Navajo County Assistant Manager Paul Watson addressed the Navajo County Board of Supervisors on March 14, with an economic update for the county.
He explained that although the unemployment rate across the nation is decreasing, that isn’t the case in Navajo County. He addressed the impending closure of the Navajo Generating Station in 2019 and closer to home, the reduction and potential closure of the Cholla Power Plant in Joseph City. The reduction of workforce would mean the loss of approximately 1,000 jobs in both Navajo and Coconino counties.
Watson said a discussion is being held with congressional leaders to determine if valuable infrastructure could still be used as closures take place. “They (the plants) would be decommissioned but I wonder what other possible uses can be made of that infrastructure,” he said.
Some good news on economic development Watson addressed is the recently approved changes to the Arizona Universal Service Fund (AUSF) rules in order to provide funds for rural schools to have access to Broadband Internet.
The matter was voted and approved last week at the capital, allowing the AUSF to fund a program which partners the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) with the Governor’s Office, the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the nonprofit EducationSuperHighway that will provide approximately $100 million in federal E-rate funds to pay for infrastructure providing broadband to rural schools and libraries.
The AUSF will provide $8 million in state matching funds. According to Angie Holdsworth with the ACC, the EducationSuperHighway and the Department of Education estimate another $5 million will be needed. That money is included in Governor Doug Ducey’s budget proposal.
According to Watson, Summit Regional Medical Center in Show Low and the Navajo County Public Health District are also working together to expand broadband for the hospital and other medical services. “This will not only help schools, libraries and hospitals, but all of us,” he said.
He reported that the logging industry in the south county is going well with Noble Star Logging working towards improvements that could also mean more jobs. That operation is jointly owned by Brad Worsely of Noble Power and Stephen Reidhead of Tri-Star Logging, who together employs approximately 100 people in their operations.
Watson also mentioned that he attended a trade show in Las Vegas in order to interact with various industries to promote Navajo County as a location for business. He said a special interest was found from those in the firearms and ammunitions industry currently based in Nevada and California.
Watson also noted that there were no updates on Midwest Poultry Services that may be coming to the area. He explained the delay was because the company was undecided as to whether or not they would need to create a free-range environment for their poultry.
The board also heard from Chris Bagnoli with the Pinetop Regional Supervisor for Arizona Game and Fish Department who presented a slideshow of upcoming wildlife recreational events for Navajo County as well as the White Mountain area.
Arno Hall and Lynda Wilson of Navajo County Juvenile Probation also presented the board with that departments’ efforts in reducing the chances of repeat offenses as well as offering services in Navajo County for the youth in need of assistance.
In other business, the board:
* Approved the Northeastern Arizona Innovative Workforce Solutions Local Workforce development plan for July 1, 2017, through June 20th, 2021.
* Approved for public online auction county surplus items beginning March 31, 2017, at 8:00 a.m. and lasting approximately two weeks.
* Approved the three-year reappointment for Connie Bergstrand, Esther Peterson, Bill Jeffers and Allison Hephner to serve on the Navajo County Extension Advisory Board beginning on April 1, 2017.
* Approved a transfer of $50,000 from the Dislocated Worker Program to the Adult Program as part of the Northeastern Arizona Innovative Workforce, since the Dislocated Worker Program involves only 11 percent of those participating.
* Authorized a Heber Overgaard Fire District’s Gila River Indian Casino Grant application for $60,000 to replace a 2008 ambulance with a Type 2 ambulance.
* Approved a propane tank service agreement with Owens Energy for the Navajo County Taylor Road Yard.
* Approved the annual declaration for renewal of credit for Navajo County with Wells Fargo Bank.
