The Navajo County Board of Supervisors met last week and heard a presentation by Navajo County Republican Precinct Committeemen RaNae Rowels regarding the creation of election precincts in preparation for upcoming elections. Every year prior to an election year, the board is tasked with delineating these precincts, which serve as the smallest unit of electoral districts and must adhere to specific criteria. Notably, precinct boundaries cannot overlap with any other political boundaries, whether at the level of school districts, cities, or state and federal congressional districts.
During the presentation, Rowels highlighted that Navajo County currently has 14 precincts, resulting in an average precinct size with over 5,000 registered voters. This raised concerns, as the number of voters per precinct was exceptionally high. To provide context, Rowels compared Navajo County to Apache County, which has a similar population but boasts 44 precincts with an average of 1,179 voters per precinct. The only county with a higher average voter count than Navajo was Mohave, primarily due to its larger cities, which allowed for larger precincts without overlapping political boundaries.
However, in Navajo County, some precincts currently cross other political boundaries, creating complexities in elections. For instance, Rowels mentioned that Snowflake and Taylor share one precinct despite being separate political entities, and the surrounding unincorporated area is also included within the same precinct.
Precincts play a crucial role in determining polling places for upcoming elections, although they may share polling places with neighboring precincts. Rowels noted that when determining precincts in the past, the model did not consider city or school district borders, resulting in voters from different election races being grouped together. The primary purpose of election precincts is to group voters by the races they will be voting in, simplifying the election process. Larger precincts can lead to confusion as voters may receive different ballots.
It’s important to note that this presentation did not involve voting to decide the new precincts. However, it is a mandatory requirement that the Board of Supervisors officially approve the voting precincts by Oct. 1, making it likely that this matter will be voted on during the board’s next meeting.
Additionally, during the meeting, the board heard a presentation regarding the construction of a new code enforcement facility in Taylor. The need for this facility arises from a lack of space to accommodate services such as animal control, environmental health, and a medical examiner’s office. Additionally, there is a shortage of meeting and training space, which this construction project will address. Currently, the county leases space at the Show Low airport for these services, and upon completion of the new facility, this lease will no longer be necessary.
The new facility’s floor plans were showcased during the presentation, emphasizing its design for easy expansion in the future to provide flexibility as needs evolve. The building will encompass approximately 9,100 square feet and will be situated on the south side of Taylor near Pinedale Road, utilizing county-owned property. While the property already houses fuel sites and a public works building, the new construction will have its dedicated parking spaces.
The construction project is anticipated to take around one year, with a move-in date estimated around June 2025. Funding for the project largely relies on the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, which must be expended by the end of 2026 to prevent forfeiture. ARPA funding will account for $1.5 million of the project, while an additional $2.2 million will be drawn from the county’s general fund, totaling $3.7 million for the new facility’s cost.
In other business, the board:
* Approved a contract with LogRhythm for $9,983 for cybersecurity software.
*Approved a claim of $10,770 to Craig and Nikole Scarpone for damage to electric panel and wiring caused by a Navajo County employee.
* Approved a claim for $2,756 to Buckskin Artist Community, Inc. for damage to water distribution pipe caused by a Navajo County employee.
* Approved an agreement between Northeastern Arizona Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB) and Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC), Inc. to designate CPLC as LWDB’s one stop operator.
* Approved the resignation of Sherry Condarco from LWDB.
* Approved a raise to the annual contribution to Tall Timbers Park for maintenance from $8,000 to $12,000.
* Approved the purchase of radio site equipment in the amount of $100,371 through White Mountain Communications for the existing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) public safety communications project.
* Approved the extension of intergovernmental agreement between the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office and Phoenix Police Department for cooperation in the Arizona Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force for another five years.
* Approved a lease agreement with Aero Products Component Services Inc. for two hangar spaces located at Show Low Airport at a cost of $400 each per month.
* Approved the appointment of Deborah Kay Myers, David R. Marshall, Karina Lynn Trumbull and Celia Joan Laughlin as Republican Precinct Committee members for their respective precincts.
* Amended the contract with Show Low Ford for one additional year for vehicle purchases on an as needed basis.
* Approved an intergovernmental facilities lease agreement between the Town of Pinetop-Lakeside and the county to co-locate court services, the county’s portion of maintenance and utilities is $18,000.
* Approved letter to United States Forest Services requesting to expedite permitting for Navajo County Broadband Project.
* Approved contract with JWA Architects, LLC for architectural and engineering design services for a new code enforcement facility at a cost of $296,900 for services and up to $15,000 for reimbursable expenses.
* Approved application for a class B bingo license for American Legion Auxiliary Heber-Overgaard.
* Approved revision of real property valuation of a 52.9-acre property near Smith Ranch Road and Clark Road east of Show Low from the original valuation of $1.4 million to just under $1.2 million.
* Approved a revision of the real property valuation of 2646 Elaine Road in Show Low from $73,192 to $40,000.
* Approved a renewed agreement with Medicare to be able to bill for public health services rendered now and also to expand billing opportunities.
* Amended intergovernmental agreement between the county and the Arizona Department of Health Services to be able to utilize funding from taxes on medical marijuana to address public health issues and communities affected by drug addiction.
* Approved a memorandum of understanding between the county and Re:Center to enhance services surrounding substance abuse.
* Approved the purchase of one International CV515 SFA truck with mechanic service body style from RWC Group in the amount of $209,886.
* Approved a contract between the county’s flood control district and John Osgood for administrative coordination between the county, the City of Winslow and the United States Army Corps of Engineers on next steps on design and construction of Little Colorado River Flood Risk Management Project at a cost to the county of $2,000 a month.
* Approved an application to allow for a septic system to be built in Federal Emergency Management Agency Floodplain near North Park Drive and McHood Road in Winslow after staff has determined it would have a minimal probability of erosion.
The next meeting of the Navajo County Board of Supervisors will be held at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 26, in the board chambers located at 100 E. Code Talkers Drive.
