I’ve been critical of the Town of Apple Valley’s plan regarding the takeover of the water company, in part because I thought they would never be able to run it as efficiently as Liberty Utilities. Their previously-stated plan to fire the upper management and replace them with more expensive (and less qualified) government employees seemed just part of the insanity.
These water well costs for Horsemen’s Center, and the Mud Run that followed, really got me thinking. As Al Rice knows, there is an issue that has stuck in my craw for some time. After hearing complaints from others, I long ago started to look at the non-profit situation in the High Desert. These recent issues above fall right into this category.
The good news is Doug Robertson reduced Apple Valley employee compensation by eliminating high level jobs in the amount of $1,139,151 (annually).
As the red flags keep flying higher on the Town of Apple Valley finances, I thought it was time to put some historical context to how we have arrived where we are today, and feel free to speak up if you spot any errors, omissions, or mischaracterizations.
I’m not sure which of the above categories the Daily Press/Apple Valley Review falls into. You all saw the articles by Angela Valles and Mayor Art Bishop’s response to her. One has to wonder what these columns are? If they are merely opinion, then, of course, they do not have to validate what they are saying. That would certainly explain why Mr. Bishop took extreme liberties in his writing.
Town Manager Doug Robertson admits his “experience” in Apple Valley is limited to seven months in office, and it is apparent from his Valley Voices opinion piece (“Water system control crucial for Apple Valley,” Doug Robertson, July 29, 2018) that his knowledge about the eminent domain case is nothing more than a retread of prior false statements fed to the population of Apple Valley by Town Hall and its attorneys. Mr. Robertson has no facts to support his position. Given the fiscal irresponsibility of the Town over the last five years (deficit spending, draining reserves to zero, and now having to obtain credit to survive), the only “crucial” element of the desired water takeover is that Town Hall gets its hands on the water company revenues to avoid insolvency!
Last week we talked about how I believe District Attorney-elect Jason Anderson should investigate the credit card transactions and travel expenses of the Apple Valley Town Council. This is part two in the series.
Last week I said it was time for new San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson to investigate the Apple Valley Town Council and examine their credit card purchases and travel expenses. This is the first in a series of columns examining what I believe are criminal and/or unethical acts by members of the council.
It is official: The Apple Valley “Block of Five” Town Council not only accrued a $2.5 million budget shortfall, but it has also burned through our entire emergency reserve fund which was confirmed in an email exchange with Doug Robertson, our newly hired town manager tasked with cleaning up the Council’s mess.
A Hollywood movie franchise called “The Purge” takes place in a futuristic dystopian America. Each year during a 12-hour annual purge, all crime is legal, including murder.
But this horror movies isn’t as scary as real life here in San Bernardino County and our Town of Apple Valley where it seems we operate under a 24/7/365 purge of sorts thanks to our do-nothing county sheriff, county supervisor, and Town Council.