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WE JUST GOT THAT COMES BACK FROM JULY ONE 20.[ NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND AGENDA Tuesday, March 24, 2026 NAVAJO COUNTY GOVERNMENTAL COMPLEX BOARD OF SUPERVISORS' CHAMBERS 100 EAST CODE TALKERS DRIVE HOLBROOK, AZ 86025 One or more supervisors may attend telephonically Pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.02(H), the public body will have physical access to the meeting place one (1) hour prior to the start of the meeting. The Board may vote to meet in a closed executive session to discuss certain matters and for legal advice on any item as indicated on the following agenda, pursuant to A.R.S. § 38-431.03(A)(3). Items on the agenda may be considered out of order at the Chairperson's discretion. A copy of the agenda background material provided to the Board, except items to be considered in the executive session, is available for public inspection at the Navajo County website, www.navajocountyaz.gov WATCH THE MEETING LIVE AT: www.navajocountyaz.gov/660 All public comments will need to be made in person or in writing. Written comments will be received by the Clerk of the Board's office twenty-four (24) hours prior to the Board meeting, at leah.thomas@navajocountyaz.gov. Individuals seeking to address the Board during the Call to the Public or when an agenda item is called must fill out a “Request to Speak” form and provide it to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors before the meeting is called to order. Late submissions will not be accepted. The form must indicate whether the item the person wishes to speak on is on the agenda. Members of the public present to speak to the Board on an agenda item must so indicate, and are asked to refrain from speaking during the general Call to the Public. Persons present to address agenda items will be called on during a public comment period by the Board Chairman after the relevant agenda item is called. Individuals addressing the Board during the general Call to the Public are limited to three minutes. Individuals addressing the Board when an item is called are also limited to three minutes, however, additional time may be allotted by the Chairman to address any specific questions asked by members of the Board. Persons with disabilities who need accommodation to attend or participate in the meeting may contact the Clerk of the Board’s office at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the meeting, so accommodation can be arranged. “NOTICE TO PARENTS AND LEGAL GUARDIANS: Parents and legal guardians have the right to consent before Navajo County makes a video or voice recording of a minor child, pursuant to A.R.S. § 1-602(A)(9). The Navajo County Board of Supervisors' regular meetings are recorded and may be viewed on Navajo County’s website and social media pages. If you permit your child to attend/participate in a televised Navajo County Board of Supervisors meeting, a recording will be made, and your child’s picture may be posted on Navajo County’s social media pages. You may exercise your right not to consent by not allowing your child to attend/participate in the meeting.” 9:00 a.m. Call To Order: Invocation, Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem ]
GOOD MORNING.I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS REGULAR MEETING AND THE NAVAJO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO ORDER BY ROLL CALL.
SEE THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT AT THIS TIME.
WE WELCOME EACH OF YOU HERE AND WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT YOU'RE HERE TODAY.
WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR ALSO THE STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE THAT WILL BE RECOGNIZING A LITTLE LATER AS WELL AS OUR EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR SERVICE AND FOR THEIR YEARS OF SERVICE.
AND WE'RE JUST GRATEFUL FOR A WONDERFUL DAY AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET.
WE'D LIKE TO BEGIN WITH AN INVOCATION.
WE'VE ASKED, UH, VICE CHAIR DONNA FAYE WHITE SENIOR, IF SHE WOULD OFFER THAT.
FOLLOWING THAT, WE HAVE ASKED THE JOE CITY HIGH SCHOOL TO COME IN AND TO, UH, SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM DOING THAT.
THIS IS OUR 250TH ANNIVERSARY.
WE WANT TO BRING A LITTLE MORE PATRIOTISM FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS INTO OUR MEETING.
SO ON THAT BASIS, THOSE WHO'D LIKE TO JOIN US IN PRAYER, UH, PLEASE STAND HEAVEN.
FATHER, WE'RE SO GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AS COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS AND OFFER A WORD OF PRAYER.
WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE MANY BLESSINGS THAT THOU HAS PROVIDED WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES, FOR THE LOVING FAMILIES AND FOR THE CHILDREN WHO ARE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS, AND THAT WE GET THE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE TODAY.
WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR BEING ABLE TO LIVE IN THIS GREAT NATION AND FOR THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO SERVE IN MANY DIFFERENT CAPACITIES THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITIES, REGION AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
HEAVENLY FATHER, THOSE WHO ARE FIRST RESPONDERS, THOSE WHO ARE TEACHERS, AND THOSE WHO FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE IN WHATEVER CAPACITY THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE IN NEED.
WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THEIR KINDNESS AND THEIR STEWARDSHIP.
AND WE ASK THAT WE MIGHT BE A REFLECTION OF THESE THINGS, THAT WE TOO MIGHT BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO OTHERS WHO ARE IN NEED, THAT WE MIGHT LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE, THAT WE MIGHT BE KIND AND RESPECTFUL IN ALL MANNER, AND THAT WE WORK TOWARDS BEING OUR GREATEST SELVES.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK THAT OUR MINDS AND HEARTS BE OF GOOD NATURE AND THAT WE ASK FOR THY BLESSINGS TO BE WITH US TODAY.
THAT WE, UM, BE OPEN-MINDED AND THAT WE HEAR EACH OTHER AND THAT WE HONOR AND RESPECT ONE ANOTHER.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK FOR YOUR BLESSINGS TO BE UPON THE STUDENTS THAT WE GET TO HONOR TODAY, THAT THERE DAYS MIGHT BE JOYFUL, AND THAT THEIR FUTURES MIGHT BE FILLED WITH GOOD AND WONDERFUL THINGS, HEAVENLY FATHER.
AND THAT THOSE WHO HAVE RAISED THEM AND SUPPORTED THEM AND ALLOWED THEM TO BE ABLE TO BE RECOGNIZED TODAY, THAT THEY BE HONORED AS WELL, AND THAT THEIR THEIR DAYS.
BE BLESSED, HEAVENLY FATHER, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT IT IS THAT YOU DO AND ALL THAT YOU HAVE CREATED.
AND FOR THE HONOR OF JUST BEING HERE TODAY, HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK FOR YOUR BLESSINGS ON THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED, THOSE WHO ARE TROUBLED AND THOSE WHO ARE SICK OR AFFLICTED THAT THEY HAND A PEACE WILL BE UPON THEM.
AND WE ASK FOR THY CONTINUED GENEROSITY AND FOR REIGN IN OUR REGION.
WE ASK FOR TH LESSONS HUMBLY IN THESE THINGS.
WE PRAY IN THE NAME OF THY SON JESUS CHRIST.
I, UH, GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE SOUL.
OH, SAY, CAN YOU SEE EARLY WHAT SO PROUD MAYBE WE HELD AT THE TWILIGHTS LAST CLEANING WHO BRIDE STRIPES AND BRIDE STARS THROUGH THE LAST ALL THE ROUND PARTS WE WATCHED WERE SO, AND
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THE LAND AND THE FANTASTIC MA'AM, MA'AM, MA'AM.COULD YOU JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF? THAT WAS FANTASTIC.
MY NAME'S CHELSEA GARDNER AND, UM, FROM JOSEPH CITY.
AND WHAT, WHAT GRADE ARE YOU IN THE SCHOOL? I'M IN EIGHTH GRADE AND
I ENJOY THE SINGING AND I LIKE SINGING
YOU SING TO THE LARGEST CROWD THAT WE'VE HAD IN A LONG, LONG TIME.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR TALENTS WITH US TODAY.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS CALLED TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, INDIVIDUALS MAY ADDRESS THE BOARD ON AN ISSUE ON THE, THIS IS NOT ON THE AGENDA AT THIS TIME, WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AT THIS TIME, KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES AND WE ASK YOU IF SOMETHING HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED BY SOMEBODY PREVIOUSLY DID NOT REPEAT IT.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FIRST HAS RECEIVED A LETTER FROM KELLY LER AND EACH OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE A COPY OF THAT TO REVIEW.
