In observance of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Governor Doug Ducey announced Tuesday his commission to raise awareness for, and ultimately end, domestic violence throughout the region.
“Domestic violence is a pervasive problem that affects one in four women and one in seven men in Arizona, and stands in direct opposition to our No. 1 priority of protecting Arizona families and communities,” he noted in an official statement. “This is an issue that affects all ages, races, religions, socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels. As Arizonans, we all have a responsibility to know the signs, to help the victimized and vulnerable, and to speak out against it whenever we can. I encourage Arizonans to stand with me as we send the unwavering message that domestic violence can stop.”
The governor will light the Capitol dome purple as a symbol of Arizona’s dedication to ending domestic violence at a public event planned Thursday, Oct. 1, outside the Capitol.
Arizonans are invited to join in this effort by lighting their homes purple. In support of this effort, The Home Depot is selling purple light bulbs at all Arizona store locations, with a portion of the proceeds going to support domestic violence prevention.
During its regular meeting Tuesday, the Navajo County Board of Supervisors approved its own proclamation declaring October 2015 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month countywide. Navajo County Victim Services Manager Roxanne Padilla presented the proclamation to the board, along with sobering local statistics.
“Domestic violence is an epidemic in Navajo County. Our area’s substance abuse issues and poverty rate only help to increase the numbers and levels of victims of domestic violence in our community. In Arizona, every 36 minutes an officer responds to a domestic violence incident with a child present; every 19 minutes an arrest is made. These numbers are tragic to say the least. It’s important that we in Navajo County change the dialogue with our partners, our friends and our family. We need to create an awareness of a problem that does exist,” she said.
County Attorney Brad Carlyon expanded on the proposed proclamation by informing the board of the county’s local efforts in supporting the initiative.
“We will be kicking off Domestic Violence Awareness Month on Thursday, Oct. 1. We are working with the Lowe’s store in Show Low, which will provide us with purple-colored floodlights to light the Historic Navajo County Courthouse. Miss Navajo County Samantha Edwards will be present to recognize and support the event,” he said, inviting the board to attend.
Chairwoman Dawnafe Whitesinger prefaced her approval of the supervisors’ unanimous votes in support of the proclamation with her own personal reflection.
“There are many things as a county board of supervisors that we have made proclamations to support. In those proclamations is an effort to build awareness on some important issues, and I feel that this is an important issue for us to bring some awareness to. Having served on the domestic violence board for the safe house, this is a prevalent issue in our community and certainly one that we don’t want to be silent about,” she said.
In other action Sept. 22, the board:
* Adopted Resolution No. 37-15, granting a special use permit amendment for Pen-Rob Waste Management/Painted Desert Landfill to allow the landfill to be open to the public. Previously the special use permit was to be renewed every 10 years.
* Awarded contracts to supply aggregate for cover material to Brimhall Sand and Rock and Building Materials, Inc. and Hatch Construction & Paving, Inc.
* Adopted Resolution No. 35-15, determining the validity of a petition for annexation to the Pinetop-Lakeside Sanitary District.
* Approved a second renewal of the lease of property located at 561 E. Deuce of Clubs in Show Low by the Show Low Historical Society for museum purposes. The lease was originally entered into July 3, 2007. An additional five-year lease term ending Sept. 19, 2020, was approved.
* Adopted Resolution No. 36-15, establishing the membership criteria for the White Mountain Lakes County Recreation Improvement District Advisory Board.
The advisory board is without a working by-laws document. Its fiscal budget allows for $1,050 for duplicating/printing.
* Approved Resolution No. 38-15, granting a special use permit to allow a wireless cell tower on APN 208-03-016B not to exceed 199’ in height.
* Heard a presentation of the Navajo County public website by Navajo County Director of Information Technology Tom Franklin.
* Approved the consent agenda, including Sept. 8 meeting minutes, August constable reports for Winslow Precinct No. 2, Snowflake Precinct No. 3, Show Low Precinct No. 5, and Pinetop-Lakeside Precinct No. 6, seven back tax land parcels sold over the counter in the amount of $3,288.73, new stop sign installation on Woodruff Pit Road, new 15 mph speed limit sign installation on High Drive in Lakeside, a contract with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety for $23,843 for overtime and capital to support and enhance the Impaired Driver/DUI enforcement program, and a contract with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety for $4,175 for two radars for the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program.
Also, a memorandum of understanding between the sheriff’s office and the Arizona Department of Public Safety for $18,000 to be used pursuant to state law, a special event liquor license for the Pinetop-Lakeside Community Ice Rink for Friday, Oct. 30, sympathy letters to Lois Hancock and Debra Kester, an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Show Low and the county for television broadcast services, and an intergovernmental agreement between Show Low and the county for the lease of facilities.
* Approved the Navajo County Public Health Services District’s consent agenda, including memorandums of agreement from Oct. 1, 2015, to Sept. 30, 2018, with the Snowflake and Winslow unified school districts, an amendment to a contract with the Arizona Department of Health Services for the Healthy People Healthy Communities grant, and a professional services agreement with Regina Rich, RDH, AP for dental hygiene services funded through Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation for the Navajo County 1st Grade Fluoride Varnish Program effective Aug. 1, 2015, to June 30, 2016, in the amount of $45/per hour.
The next regular board meeting will be held at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at the county complex in Holbrook.
