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Does the Town of Yucca Valley
want to "take over" the Hi-Desert Water District? |
Sure looks that
way!
The August 28,
2008, Town Council Minutes record that "Stanley R. Hoffman Associates gave
a power point presentation and advised
the Yucca Mesa area follows the water district boundary, so if the Town
wanted to
combine the Water District under its authority there is a requirement to have
property in its
sphere, which is the rationale for the boundaries changes. He noted the
sphere is not going
into Joshua Tree. The Town is currently providing services to the people in the
area."
In the same
Council Minutes, "Deputy Town Manager Stueckle advised that staff has been
working with LAFCO staff throughout the process and the Executive Director has
indicated concurrence that the proposed
boundaries make sense."
Again, in the same Council
Minutes, Stanley R. Hoffman Associates includes in the Municipal Services
Review report, "While the Town has considered the possibility of
becoming the governing body of the Hi-Desert Water District, for this
study, it is assumed to remain as an independent district and no fiscal
impacts are anticipated on the Town of Yucca Valley’s General
Fund."
In Hi-Desert
Star's February 28, 2009, issue, they report:
"MAYOR
HIRED BY WATER DISTRICT
The 2009 mayor
of Yucca Valley, Frank Luckino, has been hired as Hi-Desert Water District's
chief financial officer.
Water District
General Manager Ed Musik announced Luckino's hiring Friday, stating, "The
district sought to find an individual with a combination of financial
experience and management skills, who understand the needs of the
district."
Muzik said the
successful CFO had to be able to manage the district's finances while helping
with the financing of the wastewater treatment and water reclamation
project."
The above report from
Hi-Desert Star is revealing. Should the Town take over the Water District,
the Water Board of Directors would be replaced by the Yucca Valley Town
Council. This means Mayor Frank Luckino would be the President and Chief
Financial Officer of the Municipal Water District.
Now the question is: Does the
Hi-Desert Water District Board want the Town of Yucca Valley to take them
over?
When polled, most residents of Yucca Mesa and Yucca Valley
responded they did not want the Town to take over the Water
District. They reasoned that they thought the Town Council and Staff
were doing a poor job of managing the Town and did not need the additional
responsibility of a municipal water district. Most residents opined
that the Hi-Desert Water District was doing a good job of providing water
to their homes and businesses.
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