AND IF THERE'S ANY COMMENTS THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE OR DIRECTION THEY WILL TO STAFF, UH,
[1. CALL TO THE PUBLIC: Individuals may address the Board on any issue not on the agenda and within the jurisdiction of the Board of Supervisors for up to 3 minutes. At the close of the call to the public, Board members may not respond to any comments but may respond to criticism, ask staff to review a matter or ask that a matter be placed on a future agenda.]
OUR PERSON ON CALL TO THE PUBLIC, WE HAVE CECILIA LFA.THANK YOU FOR HEARING US TODAY.
UM, THIS IS OFF THE AGENDA, RIGHT? SECRETARY FONTES LETTER ON MAY 23RD, 2024 CORRECTLY STATES THAT A RS 16 DASH 6 0 2 REQUIRES ONLY A LIMITED POST-ELECTION HAND COUNT AUDIT, NOT FULL MANUAL TABULATION.
HOWEVER, THE SAME LAW PROVIDES A CLEAR EXCEPTION UNDER A RS 16 6 21 C.
HAND TABULATION IS PERMITTED WHEN ELECTRONIC TABULATION BECOMES IMPRACTICAL.
THAT THRESHOLD HAS NOW BEEN MET IN NAVAJO COUNTY.
WE'VE DOCUMENTED 117.4% VOTER REGISTRATION RATES IN INCEL LOGS HIDDEN FROM PUBLIC VIEW.
COMPLETE REFUSAL OF OUR CITIZEN FUNDED FORENSIC AUDIT OFFER IN SPRING OF 2024.
UNVERIFIABLE LOGIC AND ACCURACY TESTS, OBSERVERS WITNESS PRINTERS OPERATING FEET FROM CENTRAL COMPUTERS WITH NO MODEM CHECKS EVER PRODUCED.
THE DENIED MACHINE INSPECTIONS.
WE'VE GOT AFFIDAVITS FOR THAT.
BROKEN SEALS, UNLOCKED BALLOT HANDOFFS AND OBSERVER EXCLUSIONS.
WE'VE GOT MULTIPLE SWORN AFFIDAVITS ON THAT AND PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS FILED SINCE OCTOBER, 2025.
STILL UNFULFILLED AS OF TODAY.
THESE ARE SYSTEMIC FAILURES THAT RENDER OUR ESNS MACHINES, WHICH COME AS IS DISCLAIMERS REFUSING ANY GUARANTEE OF SECURITY AND ACCURACY IMPRACTICAL FOR SECURE TABULATION.
I THEREFORE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE BOARD DECLARE ELECTRONIC TABULATION IMPRACTICAL FOR 2026 AND DIRECT THE IMMEDIATE PLANNING OF PRECINCT LEVEL HAND COUNTS OR AT A BARE MINIMUM HAND COUNTS AT EVERY VOTING CENTER.
WE ALSO ARE COLLECTING SIGNATURES FOR 2026 CITIZEN INITIATIVE TO MAKE PRECINCT HAND COUNTS THE LAW OF ARIZONA.
YOUR SUPPORT TODAY WOULD RESTORE OUR TRUSTS IN OUR ELECTIONS.
I HAVE A COPY OF THAT IF YOU WANT ME TO GIVE IT TO YOU.
YEAH, IF YOU PLEASE SUBMIT IT TO THE COURT.
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SORRY.THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, UH, SPEAK THIS THIS MORNING.
I LIKE TO SEE THE CHILDREN AS WELL.
UH, MY NAME IS DONNA SHERWIN AND UM, I'VE LIVED IN NAVAJO COUNTY FOR 31 YEARS AND I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ELECTION INTEGRITY IN, UM, ELECTION INTEGRITY NETWORK GROUP FOR TWO YEARS.
UM, I HAVE ADDRESSED YOU MANY TIMES ACROSS THE YEARS, BUT MOSTLY IN 2024 WHEN I OFTEN ADDRESS YOU TO ASK WHY NAVAJO COUNTY DOES NOT PUBLICLY ADVERTISE FOR THE NEED, UH, FOR POLL WORKERS.
