When City Hall Stops Listening, Residents Get Loud - Matthew Malady

A neighbor learns a truck yard is slated for the other side of his fence and decides to do something about it. That’s the spark for a candid, on-the-ground look at how land use decisions get made in Apple Valley—and what everyday residents can do when the process feels tilted.

We sit down with Matthew, a seventh grade teacher whose backyard sits about 30 feet from the proposed 14.8-acre truck and trailer facility at Navajo and Waalu. He walks us through the moment he found out from a neighbor rather than the town, the scramble to decode a mitigated negative declaration, and the immediate worries any family would have: 3 a.m. engine starts, floodlights, traffic at a strained intersection, and the loss of quiet nights. From there, we map the mechanics of civic action—flyers, group chats, yard signs, and a steady drumbeat of three-minute public comments—to show how a small cluster of homes became a connected front.

We also unpack why residents are pushing for a full Environmental Impact Report instead of an MND, and how consistent policy matters when a town that restricted truck parking at homes now considers concentrating hundreds of rigs beside a neighborhood. Along the way, we raise transparency questions around selective notices, late agenda postings, and Measure P’s general fund routing and oversight. This isn’t about outrage for outrage’s sake; it’s a practical guide to reading agendas, understanding the planning commission’s role, spotting red flags, and building momentum without burning out.

If you care about Apple Valley’s future—traffic, air quality, public safety, and honest process—this conversation gives you the playbook to get informed and get involved. Listen, share a timestamp with a neighbor, then join us at the next meeting. Subscribe, leave a review to boost local voices, and tell us: should a project this size move forward without a full EIR?

Transcript

Show Mission And Local Focus

SPEAKER_00 0:23

I'm your host, Scott, and every week we're diving deep into the heart of high desert politics. We're not here for the drama. We're here for the discussion. We'll sit down with people making the rules, from the town manager to council members, and we'll talk directly to our neighbors on the ground about things like water conservation and the health of the Mojave River, the latest on economic development on the I-15 corridor, and how our public safety services are meeting the needs of our growing community. This is where your voice gets heard, your questions get answered, and we will all become a little bit more informed and engaged residents of the High Desert. So whether you're passing behind the iconic Apple Valley Gulf course or waiting for the light on Bear Valley Road, tune in. Let's get the real story. Let's make a difference. The High Desert Insiders starts writing out.

SPEAKER_01 1:16

Hi, well, welcome to the show, Matthew. I I appreciate you coming. How are you doing today?

SPEAKER_02 1:22

I'm doing alright. Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_01 1:24

Yeah, of course, of course. So you, if you understand this right, you uh you've lived up here in the in the Apple Valley area for about a year, but you've basically lived in Southern California for pretty much your whole life, is that correct?

SPEAKER_02 1:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:37

And then uh you you live and work, you live and work in the city of town, sorry, of Apple Valley right now. Uh well up in the high desert at least. Live here.

SPEAKER_02 1:47

Yeah. Work for Victor Valley Union High School District.

SPEAKER_01 1:53

Sweet. You're uh you're a teacher, right? Is that correct?

SPEAKER_02 1:56

Yeah, seventh grade English and history.

SPEAKER_01 1:59

Wow. Well, God bless you.

SPEAKER_02 2:01

That's what everyone always says.

SPEAKER_01 2:04

We've all been there, we're all on the other side of it, so we all understand, right?

The Truck Yard Plan Hits Home

SPEAKER_02 2:08

Indeed.

SPEAKER_01 2:09

So I I met you, Matthew, because you uh you live in the area of this new uh Navajo and Walu truck and trailer facility, and uh and you uh kind of got wrapped up into this into um town politics over it. Is that is that that pretty much sum it up a little bit? Yeah, that's exactly it. So um, and this started what a couple months ago, and we'll talk about the details. Number 7th. Um we found out. Awesome. So uh, and then it's kind of spiraled from there. But um, as far as that, um, we'll start here. So I got a good question for you. Um, so you're living right next to the proposed uh facility, the truck and trailer facility. Can you uh talk about your initial like gut reaction when you first heard about the plan? And what are the like few top few like immediate practical practical, practical, holy cow, concerns you had about the project that'll uh affect your daily life and property?

