Feb. LVEDA: Packed house for Malone, Derry

By KRIS REILLY, Editor

A larger-than-normal crowd packed the Senior Center in Lucerne Valley last week for the February meeting of the Lucerne Valley Economic Development Association.

The main speaker was Tony Malone, a longtime Lucerne Valley resident and Victor Valley College renewable energy instructor. Malone gave an informative talk about using renewable energy in the home and making modifications for energy efficiency.

The Leader visited Malone’s Lucerne Valley home last week for a feature story that will appear in the Feb. 22 issue, detailing some of the strategies Malone has used to power his home without hooking up to a utility company’s grid.

DERRY DISCUSSES FIRE FEE: San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor Neil Derry attended the meeting and briefly introduced himself to the audience. He also chimed in on a few topics, including the fire prevention fee that the state will assess to local homeowners living south of highways 18 and 247.

Derry reiterated what he told the audience at last month’s Municipal Advisory Council meeting (covered in the Feb. 1 Leader): The fee has been approved by the state, and the bills are expected to arrive by June. The state may send two bills at once to cover two years.

Derry advised residents to pay the bill and then contact his office or the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and join the class action lawsuit against the fee.

SCHOOLS UPDATE: Lucerne Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees member Jim Harvey shared some “good news and bad news” about the district’s finances.

Harvey said a recent audit showed a surplus of about $400,000. However, Harvey said that cutbacks threatened by the state may require the district to cut an additional $250,000 from its budget.

Harvey also said that the board was considering having more meetings at school sites in the future, and possibly having a meeting in Johnson Valley. The board meets tonight at 5:30 p.m. at its regular location at 8560 Aliento Road.

NEW DETECTIVE: Jeff Toll introduced himself as the new detective assigned to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Lucerne Valley substation.

Toll takes over for Detective William Badger, who was recently transferred to Adelanto.