UH, I FEEL THAT IT'S AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY THAT EVERY NAVAJO COUNTY CITIZEN SHOULD HAVE IS HAVE MADE AVAILABLE TO THEM SO THAT THEY CAN BE A PART OF THE GREAT AMERICAN ELECTION PROCESS.
AND, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF CHILDREN, YOUNG YOUNGSTERS HERE TODAY.
UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT THEY WOULD ALL BE TAUGHT IN A CIVICS CLASS THAT, UH, PARTICIPATING IN ELECTIONS IS A GREAT THING ALONG WITH ADDRESSING YOU REGULARLY IN 2024, I PERSONALLY OFFERED TO HELP YOU FIND POLL WORKERS TAKING TIME OUT OF MY OWN LIFE TO PERSONALLY SPEAK TO C COMMITTEE GROUPS, VETERANS GROUPS, TO MY FELLOW CHURCH CONGREGANTS, TO NEIGHBORS, TO FRIENDS.
I WAS PROMPTED TO WANT TO HELP TO FIND POLL WORKERS WHEN KRISTEN HADDOCK FROM YOUR ELECTION DEPARTMENT PERSONALLY TOLD ME THAT EVERY ELECTION SHE IS CHALLENGED, UH, TO FIND CITIZENS WILLING TO WORK AS POLL WORKERS.
EVEN WITH HER ROLODEX FILLED WITH 500 NAMES.
I'VE SPENT MANY HOURS TRYING TO FIND THESE HUNDREDS OF POLL WORKERS THAT CHRISTIAN EXPLAIN.
CHRISTIAN KRISTEN, SHE EXPLAINS THAT SHE NEEDS WILLING TO GIVE MY TIME AND ENERGY TO HELP TO TRY TO MAKE NAVAJO COUNTY ELECTIONS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL POSSIBLE.
I'M SAD TO REPORT THAT MY EFFORTS HAVE BEEN SHUNNED AND MAYBE EVEN UNDERMINED BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE I HAVE REFERRED TO KRISTEN TO HELP HER WITH STAFFING NEEDS HAVE LARGELY BEEN IGNORED.
PEOPLE I HAVE FOUND WHO WANT TO BE A POLL WORKER HAVE SIGNED UP WITH SOME OF THEM EVEN TAKING THE REQUIRED POLL WORKER TRAINING CLASS WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE ELECTION.
BUT THEN THEY WERE NEVER CALLED BACK.
THIS IS DISAPPOINTING TO SAY THE LEAST.
AND THEN TODAY AT VARIOUS CITIZENS, AS VARIOUS CITIZENS COME TO YOU TO OFFER TRUTH AND EVIDENCE REGARDING THE MANY INCONSISTENCIES AND QUESTIONABLE ELECTION PRACTICES THAT THE NAVAJO COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS ENGAGED IN.
I'M ADDITIONALLY DISAPPOINTED TO ADDRESS WITH YOU A RECENTLY LEARNED FACT THAT SEEMINGLY INFLUENCES NAVAJO COUNTY IN A NEGATIVE WAY.
AND IT LEAVES ME WONDERING IF THE NN COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS NOT INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM THEIR CONSTITUENTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE HAD OTHER PLANS ALL ALONG.
PLANS THAT WOULD BE DICTATED BY THE MORE THAN $600,000 IN GRANT MONEY THAT WAS RECEIVED FROM MARK ZUCKERBERG'S ZUCKER BUCKS VIA AN AFFILIATE NONPROFIT CENTER FOR TECH AND CIVIC LIFE.
I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT NAVAJO COUNTY SPENT PART OF THIS MONEY, WHICH IS MORE THAN HALF OF A MILLION DOLLARS TO BUILD A LARGE NEW ELECTION WAREHOUSE.
BUT THEN NAVAJO COUNTY DID NOT FEEL THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO SPEND MONEY ON INSTALLING QUALITY VIDEO CAMERAS FROM MONITORING FOR MONITORING ELECTIONS, BUT INSTEAD INSTALLED LOW RESOLUTION FISH EYED CAMERAS, CAMERAS WITHOUT ANY AUDIO RECORDING EQUIPMENT.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER, UH, GOING TO THE HAND COUNT AS CELIA ASKED FOR.
