Grant Evans, Navajo County’s capital projects manager, presented the county complex remodel project to the Board of Supervisors last week. The project addresses three main challenges: difficult customer access, current lack of entry restrictions, and the need for updated facilities including Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant bathrooms and a new break room. The remodel, expected to start on March 18 and finish by Sept. 18, will be funded by $150,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds, $150k from the county’s general fund, and $211,500 from the Local Assistance Consistency Fund. Post-construction, upgrades like new technology and security counters are anticipated, with most improvements to be done in-house.
Chairman Jason Whiting expressed gratitude, saying, “Thanks for working with staff and making sure this aligns with the long-term needs of the building, and I appreciate all the work being done.”
The board approved an Arizona Public Service (APS) contract for solar-covered parking, part of the APS Solar Communities program, designed to support limited-income populations. This initiative will see the installation of solar systems on parking shade structures, offering bill credits to the county based on the system’s size.
Cody Cooper, the county’s planning manager, spoke to the board about the comments he has received about the opportunities for citizen input. The county currently requires mail notification to neighbors when there is a zone change; however, this does not allow for public input for all things before the planning and zoning commission, including special use permits or other similar situations.
Cooper brought forth a change that would make it so that everything has to go through a process of notifying neighbors and allowing for input. The new approach mandates meetings with the public, rather than just mail notifications, allowing for face-to-face discussions on concerns and proposals. These meetings should occur as close as possible to the relevant site, with a provision for virtual meetings under certain conditions, but exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis. A crucial aspect of this revamped process is the notification of all neighbors within 300 feet of the project site, going further than the state minimum requirements for notifying neighbors.
Applicants will now engage more actively with community feedback, summarizing concerns and integrating them into project designs. This process ensures that before reaching the hearing stage, there’s an attempt to address public concerns in collaboration with county staff, fostering a more proactive and community-focused approach to planning and development.
Supervisor Daryl Seymore asked Cooper if the parties would be responsible for covering any costs associated with the gathering of public comments. Cooper said that the applicant would be responsible for any costs but staff would most likely aid them in gathering contact info for people. Whiting asked Cooper if this will significantly increase the time it takes applicants to get through these processes, but Cooper replied that this can be implemented in the normal timeline for applicants without extending it, but it is up to the applicant to be proactive in gathering that input.
Anti-Racketeering Revolving Funds allocations were approved for the Holbrook High School Drama Club requesting $1,000 to support the musical production of “Cinderella” to engage students and give something for students to do that can deter drug use, and the Darrin Reed Foundation seeking $1,375 to aid community members and support law enforcement officers with training and equipment necessary for combating illegal drug trafficking.
The session concluded with a budget work session.
In other business, the board:
* Approved a certificate and removal and abatement of record of tax, penalty, and interest for properties that are no longer required.
* Approved an amendment to the county’s contract with The Mahoney Group for one additional year of having an employee benefits consultant.
* Approved a resolution to cancel the March 12 election for the Timberland Acres Domestic Water Improvement District and White Mountain Lake Special Road District due to a lack of people running.
*Approved fund transfers for fiscal year 2023.
* Approved two road use agreements, one with West Camp Wind Farm LLC and one with Hashknife Energy Center, LLC.
* Authorized the acceptance of a grant in the amount of $85,252 from the Arizona Governor’s Office for a sexual assault response team coordinator position, requiring a local match of $27,764.
* Authorized the county manager to renew the warranty and service contract for the metal detector used at the county complex at a five-year cost of $22,500.
*Authorized the Clerk of the Board to request renewals for the probation department’s undercover license plates.
* Approved a one-call services agreement with Flagstaff Medical Center and Guardian Air Transport for dispatchers to provide one-call services when dispatchers are requesting air medical resources; after the one call, the dispatcher will find the closest available unit.
* Approved an intergovernmental agreement between the county and the Joseph City Fire District, allowing the county to install radio equipment on the radio tower located at 4642 North 8th Ave. in Joseph City.
* Approved an amendment to the purchase agreement with Courtesy Chevrolet for 10 Chevy Tahoes fitted to county specifications; the purchase price was originally $568,000, and the new total is $557,000.
* Authorized a grant from the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission for $350,000.
* Approved a joint funding agreement with the United States Geological Survey for operating surface water gauging stations at a cost to the county of about $70,000 each year for three years.
* Approved an agreement between the county and the Arizona Department of Housing for $131,000 from the Community Development Block Grant program for Pinetop-Lakeside Senior Citizens Community Center improvements.
* Approved an amendment to the memorandum of understanding between the county and the Navajo Nation, where the county will accept funding for conducting road maintenance and improvements with the following six chapters: Birdsprings, Dilkon, Indian Wells, Jeddito, Teesto and White Cone.
* Approved the sale of properties sold at auction.
* Approved an extension of the contract with Wexford Health Services, Inc., for one additional year of psychological services at the county jail.
* Appointed Gus Lundberg and Brad Hatch to the Silver Creek Flood Control District Board of Directors.
* Amended the contract with the Arizona Department of Health Services to continue addressing chronic disease, mental health, substance abuse disorder and social determinants of health at no cost to the county.
* Approved $31,500 in additional funds to the health services district for food inspection equipment, training, and development to be more in line with countrywide standards.
* Authorized acceptance of a grant from the Healthy Forest Initiative to mitigate risks of wildfires on private land in the county in the amount of $115,000.
*Approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Arizona Department of Health Services to provide the county with $77,000 to address public health issues affected by drug addiction.
* Approved an agreement with Grand Canyon University to allow RN-BSN nursing students to shadow and work with county nursing staff to complete required practicum hours.
* Authorized a grant from the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety for $10,816 to purchase new child restraints to issue to qualifying residents.
* Approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Arizona Department of Transportation to provide the county with $755,300 for improvements to Concho Highway near Golden Horse Lane and White Antelope Road.
*Approved a text amendment to the zoning ordinance concerning recreational vehicle placement to make the policy clearer to residents. It does not change the intent of the ordinance.
* Approved a text amendment to the zoning ordinance concerning paved versus unpaved road requirements for platted subdivisions; the amendment requires subdivisions in which any parcels are five acres in size and under to allow unpaved roads and those where all parcels are greater than five acres.
*Approved a special use permit to allow the construction of a 1,100-megawatt battery storage and related facilities on approximately 7,485 acres located northwest of Snowflake near Highway 377 and Dry Lake Road.
*Approved a contract with Ironside Engineering & Development Inc. for Pond Drive drainage schematic at a cost of $7,200.
* Approved a contract with Kimley Horn and Associates for Woodruff Drainage Evaluation at a cost of $35,839.
The next meeting of the Navajo County Board of Supervisors will be held at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 12, in the board chambers located at 100 E. Code Talkers Drive.
