The Navajo County Board of Supervisors met last week to discuss various county business including the 2022 Wildfire Season Outlook and Preparedness Actions presented by Emergency Management Director Catrina Jenkins.
Jenkins stated that the team in Northeastern Arizona meets regularly with its partners to prepare. “Currently, we are in a drought year-round, the degrees vary. We are starting to creep into extreme drought conditions, which will come later in the season. The drought plays a big part in wildfire and next month, the prediction is that we will see wildfires in the northern part of the state.”
She explained that June is the driest time of year and therefore the most dangerous for wildfire. “During June, we haven’t yet hit the monsoon season and this year, since we didn’t have any significant winter moisture in the way of snowfall to pack down the grasses, they are at a higher risk of catching fire from roadside hazards.”
According to Jenkins, the decisions on how to approach wildfire season in the area are made by a collective called the White Mountain Fire Coordination Group. This organization receives updates from various partnering agencies including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management and Apache and Navajo Emergency Management agencies.
“We are well represented on this committee. We use the data from the National Weather Service and the forest experts on what fuels are burning. Those agencies do tests every day so that we have the most up to date data at all times. We also look at what kind of events are coming that may send people into our forests to camp and therefore pose more risk of fire.”
Finally, she informed citizens of the Ready, Get Set, Go program. She said, “We want all our community members, visitors and guests to be prepared for any disaster. Ready means having a kit put together, contact information and a communication plan all together and ready to go. It also means residents should take the time to trim trees and grasses. Next, is Get Set. This means your go kit is already by the door or even in the car, listen to news and updates from trusted sources and consider gathering your livestock and moving them to a safe location. Finally, there is Go. If an evacuation is ordered, and pending threat to our communities, there will be an alert issued and deputies going door to door. In the Go portion, you may not be able to receive emergency services, and you may only get one warning about evacuation or other actions. This happens when there is an imminent threat to our communities.”
Jenkins encouraged all Navajo County residents to adhere to fire prevention rules and regulations including forest closures as they occur and to follow the Ready, Get Set, Go! Program.
In other business, the board:
* Approved letters of sympathy to Laree Price, James Hudspeth, Jason Castillo, Angelica Estrada, Thomas Castillo, and the family of Daniel Peaches.
* Approved 25 back tax land parcels sold over the counter in the amount of $14,350.
* Approved a memorandum of understanding between Health Choice Arizona and Navajo County allowing the county to communicate regarding nonspecific client care regarding members in the criminal justice system especially as it pertains to behavioral health care.
* Approved the fourth amendment to an intergovernmental agreement with the Arizona Counties Insurance Pool (ACIP). The amendment extends the agreement for an additional 10-year term.
* Approved the reissuance of stale dated checks issued as refunds for overpaid property taxes or for investor payments.
* Proclaimed the week of April 10-16 as National Telecommunicators Week in Navajo County.
* Reappointed Jon H. Saline as Judge Pro Tempore until June 30, 2023.
* Approved the naming of an existing unnamed road in the Lakeside area as Stiletto Drive.
* Approved the naming of an existing unnamed road in the Lakeside area as Winter Pine Lane.
* Approved the renewal of a contract with CRM of America, LLC for the hauling of waste tires on an as needed basis.
* Adopted a proclamation declaring April as Fair Housing Month in Navajo County.
* Approved a contract for professional services with Attorney Martin Roes for felony prosecution services in the northern part of the county for charging cases on behalf of the Navajo County Attorney’s Office to be paid at a rate of $33 per hour and not to exceed 40 hours per week.
* Approved a right of way grant on a portion of Territorial Road to the Bureau of Land Management until Dec. 31, 2052.
* Approved a license agreement lease with Cellular One for use of the Hay Hollow tower near Snowflake in the amount of $2,000 annually. The lease will be paid by HURF (Highway User Revenue Funds) and the Sheriff’s Office as both public works and NCSO utilize the tower for communications.
* Approved a grant agreement between Navajo County and Walking Down Ranch Veteran’s Shelter in Lakeside for use of previously approved ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds in the amount of $100,000 for facility improvements including a new roof.
