In a meeting of the Navajo County Board of Supervisors last week, the board listened to a presentation by the Hashknife Solar Energy Center requesting permission to expand their solar project located south of Joseph City.
Following a public meeting with no comment, the board approved an expansion of the permit granted in 2019, increasing the size of the project in two ways, firstly adding nearly 1,300 acres to the 3,960 acres for a total of approximately 5,240 expanding directly southeast of their current operations, and secondly increasing the storage capacity from 400 megawatts to 700.
The board also approved acceptance of a $625,000 grant that will go toward developing a program in Navajo County that would “divert low-level, non-violent offenses from courts, keep defendants away from jails, and allow them to move on from their mistake without a potentially devastating criminal conviction or arrest record,” according to the proposal.
The board expects that this will decrease a person’s likelihood of reoffending and get people on the right track before they become institutionalized.
In other business, the board:
*Approved the appointment of Carl Heinz Bruning, Michael Alma Nilsson, Steven David Garcia, Ronald Wayne Harrel, Lillie Marie Merritt, Audrey Suzan Beck, Betsy Lynn Standage, Elizabeth Olmstead, Warren James Williams, Shirley Elaine Leistikow, Kenneth Robert Fisk, Deborah Suzzette Lewis, Byron Columbus Lewis, Michael George Mariscal, and Donald A. Meyers as Republican Precinct Committeemen for their respective precincts.
*Approved the appointment of Joseph Andrew Bia, Susan J Etsitty and Casey Joel Lee as Democratic Precinct Committeemen for their respective precincts.
* Approved a grant agreement between Kayenta Chapter and Navajo County for the Chapter’s 911 System Enhancement Project for $10,000 from the county’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Program funds.
* Awarded CivicPlus LLC a contract to manage, develop and host Navajo County’s website. This will cost $64,000 initially and the second-year cost is $31,000.
* Approved a three-year renewal to Saul’s Creek Engineering, Inc., for continued maintenance of the County Recorder’ Office software, as well as maintenance of the internet site that allows Navajo County citizens to access recorded documents online. The amount approved was $24,180 billed every six months.
* Approved a contract not to exceed $27,000 with Columbia LTD to assist in filling the county’s economic development director’s position. The county had previously attempted recruitment for the position but was unable to identify a candidate for selection.
* Approved an extension of the county’s contract with Brewer Law Office & The Rigg Law Firm, PLLC for providing legal services for the Navajo County Public Defender’s Office.
* Approved board member elections for Timberland Acres Special Road District and White Mountain Special Road District on March 14, 2023.
* Approved board member elections for White Mountain Summer Home Domestic Water Improvement District on May 16, 2023.
* Approved the Arizona Attorney General’s Office’s Victims’ Rights program grant agreement for $23,400. Funds pay the partial salary of two office support specialists that are part of the notification process.
* Authorized public works director to apply for the 2023 ADOT Off-System Bridge grant opportunity in the amount of $150,000 with a local match of $8,550.
* Approved continued funding support of two Navajo County Road maintenance equipment operators at the cost of $60,000 a year for the next three years.
* Approved supporting the Library District to submit a full proposal for Federal Communications Commission Affordable Connectivity Outreach grant and request no more than $250,000 for the implementation of the Digital Navigator model in Navajo County. This will deliver digital inclusion services and resources to the target population, including seniors, low-income families, and tribal members. The program will also provide train-the-trainer workshops, computer literacy workshops, and community forums to increase computer literacy among county residents, particularly the target population.
* Approved an extension of the current contract between Wade Kartchner, MD – Public Health Partners and NCPHSD for medical director and medical examiner services for one month, the effective date is Jan. 1-31, 2023, to ensure no disruption in services until a new contract is in place.
*Approved a professional services agreement to extend the current contract between Debra Smalley and Navajo County Public Health Services District (NCPHSD) for nurse practitioner services for one month, effective Jan. 1-31,2023.
* Approved renewal of a longstanding agreement between NCPHSD and the Arizona Department of Health Services to perform immunization services related to COVID vaccines and activities. This funding allows up to nearly $1.6 million towards salary/ employee related expenses for staff performing COVID immunization-related activities. The funds allow up to $52,500 towards supplemental flu vaccination activities, $125,000 towards equipment to improve vaccine cold storage capacity and data entry staff/activities, $25,000 towards enhancing vaccines for children for COVID-specific immunization activities, $236,500 towards supplemental funds for COVID immunization activities and throughout and over $1.1 million towards ensuring vaccine equity activities, especially as they related to COVID immunizations.
* Approved a grant agreement in the amount of $15,000 between the Shonto Chapter and Navajo County for the Chapter’s Metal Roofing Project from the County’s ARPA Program funds.
*Approved a liquor license application for The Gilmore Group, located at 6662 State Route 260 in Show Low. It came with a stipulation that a building must pass inspection once it is built.
* Entered an executive session to receive legal advice on a broadband contract for middle mile construction with WANRack, LLC. Following the session, the board amended a previously adopted resolution and withdrew from contract negotiations with WANRack and approved moving forward with the process of negotiating with a replacement company, EX2.
* Heard a presentation from the County Supervisor’s Association (CSA) for fiscal year 2021-22 including the recent legislative session. CSA Executive Director Craig Sullivan spoke about CSA introduced bills in the state legislature. A full list of those bills can be found at www.countysupervisors.org.
The next meeting of the Navajo County Board of Supervisors will be held at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 27, in the board chambers, located at 100 E. Code Talkers Drive.