SPEAKER_02 3:11

Well, honestly, I was in shock when I found out uh for how close it is and how domineering it will be to my property specifically. I also was not notified by the town. I happened to be walking my dog out in the desert here, and luckily one of the neighbors nearby that actually did get notified, he approached me. We had never met before, and he's like, Hey, have you seen this? Uh and I I had not because the town did not notify me. Wow, I'm sure that was intentional, as previously stated. My property will be greatly impacted.

SPEAKER_01 3:59

And you're right next to me.

SPEAKER_02 4:02

What was that?

SPEAKER_01 4:03

Your backyard, like your fence like touches the proposed facility, right? It does, yes.

SPEAKER_02 4:08

And because my lot is triangular, my backyard is extremely shallow. So my bedroom sits barely 30 feet from from that line, you know, the property's edge. I'm worried about sleep. I'm worried about the traffic, I'm worried about the lights. Right now, I have beautiful views across my whole backyard, and all I can think is I'm gonna see a block wall, 426 trailer tops, and parking lot lights. That sounds beautiful, quite depressing.

SPEAKER_01 4:48

I mean, when and to be to be fair, and I'll I'll ask this question, and yeah, you'll see where I'm going with this. But did when you when you bought the house, you know, a year ago, did you did you were you aware of the industrial you know lot zoning right next to you?

SPEAKER_02 5:02

Or I was not. I mean I you know, we don't teach that kind of stuff in schools. I look behind the property and I see a home sitting there. Yep. So your brain doesn't go, oh, it must be industrial right between this neighborhood and this home. You know, it very much took me by surprise.

SPEAKER_01 5:28

Well, I mean, and and let's be honest, even even if you did know, right? I mean, there's a process to this, so you can prevent like major things from being put in there that are not good for the community or or your home, right? I mean, that that's what we're dealing with right now through the city. Yeah, you know, so it's I'm not trying to be like, oh, it's your fault. That's uh 100% not what I'm saying. I'm just trying to understand, you know, and trying to give people an idea that like even if you don't know, that's okay, you know, you can still fight back against this kind of stuff because there is a process. That's kind of what I was getting at there. Yeah. Um, and so when you actually found out about the development, like you kind of briefly mentioned it there with your neighbor, like it wasn't an official notice, right? You didn't find out from like did you you found out from a neighbor, not like social media or anything else, right?

SPEAKER_02 6:18

No, it was from a neighbor who was carrying around the notice that was very selectively sent with mere nine days' notice before the closing of the review period.

SPEAKER_01 6:31

And then, like, from from what I understand and talking with you, you eventually got a notice, but it was only after we started making a stink at the town council. Is that correct? Yes.

SPEAKER_02 6:40

Basically, when we started calling them out on catching them with their hand in the cookie jar and selectively notifying, they realized they had to re-begin this notification process where they doubled down on their own safety and actually sent two notices to everyone this time around. Though they did lessen the area of notification by a significant amount. I think it was about three times smaller than before. Yeah, interesting.

SPEAKER_01 7:17

Yeah, that's because I and I I I gotta admit, I'm not super familiar about the laws, you know, about like who they have to notify, but uh but the the lot next door would would would be unquestionably one to do that.

SPEAKER_02 7:30

Exactly. And so it seems that they mostly notified people on the eastern side of Navajo who would, you know, be the least affected.

SPEAKER_01 7:41

Yeah. Now they started this review. This is the you're talking um mentioning the public comment period, right?

SPEAKER_02 7:50

For the mitigated negative declaration right.

What An MND Really Means

SPEAKER_01 7:54

So, and we'll talk about that very shortly here. But that that process started, and no one no one knew about it. I mean, to my understanding, there was no sign on the property, right? Even no, no, nothing. Yeah, so so that's when they came out with this mitigated negative declaration. I struggle saying it every single time. Uh what it what have you? I mean, I've learned a little bit about this in the process, but what have you learned? And you can tell people like what what is that? And that how is that compared to like an environmental review that they kind of gotta do?

