Photo by Toni GibbonsSupervisor Steve Williams (second from left) was named the 2018 Navajo County chairman of the board and as such presented Supervisor Jesse Thompson with a plaque in appreciation of his service as chairman of the board for 2017. Also pictured are Supervisor and Vice Chairman Dawnafe Whitesinger (left), Supervisor Lee Jacks, Sr. (second from right) and Supervisor Jason Whiting (right).
Photo by Toni GibbonsSupervisor Steve Williams (second from left) was named the 2018 Navajo County chairman of the board and as such presented Supervisor Jesse Thompson with a plaque in appreciation of his service as chairman of the board for 2017. Also pictured are Supervisor and Vice Chairman Dawnafe Whitesinger (left), Supervisor Lee Jacks, Sr. (second from right) and Supervisor Jason Whiting (right).

By unanimous vote, Supervisor Steve Williams and Supervisor Dawnafe Whitesinger were named the new chairman and vice chairman respectively for 2018 at the Jan. 9 meeting of the Navajo County Board of Supervisors.

Supervisor Jesse Thompson received a plaque in thanks for his service as chairman for 2017. He was also commended by his fellow board members for his service.

Williams said that Thompson has been the longest, continuous serving supervisor in the State of Arizona. “I am consistently impressed with his kindness, respect and appreciation of others. Our county is better because of him.”

Supervisor Jason Whiting noted of Thompson, “You keep getting better with age and you truly work to represent the people.”

Supervisor Lee Jacks, Sr., said he commended Thompson for his years of service as a supervisor. “He has done great things on the Navajo side through partnering with the Navajo Nation and the county, especially on transportation issues. He has done a lot of work on the roads on the Navajo Nation.”

In other action, the board approved:

* Amending the existing contract with Nurse Practitioner Debra Smalley to increase the scope of work and compensation in order to fill grant requirements and for billable public health services to insurance.

* Approved an agreement with the Arizona Department of Health Services to perform HIV prevention, testing, counseling and surveillance activities throughout Navajo County effective Jan. 1, 2018, through Dec. 31, 2023.

* Approved a perpetual and temporary construction drainage easement over and across real property in the Sky Hi Retreat community to Navajo County for drainage, construction and maintenance purposes.