“There are seasons in life, and the Jayne family is moving into a new season,” Navajo County Manager James Jayne announced during the June 13 meeting of the Board of Supervisors.
Jayne will resign his position as of Aug. 4, and will be taking a position as special initiatives director in the office of the county manager in Coconino County.
He has served 14 years with Navajo County and expressed his gratitude for the opportunities he has been afforded in the organization. “I have a tremendous amount of gratitude for Navajo County and the residents it serves, and the privilege that I was able to serve with a remarkable group of public service professionals who continue to strive everyday to serve the public interest,” he said.
Jayne recommended Assistant County Manager Bryan Layton to serve as acting county manager until a permanent replacement is named by the board.
Board members had accolades for Jayne, thanking him for his service to the county. Jayne’s final meeting with the board will be July 25.
The consent agenda was approved by the board, including an agreement between the Navajo County Recorder and the Town of Pinetop-Lakeside to conduct district elections for a span of four years; and an application for an extension of premises/patio permit for Wild Women Saloon and Grill, located at 2381 Highway 260 in Heber.
Other business included the approval of all properties sold as auctioned on the back tax land online auction for a total of $104,944.78.
The board also approved an award of contract for annual newspaper and advertising to the White Mountain Publishing Company as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder at $3.29 per column inch.
The Navajo County Public Health Services District meeting was also held with the consent agenda passing as written. Action items included delegation between the Arizona Department of Health Services and the county in food safety, sanitation and smoke free Arizona initiative.
Probation department representatives asked the board to approve a $2,900 grant match to supplement a $15,434 grant awarded by the Arizona Supreme Court to continue counseling services for incarcerated juveniles and those that will be attending the Foundations School.
All were approved as written.
The board approved an agreement with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Navajo Region, Chinle Agency for the purchase of AB Class 2 paving materials in an amount not to exceed $98,000 to pave 1½ miles of road at N80-27 on the northern part of the Hopi Reservation.
In his supervisor’s report, District 1 Supervisor Lee Jack mentioned the upcoming closure of the Navajo Generating Station (NGS), noting, “It is a very touchy issue and we are trying to do our best to address it.” He went on to explain that the issue of keeping NGS open on an extension lease through 2019 has been the topic of many discussions of the Navajo Nation Council.
According to Jack, the council planned to have a work session the following day to discuss amendments to the 800-plus page document presented by the current owners of NGS. “I think the owners have made up their minds to close it (NGS),” Jack said. He stated that he felt the general consensus of the council was to approve the two-year lease extension and that he expects it to be approved. That decision is needed by July 1. “I have been going to my communities,” said Jack, “letting them know what to expect, that all of us are going to be losing a lot of revenues.”
The next meeting of the Board of Supervisors will be held at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 27, at the supervisors chambers at the county government complex located at 100 E. Code Talkers Drive in Holbrook.