SPEAKER_02 8:28

Well, I'll be honest, that's a term I had never heard before. So I was researching like crazy, and a mitigated negative declaration is essentially stating that the impacts of this project will be so small that we can mitigate them all, and we do not need to do an environmental impact report. It's a skip. Okay. Which for a project of this magnitude just uh seems unethical.

SPEAKER_01 9:01

Yeah, because in reading through that, if I'm not mistaken, there was uh some impacts that they found out in the make mitigated negative declaration, if I'm not mistaken.

SPEAKER_02 9:12

Yeah, if you were to look at all the reports, of course, all the numbers are just slightly below threshold so that it works in their favor. Interesting, which seems very skewed data-wise.

SPEAKER_01 9:27

It is very interesting because it seems like they, like you mentioned earlier, they were just trying, I think they're trying to sneak this by, right? Exactly. And then the I I'll tell you, and I'll mention this in another episode, and I'll be very clear about this for legal purposes. Is I'm not accusing anyone of anything by saying this, I'm just stating facts. All right, is that uh the owner of this property, guy that by the name of Scott Himley owns Weka Incorporated. And I I don't know if we've talked about this before, but for anyone who hasn't, uh, is that he owns this this company who does works on government contracts around the high desert San Bernardino area for water main relocations, uh sewer mains, you know, that kind of stuff, right? And uh he's never done anything like this facility ever in his uh in at least public knowledge that you could research and find out. But the it is interesting that he owns this property, and he'd have to get approval for this for the from the environmental review or MND, the negative declaration by the town council, who, mind you, Scott Nassif, the mayor, um, is on the Victor Valley Wastewater Reduction Authority, I think is what it is. And basically every you know, head of every town or city in the high desert is part of this. And uh, and what do they do? They work on sewer mains, water mains, all that kind of stuff. So it's just an interesting uh connection, you know?

SPEAKER_02 10:55

That is an interesting connection that I was unaware of.

SPEAKER_01 10:58

Yeah, so I'm not I'm not saying that they're doing anything illegal or unethical, but it is just an interesting connection, just to be clear. Yeah, so um I it is just weird. The whole thing is weird, and I don't know why they're doing it. And I I tell you, I talked to a friend of mine who works with or has worked with Scott Himley, he's also a construction guy up here who will remain unnamed to protect us his image, I guess. He basically said that Scott Himley doesn't care about um any of this. He doesn't care that the public doesn't want it, he's gonna do it anyways, because that's his lot. Like, wow.

SPEAKER_02 11:33

Oh, yeah. When I first found out, I emailed him and uh didn't get a response until we started catching waves on social media, and uh basically he replied saying, Yeah, I don't care. I'm gonna do whatever I want.

Organizing Neighbors Into Action

SPEAKER_01 11:49

I get it, right? It's it's his property, you know. I'm very much um I don't know if you call it like American in that. I'll stick away from political terms, but you know, it's his property, do what you want, but you still have to go through the process, right? Because his property is going to affect people's like your property in a potentially negative way. Um and so be well, so basically, since the the news broke of this whole thing and you guys figured out we're gonna started going through all of this. How do you think, uh, how have you seen the neighborhood and community or uh you know perhaps like rally or struggle to organize a response? How do you think that has happened and kind of what's been your role in that effort?

SPEAKER_02 12:31

So, luckily, the week we found out, I happened to be on fall break in between quarters. I had the entire week. I was researching like crazy. I created a flyer, uh, printed them out, put them in envelopes, went around to everyone's mailboxes, uh, put my phone number on there, saying that we could get a group chat going. My neighbor across the street and I made some flyers about the town council meeting and planning meeting, and went around and talked to as many people as we could. Uh, really been kind of a rallyman in this, which I've never done before. It's all very new. But it was effective because we've we've got a group chat going, we've organized together, we've got signage posted in everyone's yard along Navajo, you know, uniting us in opposing this facility. It's been interesting.