NEXT IS, UH, MR. STEVE CARVER HALL.
GOOD MORNING, STEVE CARVAL HALL SHOWN O THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU'D SEEN THE LAST OF ME.
ANYWAY, SO WHAT I WANNA TALK TO YOU TODAY IS IN MY LAST CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU, JASON, ABOUT THE WIND FARMS AND THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT YOU MET, YOU BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT THE, IF WE DON'T, IF WE'VE TRIED TO FIGHT IT, WE'LL LOSE.
AND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS CORRECT.
WHAT WE DON'T HAVE IS SUFFICIENT PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS IN THE PROCESSING, IN THE PERMITTING PROCESS TO BEGIN WITH.
WE HAVE THREE SEPARATE ENTITIES THAT WORK HERE.
WE HAVE THE DEVELOPER OF THESE SOLAR AND WIND PROJECTS.
WE HAVE THE CONSTRUCTOR AND THEN WE HAVE THE OPERATING COMPANY.
AND WHAT NOBODY HAS BROUGHT TO THE TABLE YET IS THE OPERATING COMPANY.
THIS IS THE ONE THAT'LL ACTUALLY BE PAYING THE TAXES.
THIS IS THE ONE THAT'LL ACTUALLY BE GENERATING THE SYSTEM IF IT IS IN FACT TO BE GENERATED.
AND WE HAVE SUPPOSEDLY 15 TO 17 OF THESE OPERATIONS SCHEDULED RIGHT NOW, DO WE ACTUALLY BELIEVE 17 OF 'EM ARE GONNA GET MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR COMPANIES TO COME IN HERE AND BUY THESE OPERATIONS? THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
WHAT'LL HAPPEN IS THE WAY WE HAVE IT SET UP RIGHT NOW WITH PLANNING AND ZONING IS THAT THE, UH, PERMITTING PROCESS, SO INADEQUATE 'CAUSE YOU'RE NOT REQUIRING
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THE OPERATING COMPANY TO BECOME PART OF THAT PROCESS.YOU NEED TO DO THIS BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY ENTITY THEY'LL ACTUALLY PAY ANY TAXES.
THEY'LL ACTUALLY GENERATE ANY ELECTRICITY.
THE DEVELOPER, THE BUILDER IS JUST THAT THE CONSTRUCTOR, ONCE IT'S CONSTRUCTED, THEY'RE BOTH GONE.
AND IF THEY DON'T SELL THE PROJECT, LIKE ONE GENTLEMAN IN HERE CLAIMS TO BE ABLE TO DO, IF THEY DON'T HAVE AN OPERATING COMPANY AND YOU DON'T GET THAT OPERATING COMPANY IN THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT, YOU'VE ALLOWED THEM TO BUILD A MONSTROSITY OUT THERE THAT'LL NEVER BE USED.
CREATE A LOT OF BLINKING LIGHTS, USE UP A LOT OF OIL, USE UP A LOT OF STUFF, AND NEVER ACTUALLY BE USED FOR ANYTHING.
SO I'M IMP EMPLOYING YOU CHANGE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SPECIAL USE OP UH, PERMIT TO INCLUDE AN OPERATING COMPANY AND A 10 YEAR MINIMUM 10 YEAR BOND ON THAT OPERATING COMPANY TO ACTUALLY BECOME ENGAGED.
IF THE DEVELOPER AND THE CONTRACTOR CANNOT PRODUCE THAT, THEN THEY ARE NOT FOR REAL AND THEY'RE JUST WISHING AND YOU ARE ALLOWING THEM TO BUILD.
BUT THE ONLY REASON WOULD BE IS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE, UH, PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
SO I'M ASKING YOU, I'M BEGGING YOU CHANGE THE PERMITTING PROCESS TO INCLUDE AN OPERATING COMPANY.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE OPERATING COMPANY, YOU HAVE NOTHING.
