have their trash bills placed on their property taxes. The council learned yesterday that 20 to 25 percent of residential households in the town do not have trash pick-up, despite being a town requirement.The town hopes this new method of payment will bring all households into compliance with trash service and reduce illegal dumping in the town.
In other business, the first three concerts in the park will be cancelled; the town will know within the next few months if the last three concerts will also be cancelled.
Sheriff’s Captain Lucas Niles said that it would be difficult for law enforcement if the town held large-scale events like the fireworks or concerts, since the Morongo Basin Sheriff’s station relies on its Citizens on Patrol and volunteers to help at these events. Most of the volunteers are senior citizens, and in the group most at risk, and therefore would not be able to help at the events.
In addition, the town’s aquatics program will be greatly cut back, if classes are held at all. Classes for new and inexperienced swimmers will be cancelled, although the town hopes to still hold lap swim and classes for more experienced swimmers, and water aerobics.
A determination on which enrichment classes can be held will be made on a case-by-case basis. The town will require a minimum number of participants for the class to be held, but it must also restrict the number of participants to ensure proper social distancing.
The Yucca Valley Senior Center and its lunch program will most likely be last on the list to reopen.
The Hi-Desert Nature Museum has postponed all its children’s interactive activities and exhibits to next year. Exhibits in the museum for the remainder of the year will be visual only.
County Fire Battalion Chief Mike McClintock told the council that of the 600 firefighters in the county, only four have tested positive, and none of the firefighters in the Morongo Basin have tested positive for COVID-19. He attributes that low number to the fact that firefighters have been wearing personal protective equipment since early March.
Town Manager Curtis Yakimow told the council that according to Karen Faulis, the CEO at Hi-Desert Medical Center, the hospital is ready and able to treat residents who test positive for COVID-19. However, the outbreak has had a deleterious effect on the hospital as well; it has 59 beds, but only six patients.
In related news, Yakimow said 230 Morongo Basin residents were tested at the COVID-19 testing event at Copper Mountain College two weeks ago, but only 12 tested positive for the virus. Only people who had one of three symptoms—coughing, fever, or shortness of breath—were tested for COVID-19. Yucca Valley is working with the county to bring a testing event to the town in the near future.
