Last week, District III Navajo County Supervisor Jason Whiting promised he would attend Snowflake Town Council meetings at least twice a year to bring information and share partnerships with council members.

“I can come prepared to speak about things you care about,” Whiting told the council April 14.

He showed the video We are Navajo County to demonstrate some of the partnerships the county has with its communities and citizens. The video can be viewed on the county website.

Whiting sits on the Legislative Policy Committee and is the board member involved in what is going on at the legislature, specifically as it relates to Navajo County. He invited council members to reach out to him if they have specific concerns.

“I advocate on behalf of the county,” he said, noting that he meets often with the District 5 state representatives and feels that if they have something that has an impact on county residents, he has an opportunity to give input or insight.

Whiting also gave an update on the Apache Railway, which has been ongoing for some time. “It is a high priority for me, and I know for the county, as well as Snowflake,” he said. “There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s kind of a volatile situation right now.”

“Advocacy and partnership with a number of stakeholders is ongoing in the effort to find a long-term solution for the retention and future growth of the Apache Railroad. It is critical for stakeholders to identify a sustainable, long term funding mechanism for the railroad in a timely manner. A number of options are currently being worked on with the State of Arizona Department of Housing and Arizona Commerce Authority, as well as the Federal Railway Administration and the Department of Transportation. The railroad is operating at a profit, and adds significant value to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) and Pigs For Farmer John’s (PFFJ) by way of service,” according to an information sheet distributed by Whiting.

He noted that businesses are coming to the area, and the railway is a positive for most of those businesses.