“We have made it through fire season,” said Emergency Management and Preparedness Director Catrina Jenkins as she and Deputy Chief Randy Chavalier from Timber Mesa Fire and Medical gave the final fire season update at the Navajo County Board of Supervisors meeting on July 24.
“The fire danger is definitely going down,” Jenkins noted as she explained that the Energy Release Components were now below the 50th percentile, as compared to being in the 97th percentile at the height of fire season.
Chavalier encouraged residents to enjoy camping but maintain vigilance and safety regarding campfires. He also encouraged people to create a defensible space around their property. “If you are doing your part as a resident, it makes everyone safer,” said Chavalier. “Make sure your yard is trimmed up. Defensible spaces will save our communities.”
Jenkins noted that while the county had made it through one of the toughest fire seasons on record, the monsoons create another danger. “We have gone from fire to floods and heat. Please don’t leave pets or people in vehicles, drink lots of water and please, don’t let your kids play in the washes or arroyos.”
In other business, the board approved a liquor license application for Drake Dean Hankins and Vania Ann Chambers, owners of the Country Store located east of Snowflake at 8750 E. Concho Highway.
It was also confirmed after the meeting, that the public hearing for the proposed jail district will be at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 14.
In other business, the board:
* Approved 19 tax exemptions filed as a Request for Redemption of Waiver.
* Approved three back tax land parcels sold over the counter in the amount of $1,601. * Approved the appointment of Joe Hull and re-appointment of David Antonini as Justice of the Peace Pro Tempore. The pro tem justices of the peace cover cases in the justice court when the judge is unavailable or unable to stay on the case due to a conflict of interest. Funding was provided in the Fiscal Year 2019 budget for these positions.
* Approved new stop sign installation at the south leg of Woodside Trail intersection of White Mountain Lake Road. As the county does not maintain South Woodside Trail, the sign will be installed within the existing right-of-way on White Mountain Lake Road. The total cost for the project, which includes sign, post and installation is $200 and is budgeted under Public Work’s Road Maintenance.
* Approved a letter of support for the City of Show Low application for $9.9 million in grant funding from Better Utilizing Investments for construction of the Scott Ranch Road and Bridge Project.
* Approved an ambulance dispatching agreement between the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office and Holbrook Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Within the agreement it is mutually agreed that the Sheriff’s Office will provide dispatching of Holbrook EMS ambulance units on a 24 hour basis and Holbrook EMS will pay to Navajo County a fee of $30 per call.
* Authorized conducting board member elections for Northland Pioneer College, Navapache Hospital District, Timber Mesa Fire, Overgaard Townsite Domestic Water Improvement District (DWID), Heber/Overgaard Sanitary, Clay Springs DWID, Pinetop-Lakeside Sanitary, Clay Springs/Pinedale Fire, Woodruff Fire, White Mountain Lake Fire, Pinetop Fire, 3-0-3 DWID, Wonderland Acres DWID, Misty Mountain DWID, Joseph City Fire, Heber-Overgaard Fire, Ponderosa DWID, Joseph City DWID, Woodruff DWID, Joseph City Sanitary, Heber DWID, Porter Creek DWID, McLaws Road Fire, Sun Valley Fire and City of Winslow to be held on Nov. 6, 2018.
* Authorized conducting board member elections for Winslow, Joseph City, Holbrook, Pinon, Snowflake, Heber/Overgaard, Show Low, Whiteriver, Cedar, Kayenta and Blue Ridge unified school districts; the Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology (NAVIT) school districts of Winslow, Joseph City, Show Low, Whiteriver, Blue Ridge and Holbrook; the Northeast Arizona Technological Institute of Vocational Education (NATIVE) school districts of Pinon and Kayenta; the Joseph City and Holbrook school districts’ Maintenance and Operation Election to be held on Nov. 6.
*Approved a resolution of support to White Mountain Coalition Against Homelessness in establishing a permanent facility for its homeless housing program.
* Authorized acceptance of Deborah Osborn’s resignation and the appointment of Melissa Lopez as vocational rehabilitation representative on the Local Workforce Development Board as per the Workforce Innovative Opportunity Act (WIOA).
* Approved delegation of the WIOA contractor signing authority to the director and/or the chairman of the Northeastern Arizona Workforce Development Board.
* Authorized the removal of White Mountain Life Church from the jail annex building at 251 Penrod and add the Arts Alliance of the White Mountains as the replacement.
* Authorized the appropriation of county funds for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018-19 for the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension.
* Approved a proclamation declaring August as Child Support Awareness Month.
* Authorized the acceptance of the 2018 Emergency Management Performance Grant award made to Navajo County. The amount requested was $253,418. This grant requires a 50 percent match, which will be through hard match and in-kind services. The monies are used to work with citizens and partners to prevent, respond to, recover from and mitigate emergencies throughout Navajo County.
* Approved the renewal of the Healthy People Healthy Communities agreement with Navajo County Public Health Services District with no changes.
* Approved the Child Care Health Consultant grant renewal for FY 2019 with First Things First.
* Approved the contract between the White Mountain Apache Tribe and RestorePro for the rebuilding of the McNary Community Library.
* Approved the FY 2019 operating budget of the Northeastern Arizona Local Workforce Development Board.
* Approved an amendment to an IGA between the Navajo Nation and Navajo County for the county to provide $20,000 for road projects. Funding will be provided by the Navajo Nation.
* Authorized a perpetual drainage easement over and across real property in the Sky Hi Retreat Community to Navajo County for construction, drainage and easement purposes.
