In last week’s Navajo County Board of Supervisors meeting, Navajo County Attorney Jason Moore offered some background on the process of mandatory redistricting. “I have been assigned to assist in coming up with a new supervisorial district map and a new Northland Pioneer College district map that will carry us through the next 10 years.”
He explained that the county is required to have a population deviation of no more than 10% from the largest populated district and the smallest. Right now, the deviation is 15.6% that has to be corrected.
“Our population growth trends over the last 30 years or so has been in the south part of the county, causing Districts I and II to stretch further south to gain population,” he explained.
Ryan Stuart of the Redistricting Advisory Committee (RAC) added, “The RAC began this process in late 2021 and quickly found that moving any lines around on the maps was not easy. Small adjustments to one area threw things out of alignment for other areas. We have been able to narrow down for your consideration three different maps that meet all of the legal requirements and the qualifications set forth by you, the board. We needed to keep communities of interest together. Map 1 was submitted by the Navajo Nation Human Rights Coalition. This map almost flip flops where Districts I and II are now.”
Moore continued, “Before, District I started in the far north with a small corridor at the far eastern side of the county then over toward Winslow. In this map, the district is in the far north but the corridor would now run down the far west part of the county. In this map, Winslow would be divided between District I and II.”
The next map presented was Map 3. According to Moore, Map 3 reflects boundaries close to current boundaries. The major difference, he said, was Map 3 encompasses all of the Joseph City precinct.
Moore said, “Further, when we had our community meetings in Winslow, the communication that we got was clear from the mayor and council was to minimize the impact on the incorporated boundaries of the City of Winslow. There is no way not to have some small intrusion into Winslow and that is largely because of the prison population in Winslow. In Map 3, that population will remain in District I.”
Map 6 was also presented and as Stuart explained, “This one will move everything into compliance but it is a pretty radical redrawing of lines. It will change some of your supervisorial districts and you will have some communities in completely different districts than they are currently.”
Moore said, “What this map does is blend some of the maps together. It keeps all of incorporated Winslow in District I. In order to consolidate Holbrook on this map, it would be in District II.”
There was no action taken on the agenda item, the supervisors were encouraged to look over the map submissions and be prepared to make a decision in the coming weeks.
All of the recommended maps can be viewed by the public at the Navajo County website at www.navajocountyaz.gov.
Also on the agenda was the updating of the fire restrictions for Navajo County. Emergency Management Director Catrina Jenkins said, “We have entered Stage 2 Fire Restrictions for all of Navajo County as well as Apache Sitgreaves.”
Stage 2 Fire Restrictions mean no charcoal, coal or woodstoves, smoking, fireworks, explosives, welding or operation of powered equipment such as a chainsaw. These rules are posted on the county website and will be enforced beginning Memorial Day Weekend.
In other business, and aside from routine items the board:
* Approved letters of sympathy to Marie Hayes, Katy Chee, Jason Castillo, Sally Ann Dick, Phefelia Nez and the Hebert Family.
* Approved a contract in an amount not to exceed $25,733 to WLB Group, LLC for a topographic survey of Millet Swale, a stream near Show Low.
* Approved an application by the Heber-Overgaard Chamber of Commerce for a supervised fireworks display and permit to shoot an anvil. The anvil shooting will be held at 5 a.m. on Saturday, July 2, at the corner of Reidhead and Crandall streets in Heber. Fireworks will be at 9 p.m. on Saturday at Mogollon High School, located at 2450 Mustang Ave. in Heber.
* Approved the use of the southwest corner of the Navajo County Complex, located at 100 E. Code Talkers Drive for the annual community July 4 fireworks display.
* Approved the naming of an existing road in the White Mountain Lake area as, “Cessna Cove.”
* Approved the naming of an existing road in the White Mountain Lake area as, “Piper Place.”
* Accepted a grant in the amount of $595,871 from the Arizona Department of Administration to the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office for distribution of funding of the emergency telecommunications services revolving fund.
* Approved an application for a request of grant funding in the amount of $74,281 to the Tohono O’odham Nation for a fully outfitted patrol car to be used by the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office.
* Approved the fiscal year 2023 Fill the Gap grant application.
* Approved tax exemptions for widowed or disabled persons whose property is exempt from tax.
* Approved a contract in the amount of $25,000 with EMSI Labor Market Data for a subscription service allowing the Northeastern Arizona Local Workforce Development Board to access the Burning Glass Labor Market information for one year.
* Approved the purchase of real property by the county of the Town of Snowflake Court House for $450,000.
* Recognized employees of the month of May: Rhonda Hatch of the Assessor’s Office and Jesse McCray of Public Works.
* Recognized employees for five years of service to Navajo County: Kevin Cherry of the Information Technology and Logan Smith and Allan Loen of Public Works.
* Approved a grant award in the amount of $200,000 of previously approved ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds from the County to the Town of Taylor to improve their trail and park system.
* Approved a grant award in the amount of $200,000 of previously approved ARPA funds from the County to the City of Winslow toward the building of a new library facility.
* Proclaimed the week of May 15-21 as, “National Police Week.”
* Held a public hearing for and approved an ordinance clarifying actions regarding outdoor fires. No public comment was made during the hearing and the clarification was simply to correct a typographical error.
* Approved a task agreement within the intergovernmental agreement between the county and the Hopi Tribe authorizing funding assistance for the Division of Transportation to provide asphalt material and tires. The fiscal impact on the county will be $3,000 and will be funded through HURF (Highway User Revenue Fund).
The next meeting of the Navajo County Board of Supervisors will be held at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 14, in the board chambers, located at 100 E. Code Talkers Drive.
