Finally, after six months of meetings, workshops, discussions, and public comment, the Yucca Valley Town Council passed its $9.1 million budget at its meeting last night. But the seemingly routine agenda item did not pass unanimously. Managing editor Tami Roleff tells us who voted against it and why…
The Yucca Valley Town council passed its budget 4-to-1 last night. Council member Bob Leone explains why he voted against the budget. “Because a lot of the car allowances that are given to people that are making six-figure salaries, that live in town, that’s $6,000 a year, for five of the top employees.” Leone also questioned the salary of Town Manager Mark Nuaimi. Council member Dawn Rowe refuted Leone’s assertion that Nuaimi’s salary is too high. “His total compensation, when you add everything in, comes to just under $300,000. Previous town managers, like our last outgoing one, his total compensation was right at $330,000. So the council that hired Mark with that contract did so with the intent to lower the previous town council’s decision, which Council Member Leone was a part of those decisions in the years past.” In other business, the council passed a resolution supporting a state bill that outlaws the trapping of bobcats in areas surrounding Joshua Tree National Park, and one requesting that the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan hold meetings in the Morongo Basin.
YUCCA VALLEY TOWN COUNCIL PASSES TOWN BUDGET, LEONE LONE DISSENTING VOTE