* Approved a grant agreement between the county and White Mountain Tracks for use of previously approved ARPA funds in the amount of $45,000 for trail improvements.
* Approved the amendment of a right of way agreement between the county and Eldon Kay and Deleth A. Perkins. The amendment authorizes the county to compensate Perkins for past and future costs incurred for fencing on the public easement on their property, located on Burton Road.
* Reappointed members Jack Lantham and George John to the County Planning and Zoning Commission for two- and four-year terms, respectively.
* Approved staff pursuance of a RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) planning grant in the amount of $290,000 which includes a $29,000 local match. The grant, through the United States Department of Transportation is discretionary funding for rail, transit, road, and port infrastructure.
* Approved a 12-month time extension request for a previously approved tentative plat known as High Pines in the Aripine area. The property is planned for up to 100-lot residential subdivision and has experienced unexpected delays in working with the Forest Service and Arizona Department of Transportation which has slowed development.
* Approved an eight-month long contract in the amount of $35,720 for professional services with Dawn Wilson to serve as the criminal justice coordinator. The Navajo County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) is staffed by the criminal justice coordinator who helps execute the initiatives of the CJCC and its stakeholders. The position is currently staffed by Wilson, who has been instrumental in the implementation and rollout of several key criminal justice reform initiatives in partnership with the Sheriff’s Office and the County Attorney’s Office. Wilson recently declared her intent to run for elected office and per county policy has resigned her position as the criminal justice coordinator and as a result, will be hired as a contract employee.
* Approved a contract in the amount of $4,048 with Electronaca, Inc. to provide equipment and services for four county libraries.
* Approved a contract with Novo BioPower, LLC in Snowflake for access to a boiler at its biomass power facility. NCSO will use the boiler to incinerate outdated evidence at no cost to the county.
* Approved a liquor license application from Brett Daniel Brown for Gigi’s Pizza and More, located at 2767 Highway 260 in Overgaard.
* Approved an application for permanent extension of premises for John D. Wibby with the American Legion, Post 86, located at 2068 Lumber Valley Road in Overgaard.
* Approved an agreement between the County Public Health District and the Arizona Department of Health Services for funding in the amount of $77,000, backed by Senate Bill 1847 allowing public health departments to address issues and communities affected by drug addiction. The grant does not require a match from Navajo County.
* Approved a contract with Primary Construction, Inc. in the amount of $83,499 for the replacement of water pipes and fittings for the fire line at the Navajo County Mogollon Complex.
* Approved a contract with AMK Solutions, LLC in the amount of $38,904 to provide and install fiber optic cabling between the county jail storage warehouse and tower shelters.
* Approved as needed contracts with Perkins Cinders, Inc., Hatch Construction and Paving, Inc. and Brimhall Sand, Rock and Building Materials, Inc. for supply of aggregate for cover material for road maintenance.
* Approved a contract in the amount of $495,175 to Surface Contracting, Inc. for hot asphaltic concrete pavement overlay.
* Approved a task agreement to an agreement between the Bureau of Indian Affairs–Navajo Region and the county that authorizes funding assistance for transmission repairs on a BIA owned grader utilized by the county. Estimated repairs are reportedly $60,000 and Navajo County will contribute $40,000.
* Approved the utilization of Yavapai County’s contract with Colibryn in the amount of $45,000 for plan review services as a piggyback in procurement.
* Approved two special use permit applications from Aztec Land & Cattle Company to construct and build two 197-foot meteorological towers to operate for 60 months for the purpose of resource assessment to support the development of a potential wind power project. Public hearings were held for both permits, with no public comment occurring.
* Heard a quarterly report from the White Mountain Lakes County Recreation Improvement District. In the report, Director Mark Honberger noted the water level of the lake stating, “We are full, and currently at 13 feet. Last year, we never made it above 7 feet.” Honberger looks forward to a successful recreation season.
* Recognized employees for years of service to Navajo County who were not recognized due to COVID-19 in 2020.
The next meeting of the Navajo County Board of Supervisors will be held at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 26, in the board meeting room, located at 100 E. Code Talkers Dr.