Public Comment Limits And Pushback

SPEAKER_01 13:35

Yep. Yeah, yeah. I mean, I and for all fairness to people listening, I I I did get on the group chat, I don't know, after the first second planning council meeting. I don't know, somewhere in the in the beginning, but not the very it was pretty early on. Yeah, and and so um I would say so with with that, right, and and going to the council meetings, planning council or planning commission meetings, what uh what steps have you taken personally to like engage directly with the council members or or planning department?

SPEAKER_02 14:06

Um and well, I'm ever since finding out I've been making a public comment at every single meeting that has occurred for both town council and planning.

SPEAKER_01 14:18

And I and then and just so everyone is aware, right? Because a lot of this I've learned through this whole process, right? Because I was not involved in town politics, is that it is that you were ever there's a town, there's a pub like a what do they call it, public comments at every council meeting or planning commission meeting where you every member gets three minutes to talk. You can say whatever you want for three minutes, you know, at every meeting. But unless the and and this is a contentious topic, unless it's on the agenda, the council members can't talk about it because they claim it's the Brown Act, which is a whole nother topic. But yeah, um, so you can go and say anything, and that's what we've been doing, and you've been there more often than I have, but uh anyone can do that. So for the people listening, if you want to tell them something, then please go and talk and attend the meeting, even though they're ridiculously long. But yeah. Um, so in your experience, do you feel there is like a genuine two-way dialogue going on right now between like this the residents and the town council or the planning commission, or do you feel your concerns are just being heard and documented and thrown away, kind of the latter.

SPEAKER_02 15:33

There is no discourse, there is no conversation. In fact, at uh the last planning meeting, they essentially told us, um We're assuming you're all here to talk about what you've been talking about. So maybe one of you speaks and the rest of you can raise your hand. What? Rather than everyone taking their three minutes. Are you serious? Of course, we didn't go for that. Yes, that was actually said is is on recording.

SPEAKER_01 16:06

Wow, yeah, I wasn't at that one.

SPEAKER_02 16:08

It was quite offensive. It was like, we we don't want to hear you anymore, we're tired of it.

SPEAKER_01 16:13

Wow. How like that's I don't know how how is that legal, but like you I don't care. Yeah, this is our public comments. You can go, I don't know, I'll be nice.

SPEAKER_02 16:24

But the mayor had made a similar comment in a previous council meeting as well, you know, about you know, until this is on the agenda, we can't really talk about it, so you guys, you might as well just go away. Yeah, again, we're not going for it.

SPEAKER_01 16:41

Yep, yeah, and that's been like every meeting, right? Because I've I've been at the last couple town council meetings, right? And they say that every time, well, I'm sorry you can't, you know, just a reminder, even like last one, it was even before we started speaking. Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 16:56

They they knew already out of sight, out of mind, so we're gonna stay in sight, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:02

And that's what I've been telling, is like we're gonna show up no matter what, you know. Um exactly. And I and I to be honest, I was gonna get some some uh sound clips of that meeting from uh November 18th, but so you know, conveniently their website isn't playing any videos right now, so yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:19

Wouldn't you know the first moment where the Voice of Apple Valley page posted my speech and it started to catch traction? All of a sudden the videos became unavailable. Then I made a post on Facebook calling that out, and wouldn't you know, a day or so later the videos came back. Interesting.

Conflicts, Connections, And Transparency

SPEAKER_01 17:47

Yeah, it it honestly it seems like like they were completely and utterly caught off guard, you know, that oh yeah, that they have never other than the uh the gas station down at Walu and Central that uh was proposed uh about a year ago or so, which like filled up that room, by the way. And uh I don't know if you were there for that, but yeah, that I was not that was uh even they at the and that was the planning commission meeting, and they were like, We've never seen this before. And they tried to limit us to two minutes, and that just that did not go well. But oh wow, um so I think they were completely surprised by the reaction, and I think that's why they were trying to hide it, you know, because they knew it wasn't gonna be popular because there's there's you and I think you know this because you've been you're you're knowledgeable about everything more so than I am, that there's a facility exactly like this north of the airport that is not full and has like a significant amount of openings that people could use, but yeah, we're still building another one. Yeah, you're right. So it makes no sense. But it in in the end, like what I'll ask you this. What would you consider a and I'm pretty sure sure I know the answer, but I'll I'll ask this. What would you can consider a like a win for you and your family? Would it be like stopping the facility entirely, like negotiating like I'll stop you right there, stopping it entirely?

