Members of the Navajo County Board of Supervisors are closely examining how legislative funding decisions are affecting students and education staff countywide this fiscal year. In the first of two meetings, District V Supervisor Dawnafe Whitesinger and District IV Supervisor Steve Williams recently met with the county superintendent of schools to begin the dialogue.

Whitesinger pointed out that one of the glaring discrepancies school officials revealed was the inconsistency with which the state allocates education funding dollars to county schools.

“From a financial and legislative perspective, soon these districts are going to face large impacts, and we want to be a part of that conversation to help mitigate the situation and ensure that future dollars are allocated to support our public school systems,” Whitesinger related.

The discussion was a prelude to an upcoming education roundtable slated on Tuesday, Dec. 8. Arizona state legislators and decision makers have been invited to participate in the conversation with county education officials.

“We certainly want all of our schools to be successful, so we’re happy that we can provide a mechanism like this so that we can continue to provide support to our local counties,” she said.

In other action Nov. 24, the board:

* Approved the consent agenda, including Nov. 10, 2015, and Nov. 20, 2015, Special Meeting Minutes, October Clerk of the Superior Court report, October Juvenile Probation report, October Juvenile Court reports for Holbrook Precinct No. 1, Winslow Precinct No. 2, Snowflake Precinct No. 3, Kayenta Precinct No. 4, Show Low Precinct No. 5 and Pinetop-Lakeside Precinct No. 6, and October Constable reports for Snowflake Precinct No. 3 and Pinetop-Lakeside Precinct No. 6.

Also approved was a memorandum of understanding between the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Navajo Region and Navajo County for the position of road maintenance equipment operator for an additional seven-month period.

A revised intergovernmental agreement between the county and the City of Show Low for the management of maintenance and snow removal of shared boundary roads was approved.

A cooperative agreement between the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service and the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office for dispatch services at Petrified Forest National Park was approved. The agreement covers the dispatching services for which NPS pays $2,000 per quarter. The period of performance is Aug. 1, 2015, through Aug. 31, 2020, and the agreement becomes effective from the date of the last signature and expires five years from that date.

A professional services agreement with Callie Jensen, CPT to assist in creating a sustainable wellness program for county employees was approved for the term effective Jan. 1, 2016, through Dec. 31, 2016, at the independent contractor fee of $20 per hour for services rendered.

A contractual agreement between Arizona Department of Fire, Building and Life Safety Office of Manufactured Housing and the county to enforce installation standards was approved.

A sympathy letter to the family of Ambrose Sheperd was approved.

* Approved the Navajo County Public Health Services District consent agenda, including professional services contracts with Vita Nicks, RDH, Regina Rich, RDH, AP, Connie Baine, RDH, AP, BS, for dental hygiene services through the Dental Sealant Program effective Jan. 1, 2016, to Dec. 31, 2016, in the amount of $45 per hour, and with Kenneth F. Rice, DMD, in the amount of $50 per hour.

* Assigned Laura Brandenburg Mudge as chief fiscal officer for Juvenile Probation as required by the Arizona State Code of Judicial Administration.

* Approved an intergovernmental agreement between the Navajo County Flood Control District and the Silver Creek Flood Protection District for sediment removal behind Millet Swale Dam in Show Low.

* Approved revised Right-of-Way Fencing Policy & Procedures for fencing agreements involving county ranchers affected by fencing of county maintained roads. The revision clarifies the responsibility between participants and the county in terms of funding and cost shares related to fencing projects on county maintained roads. Also revised were budget allocations to more appropriately reflect costs of fencing projects, designating an increase of $30,000 for a total of $50,000 as funding permits to be included in the next budget cycle.