Ashburn boosts casino project

Ashburn pushes Barstow casino hearing

During debate about unrelated casino compacts on the state Senate floor on Thursday, June 28, Senator Roy Ashburn, R-Bakersfield, stood up to address the stalled Big Lagoon-Los Coyotes Barstow casino project.

“There are Native Americans in two parts of California that seem to be invisible, the Los Coyotes members and the members of the Big Lagoon tribe,” Ashburn said, according to a press release. “They have a compact that they negotiated with the Governor, yet we don’t even have a hearing. These are Native Americans who are receiving none of the benefits for a proposed casino that is located in probably the most ideal location in all of California for a casino.”

The compacts have been held up in Senate committees for months. Environmental groups worry that further delay will prompt the Big Lagoon tribe to begin construction of a casino on their reservation, an environmentally fragile area in northern California.

Council to discuss wastewater, shuffling city offices

At the 7:30 p.m. meeting on Monday, July 2, the City Council will vote on a proposals to relocate several department offices, purchase new furniture and upgrade the wireless network for the city’s modular office space. The council will also consider a contract with Zenon Membrane Solutions to provide filters for the wastewater-upgrade project.

Prior to the council meeting, the Redevelopment Agency will meet at 7 p.m., and a joint closed session of the City Council and the Redevelopment Agency will be held at 3 p.m.

Hospital land closes escrow

Land for Barstow Community Hospital’s planned new facility closed escrow on Thursday, June 28. The land, about 20 acres across the street from the current hospital, was previously owned by the city.

Hospital CEO Randall Hempling said plans are moving ahead as fast as possible. Plans will be submitted to the state within 10 months, he said. It may take as long as two years to get approval at the state level. After that step, Hempling said, construction will begin.

The new facility must be complete before 2012, according to a contract with the city.

Report blames Postmus for discord among supervisors

A report released by the grand jury Friday, June 29, describes discord among the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors last year and puts the blame on former board chairman Bill Postmus.

The report states that there was a continuing failure of cooperation, trust and communication among the supervisors.

County Assessor Postmus served as 1st District supervisor for six years. He was elected assessor last November.

The grand jury found no apparent illegal activity, but it stated that Postmus took no action to defuse or resolve the dysfunctional operation of the board and that as the leader it was his responsibility to do so.

“Bill Postmus is very proud of his record and service to the people of the 1st District,” said Assistant Assessor Adam Aleman. “His goal has always been to do what’s best for his constituents.”

Aleman said that he hadn’t yet seen the full grand jury report and couldn’t review the report in question.

The report on the supervisors concludes by stating that the present Board of Supervisors — despite differences of opinion that may arise on county matters — appears to be functioning as a cohesive unit of county government.