The Yucca Valley Town Council passed a $9.4 million budget last night. Managing Editor Tami Roleff was at the busy meeting and files this report on the Council’s actions…..
After recognizing Sue Earnest as the Town’s full-time Employee of the Year, and Chelsea Shirley as the part-time employee of the year, the Yucca Valley Town Council got down to business last night. When Yucca Valley resident and Town Council candidate Ron Cohen suggested the Town could pare an additional $400,000 from the budget, Council Member Dawn Rowe disagreed. “Town staff has already cut the number of employees to the bone, as well as the budget, and if there had been another way to cut the budget further, they would have brought it to our attention.” The Council then passed its $9.4 million budget. The Council also accepted a bid for the Safe Route to Schools project, which will install sidewalks, curbs, and gutters on the west side of Sage Avenue from Highway 62 to the Yucca Valley High School, and replace the radar speed signs at Yucca Valley and Onaga Elementary, and La Contenta Middle Schools for $274,000; and for an additional $89,000, add sidewalks, curbs, and gutters on the east side of Sage Avenue from Onaga Trail to Pueblo Trail. The Council asked staff to put out for a separate bid the project to install a flashing light and crosswalk at Pueblo Trail and Sage Avenue, in the hopes of saving $40,000. There was no reportable action from the closed session meeting about naming a new Town Manager.