SPEAKER_02 19:14

It just does not belong here. There's families living here, right next to 426 trucks and trailers. How is that okay? Yeah. At the last council meeting, the mayor himself stated, you know, it was such an issue waking up residents with starting engines at 3 a.m. and disrupting their life and sleep, that we had to protect them and not allow trucks to be parked at home anymore. And all I can think about as of late is okay, so why do we up here in Navajo and Walu not matter? Why are we not warranted that same protection? And at the same time, why do you think it's okay to amplify it by 400%? Yep. I can't stop thinking about that.

SPEAKER_01 20:13

Yeah, and I mean, and I'll say this, right? Is that it's it's a hard, it's a tough situation, right? Because yes, they do own that property. It is zoned industrial, so yes, they to an extent can do what they want with it, but you know, I don't think the environmental aspect of it is is okay for there. And so it it it I think in the end, right, it is really what it really boils down to, what can we fight back against on this? You know, unfortunately, we can't say like we don't want it, even though it's the truth. I think it's a terrible for that spot.

SPEAKER_02 20:43

But we actually right now the big push is they at least need to follow the proper leader legal protocols and do that complete environmental impact report. Anything less than that is just not okay for something so massive. We're talking 14.8 acres, yeah, right here, directly next to an existing residence, uh neighborhood, and you know, yeah, cutting off that home behind my property from our neighborhood, literally dividing this community, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:24

Yeah, I mean it's it's it's uh it's really bad. And yes, the EIR, the environmental impact review is needed, and and I think I don't I don't know, like I didn't realize this, but I learned a lot as well is that how much do those things cost, and that's why they don't want to do them. But it's like millions of dollars.

SPEAKER_02 21:41

That's unethical to be risking people's lives and safety and health because I don't want to spend the money. Yep.

Health, Sleep, And Property Impacts

SPEAKER_01 21:51

Oh, 100%. I agree with you. And and because it's going to impact your health, it's gonna impact your neighbor's health, your kids' health, all that stuff, you know, if it if it goes in, right? And so it's really unfortunate. Um, so moving like moving forward with this, we kind of know where we're trying to go with the truck and trailer facility. You know, this thing ends right either way, right? Goes either direction. Are you do you see yourself um still being a part of like Apple Valley town politics and meetings and stuff like that?

SPEAKER_02 22:24

Yeah, you know, I feel like I've been dragged into a world that I don't have a way out of now that my eyes have kind of been opened to the way that this town has been operated. I keep telling people, you know, like I feel like no matter what the outcome of this, this is my new thing, I guess. Going to town council meetings and making comments when I feel necessary or speaking on agenda items, even far beyond this topic. I they've definitely pulled me into that civic engagement.

SPEAKER_01 22:57

Yep, Matthew. I'm sorry, I know you're a lot younger than I am, but we're we're those old guys now.

SPEAKER_02 23:04

Hey, I feel it in my body. That's true.

SPEAKER_01 23:08

Um, so I'll I'll ask you this on a on a separate topic with that in the town, and uh, and then I have one last question for you. What are your thoughts on Measure P? And and for that for those who aren't aware, Measure P was a sales tax. We've talked about it with a couple other people that was said it was gonna provide for more deputies and be uh penny for penny for police, is what it was. So, and it passed like a year ago.

SPEAKER_02 23:35

I don't know too much about this, I'm still learning about that, but it was interesting to find that the Measure P money is just thrown into the general fund.

SPEAKER_01 23:46

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 23:47

Again, I'm not too knowledgeable on this, but that caught me. I was like, that's kind of interesting. And I know as far as like schools go, you know, that would be a completely separate budget and its own pool.