UM, AS WE APPROACH THE 2026 ELECTION CYCLE, THIS IS A SOBERING REMINDER OF THE TRUTHS FOUND IN THE COUNTY'S NEGLIGENCE IN THE 2024 ELECTION CYCLE.
THAT PRIMARY SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN LEGALLY CERTIFIED.
AS THE MARGINS AND ERRORS AND MISTAKES AND LACK OF DUE DILIGENCE WAS SHAMEFUL AND REFLECTS ON EACH OF YOU PERSONALLY.
YOU MUST PUT FORWARD STRONGER EFFORTS AND ALL DUE DILIGENCE TO SUCCESSFULLY PERFORM A LAWFULLY PROCESSED ELECTION FOR 2026.
HERE'S JUST A COUPLE OF THE ERRORS.
RECORDED, SERIOUS BROKEN CHAIN OF CUSTODY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE ELECTION PROCESS.
NEWLY INSTALLED BALLOT BOX CAMERAS AT TAXPAYER'S EXPENSE ALL AT SOME POINT MALFUNCTIONED ZIP DRIVES AND VOTE INFORMATION LEFT IN KIOSK MACHINES DELIVERED TO VOTING PRECINCTS, ANTIQUATED LOGIC AND ACCURACY TESTS.
BALLOT AND VOTING OBS OBSERVERS MADE TO SIT ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROOMS. UNABLE TO OBSERVE INCORRECT NUMBER OF PARTY REPRESENTATIVES AT ALL PRECINCTS.
PRECINCTS WITH ZERO VOTERS CREATED BY RAYLENE RICHARDS.
HUNDREDS OF VOTERS TURNED AWAY.
COUNTY MANAGER BRIAN LEIGHTON SAID THAT HE CLAIMED THAT ALL THESE PEOPLE FORGOT TO VOTE.
ONE PRECINCT WOULD'VE TAKEN 90 HOURS TO PROCESS ALL VOTERS THAT WERE TOLD THEY HAD ALREADY VOTED.
ELECTION WORKERS CON ELECTION WORKERS CONFIRMING THAT PROVISIONAL VOTES AREN'T COUNTED AND DON'T MATTER.
BOXES AND BOXES OF OPEN BALLOTS OF UNSEALED YET PICKED UP BY DEPUTIES.
BALLOTS DEPUTIES, UH, PICKING UP PRECINCT REPORTS THAT WERE INSUFFICIENTLY FILED OR NOT FILLED OUT AT ALL.
USING ON CERTIFIED MACHINES COUNTY MANAGER BRIAN LAYTON TURNED DOWN CITIZENS WILLING TO PAY FOR A HIGHLY QUALIFIED WORLD-KNOWN PROFESSIONAL TO AUDIT THE MACHINES.
HE STATED THAT SINCE THEY DIDN'T WORK FOR A COUNTY, THEY WERE NOT QUALIFIED.
RAYLENE RICHARDS AND CHRISTINE HADDOCK AND THEIR UNDERAGE DAUGHTER ENTERED THE ELECTION BUILDING AT ON A SUNDAY TO ADJUDICATE BALLOTS.
NO WITNESSES, NO ONE WATCHING EXCEPT A LITTLE CAMERA WAY OVERHEAD.
THEY MARKED AND THEY REMARKED AND THEY PROCESS BALLOTS THROUGH THE TABULATORS ON A SUNDAY WITH NO ONE WATCHING.
CHRISTINE HAD IT CONSTANTLY COMPLAINTS THAT SHE DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH POLL WORKERS YET SHE REPEATEDLY UNETHICALLY ASKED FOR THE PARTY AFFILIATION OF NEW PEOPLE AND HAS SELECTIVELY OUSTED MOSTLY ALL REPUBLICAN PEOPLE.
ALSO, BRIAN LEIGHTON HAS REFUSED CERTAIN VERY QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS TO WORK ON THE RESERVATION AT THEIR EXPENSE, EITHER BECAUSE OF PERSONAL REASONS OR IS DESPERATELY TRYING TO HIDE THE NEGLIGENCE THAT THE COUNTY, THAT THE NAVAJO COUNTY ELECTION PROCESS HAS ALLOWED.
