During the Aug. 9 Board of Supervisors meeting, the board gave final approval to a lease agreement between the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office and the City of Show Low to create a joint-use public safety facility with the Show Low Police Department.
The lease allows the sheriff’s office to have operational space in the new Show Low Police Headquarters for the next 20 years.
“From a law enforcement perspective, this partnership allows us to have a more appropriate presence in our most populated area,” Sheriff KC Clark said. “From an operations perspective, it helps eliminate those small costs associated with transportation and holding suspects. We will be able to fully process our suspects in one location while still being much more accessible to the public. It’s an all-around great opportunity for this office.”
The new facility is expected to have a regional dispatch center, holding cells and plenty of office space for both the Show Low Police Department and the sheriff’s office to use. It also allows members of the public to easily access either department for their needs by putting both agencies in the heart of the county’s most populated city.
“This is a great opportunity from both a law enforcement and community perspective,” District IV County Supervisor Steve Williams said. “It’s an efficient and cost effective way to support and create an effective law enforcement presence. It provides a central and convenient location for members of the community to address their emergency needs and questions.”
Construction of the facility began in June and is expected to last through next spring. Once completed, the facility will be 23,938 square feet and accommodate up to 71 vehicles in the parking lot.
In other action, the board:
* Approved the sale of two back tax land parcels over the counter for $1,286.52.
* Authorized the White Mountain Apache Tribe to utilize the Ready Navajo County Alert System.
* Approved an amendment to the revolving credit agreement and a request for modification of commitment amount between Navajo County and Wells Fargo Bank.
* Authorized a letter to the Arizona Department of Transportation delegating signatory authority to Sheriff Clark for all official government vehicles.
* Approved agent change and acquisition of control for Lakeside Ball Gas and Mini Mart LLC.
* Approved the appropriation of county funds for the cooperative extension program for fiscal year 2016-17.
* Approved a grant agreement between Navajo County and the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) under which the county was awarded $25,875.52 through ACA’s Rural Economic Development Enhancement grant program. These funds, along with a $10,000 donation from Summit Healthcare and Universal Service Administrative Company program funds, will be used to hire a contractor to complete a broadband planning study.
* Approved property tax rates for governmental entities within the county consistent with the fiscal year 2016-17 adopted budgets for each.
* Approved the annual report of collections, delinquencies and settlement of accounts.
* Approved a contract with Durham Communications Inc. for 911 equipment. Community Development Block Grant funds will be used to fund approximately $440,825 of the cost and the balance will be paid using budgeted Navajo Arizona Regional Dispatch Center funds.
* After convening as the White Mountain Lakes County Recreation Improvement District, the board accepted the resignations of Norma Loeffler and Roy Loeffler.
* Approved a contract with Cunningham CPA for a third party audit. The firm bid at $4,000 as long as added expenses did not exceed 25 percent.
