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During the Navajo County Board of Supervisors meeting last week, the board unanimously approved the purchase of four 2019 120M2 Caterpillar motor graders from Empire Machinery in the amount of $1 million.
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Public Works Director John Osgood explained, “Motor graders are just about the most mission critical pieces of equipment the public works department uses in its core function of providing road maintenance and snow removal throughout the county. This request is for the replacement of three motor graders ranging in age from 29 to 40 years old that we have been operating and maintaining but are ready to be removed from the fleet and one more that is over 50 years old that has been inoperable for several years.
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“They are well past their useful service life and finding repair parts is difficult. Valuable fleet maintenance time and resources are expended trying to keep the equipment operation and considerable down time results in reduced productivity. Replacing them makes sound business sense. One blade will be assigned to the Holbrook area, one to Heber and two to the entire south county area. The source of funding for this purchase is from the Highway User Revenue Fund, or HURF Fund that is solely dedicated to transportation related costs.”
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Supervisor Jesse Thompson asked how purchasing new equipment would compare to leasing equipment.
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Osgood replied, “I believe the staff did an analysis and determined that purchasing would be a better investment than leasing them.”
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The board also recognized many employees for their outstanding performances and some for their long-term service to the county.
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Servier Begay from the Public Works Department has been with Navajo County or 35 years. Human Resources Director Eric Scott said, “He started on Oct. 1, 1984, in the Parks and Recreation Department as a maintenance mechanic before moving to Public Works in 1985.”
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Osgood said, “35 years of service is remarkable. When I got here, Servier taught me a lot of things about the culture and the work environment. He has always been someone I can check in with to get a feel for what is going on. The county is very lucky to have him.”
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Other employees honored for their years of service included Randall Whipple, 30 years; Rhonda Hatch, 15 years; Marc Russell, 15 years, Leroy Romero, five years; Bogusz Zajac, five years; and Supervisor Jason Whiting, five years.
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The board was also treated to a presentation from Vicky Solomon, Executive Director of Nexus Coalition for Drug Prevention. Solomon informed the board on services offered to youth in Whiteriver and Blueridge.
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In other business, the board:
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* Approved the Juvenile Probation, Justice Court and constable reports for September.
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* Approved March 10, 2020, for conducting of elections for Timberland Acres Special Road District and Domestic Water Improvement Districts and White Mountain Special Road District.
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* Approved a memorandum of understanding between the Northeastern Arizona Local Workforce Development Board and the Northeastern Arizona Community Resource Network (NARCN) authorizing the Executive Director of the Local Workforce Development Board to allocate time and resources to building the capacity of NACRN.
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* Removed Roxanne Dean as Workforce Representative on the Local Workforce Development Board.
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* Approved a contract signed by the county manager to The WLB Group in the amount of $4,350 for the design of angled parking at the Sheriff’s Office, located at 137 W. Arizona St. in Holbrook.
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* Approved State Homeland Security Grant awards to Navajo County Emergency Management in the amounts of $3,726 for regional training, $22,000 for radio equipment for the Sheriff’s Office and $3,184 for equipment for the Navajo County Citizen Corps Council Volunteers.
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* Approved an annual contract with JE Fuller to update and maintain the ALERT/Flood Warning System in the amount of $64,406.
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* Recognized the following employees for outstanding performance: Jennifer Driver (assessor); Kimberly McAllester (public defender); and Amanda Reeves (Clerk of the Court).
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The next meeting of the Navajo County Board of Supervisors will be at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12, in the board chambers located at 100 E. Code Talkers Drive.
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