SPEAKER_01 24:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:04

So to have it not be that is interesting.

unknown 24:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:10

Also how that money is being spent, you know. I'm still learning about this, though.

SPEAKER_01 24:15

Yeah, and that the fact that they're supposed to be, I'm I'm still learning as well, an oversight committee to help govern that, because I know that was a huge problem because they had measure O in 2020 that was similar that did not pass. And I think that's why they included things like an oversight committee, but they've only had one meeting of the oversight committee.

SPEAKER_02 24:32

I was about to say that apparently they've only met once and they've all been sworn to secrecy.

SPEAKER_01 24:37

Yeah, yeah. So lack of transparency, lack of you know, anything. And even exactly the other part of that is I I'm sure, I'm sure you saw the messages between uh David and uh council member Kara Leon on Facebook. Yes, where they basically admitted that their revenue coming in from the city is lower than what they're spending, and they're replacing that money with money from the general funds, which is where measure P is going. So it's all balanced now, even though it's a deficit. And I was like, wow. Interesting, right? So it's like yeah, and and that money is gonna run out because they've been doing that since 2016, here in like two years. And so they're gonna have they're gonna have to make another measure, I'm sure. But any any thoughts on that?

Why An EIR Is Non‑Negotiable

SPEAKER_02 25:28

Uh like I said, I'm not too knowledgeable on this right now, but definitely doesn't seem like good practice to be relying on a safety net that is depleting and will be gone within the next few years. Where does that leave the town?

SPEAKER_01 25:45

Yep. So and I'll and I'll I'll ask you this, right? Is that the I'm kind of curious, what are your thoughts on the current town council and their and their members and the way forward uh as we progress through this and other issues as a town?

SPEAKER_02 26:05

Well, I think the current council is quite complacent as they have been doing their own thing unchallenged for so long. And it seems like it is time for the people to make their voice known. It's time to perhaps get new blood in there. I like that we're seeing Ted running because most of this, as I've come to learn, is they run unopposed year after year. Yep. Which doesn't get us anywhere.

SPEAKER_01 26:34

Yeah, yeah, and a lot of people they they don't, and that's the problem. And while one reason why, I mean, we've talked about this. One reason I I wanted to start doing this is to help people understand what's going on, and because most people go to the elections and just vote, oh yeah, I'm sure they that's the care of the own, right? She's been there forever, she's probably good. Yes, yeah, going with that name that you know, you know, yeah, and has no idea that well there's these people have been on for an average of what, like 16 years each, something ridiculous. Yeah, it's crazy.

SPEAKER_02 27:05

Oh, but you know, I think it's most of us just get swept up in our lives. You you wake up, you go to work, you come home, you go for your home life responsibilities, make dinner, and then you're like, all right, I gotta go to bed and go back. And you know, I'll say all this researching, all this getting involved, it's it's almost felt like a second job right now. You know, so we just gotta get more people willing to make that sacrifice, I suppose, of their time and spread that awareness because you know, I can say this my neighborhood was not very connected, but man, we are all united now. We wave at each other all the time, honk as we drive by, you know. We need more community building here in the town. Maybe that's what they were trying to do.

Staying Engaged Beyond One Fight

SPEAKER_01 28:00

Yeah, uh, I mean, it's it's you know, and that's how things go, right? Is it it sometimes it takes a bad thing to bring the community together, unfortunately. You know, you know, you never want that to happen, but at least it's happening, right? And exactly. And so I I really hope that that we can stop this thing and prevent any, you know, prevent it from happening. We've done that before in this area with like that gas station, you know, and I only hope we can do that again. It we exactly do you have you heard at all when it's actually going to be on any agenda item?

SPEAKER_02 28:32

Nope. Um still checking as soon as the agendas pop up for the council meetings and the planning meetings, but you know, they like to throw it up like the day of or the day before so that you don't have time to prepare. Yeah, but uh the newest planning agenda is up for the upcoming meeting on the third, and it's not on there yet. Interesting.

SPEAKER_01 28:59

Because from what I've seen, it right, it usually right it shows up in the planning commission meeting the month before it shows up on the town council. Is that kind of what you've seen in general? I believe so, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 29:11

Okay, well, planning had mentioned themselves that not everything comes to them, so yeah, and they're they're just a recommendation, like a recommending body, right?

SPEAKER_01 29:22

Is that what I understand them?

SPEAKER_02 29:23

You you might know better, but from what I understand, they are supposed to be the ones looking out for the people. They are supposed to be our first line of defense. But it's interesting that they are all appointed by a council member.

Measure P And Oversight Concerns

SPEAKER_01 29:44

Yeah. Interesting. Huh. Yeah, they I don't see them as that, but I mean we we've had a couple conversations after the planning commission meetings with some of them, and they seem like decent guys. At least outside of the Planning Commission, but it's like something switches when they start getting in their official role. It's very odd, and I don't know how to describe it. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 30:09

I completely agree with that statement.

SPEAKER_01 30:12

But we'll we'll see what happens. Um if so, what are what are your final thoughts or or things you would say to people listening right now um who maybe want to get involved, want to take a part in town politics or or in these issues, um, but maybe haven't so far for whatever reason. What what would what would you say to them?

SPEAKER_02 30:33

You know, I am gonna keep posting every time there's a new date for a meeting on Facebook and wherever I can. To spread that awareness and you want to get involved, come to the meetings. You it's new, you're nervous, you don't have to speak. Come there, make your face numb, your presence. Maybe you'll get comfortable enough over time to start speaking up. But that's what we need. We need people to get involved by attending these meetings and seeing the way this town operates.

SPEAKER_01 31:13

Yeah, I agree 100%. We need to fill up those seats because there's probably what 100-150 seats in there, and maybe I mean now they're more full than they were, but we only put like 30 people in there, and there's like 10 people that work for the city in there.

unknown 31:29

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:31

So uh, well, if you do you have anything else you would like to say to people, uh anything at all, you know, feel free to uh anyone listening here in the high desert.

SPEAKER_02 31:43

You know, to everyone out there, I I feel like it's time for us to stand up for ourselves, to to not be complacent anymore, and to make our voices known. And if we do that together, that's how we build the better way of life that this town promised us. We gotta make it happen.

SPEAKER_01 32:07

Yes. Amen to that. Amen. The only way that we have a successful community is if the community as a whole is involved. 100%. Exactly. Well, I uh I appreciate coming on, Matthew, and talking uh talking about this uh this very relevant issue right now, and we can only hope that things get better. The next town council meeting uh is December 9th, as far as I understand it. I believe so, yes.

SPEAKER_02 32:32

So if people are not officially on the calendar yet, though.

Council Culture And Need For Change

SPEAKER_01 32:36

No, and I don't know why, but it's weird because the the planning commission is on there. So uh but if if people are interested, keep an eye on the calendar. I'll put the link to the uh the calendar on the in the description of this show so people can keep an eye out and go to that. I highly recommend you go, like Matthew said. Don't speak if you don't want to, but at least be there and and listen to what's going on in the city. So um thank you, Matthew. I I I truly appreciate it and uh love to have you back when uh when we see what happens here and see if things progress, if that's all right with you. Yeah, that sounds great. Thanks for having me. Awesome. I appreciate Matthew. And that wraps up another episode of High Desert Insiders. We wanted to thank Matthew for joining us today and shedding light on the uh topic of that Walu and uh Navajo truck and trailer facility and the issues that he is facing. Remember that just like uh Matthew, your involvement is what makes Apple Valley thrive. So don't let the conversation end here. You can find all the resources we've discussed, including links to the town council agenda and how to find and reach your local representatives uh at links below in the description. We love hearing what's on your mind, so go ahead and use the link below to text us questions, ideas for future topics, or feedback. Uh, we might even use your comment or talk about your topic on the next show. So thank you so much for spending time with us, staying informed, and being an high desert insider. Join us next week as we tackle another issue about the high desert and problems that we're having up here and how we can fix them as informed residents. Until then, be informed, be involved, and have a great week.