THIS IS ONLY SCRATCHING THE SURFACE AND WITH CLEAR PROOF ALL AS STATED IS TRUE.
AND HOPEFULLY NONE OF THESE ISSUES WILL OCCUR IN 2026.
SO PLEASE DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE FOR 2026.
THAT'S ALL THE ITEMS WE HAVE NOW FOR CALL TO THE PUBLIC.
I WOULD JUST, UH, ASK STAFF IF THEY'LL LOOK INTO THESE PARTICULAR ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP TO OUR ATTENTION, SPECIFICALLY SOME OF THE THINGS ON OUR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS AS WELL AS ELECTIONS AND AS WELL AS POLL WORKERS AND
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TRY TO FIND SOME RESOLUTION HERE.[2. CONSENT AGENDA: These items are considered to be routine or administrative in nature and will be approved in a single motion. A Board member may request for any item to be removed from the consent agenda and considered on the regular agenda:]
NEXT ITEM WE HAVE IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.UH, I'VE BEEN ASKED TO POLL ITEM 2K, UH, AT THIS TIME ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE DISCUSSED OR POLL? AND THEN I'LL LOOK FOR A MOTION.
CHAIRMAN, I MAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL ON THE ITEMS OF THE CONSENT TO AGENDA WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM K.
SECOND, IF YOU HAVE A MOTION BY VICE CHAIR, SECOND VICE SUPERVISOR PEKAY.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.
I NEED A MOTION TO MOVE DISTRICT.
A CALL FOR THE VOTE, ALTHOUGH IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[a. CONSENT AGENDA: The following item(s) are considered to be of a routine or administrative in nature and will be approved as a group unless a member of the Board wishes to discuss a particular item: ]
NONE.THIS TIME WE'RE IN THE JAIL DISTRICT.
FIRST ITEM AMENDMENT JAIL DISTRICT WAS, WE HAVE A CONSENT AGENDA ITEM.
IS THERE ANYBODY AROUND THE OTHER ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE DISCUSSED OR TALKED ABOUT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? SEE NOW, NOW CALL FOR THE VOTE.
ANY OPPOSED? CHAIR A MOTION? I THINK WE NEED, WE NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
I NEED A MOTION TO MOVE BACK TO REGULAR SESSION.
MOTION IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
[a. Recognition of Joseph City High School Girls Basketball team for winning the Arizona 1A State Championship.]
THAT PASSED BACK INTO REGULAR SESSION.OUR NEXT ITEM IS, UH, RECOGNITION OF JOE CITY HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM FOR WINNING THE ARIZONA WON A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
THIS TIME I'LL TURN THE TIME TO SUPERVISOR
IS THAT EVERYONE? ALRIGHT? YES.
I AM ONE OF THE FIVE MEMBERS HERE ON THE NAVAJO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
SO WELCOME TO OUR BOARD CHAMBERS, UH, STUDENTS AS WELL AS COACHES FROM THE COMMUNITY OF JOSEPH CITY.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE BOARD, WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE THE, UM, CHAMPIONS AND THE 180 DIVISION OF THE ARIZONA INTERS SCHOLASTIC ASSOCIATION IS THE LADY JOSEPH CITY WILDCATS.
AND SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR VICTORY, UM, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, AND THAT WAS AWESOME TO SEE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, I QUICKLY MADE THIS THIS MORNING HAVING, UM, GONE, GONE DOWN TO SUPPORT YOUR SUPPORT YOU GUYS.
AND IT WAS VERY INTIMIDATING SITTING AMONGST OTHER, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT WEREN'T FROM JOSEPH CITY.
HOWEVER,
AND, UM, OVERALL, AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS.
BUT BEFORE I BEGIN, I HAVE, UH, PREPARED, UH, REMARKS THAT I'D LIKE TO, UM, READ ALOUD.
UM, SO, AND I WAS JUST REMINDED THIS MORNING AS WELL, UH, WELL, TODAY, AS WE KNOW, IS MARCH 24TH AND IT IS THE OFFICIAL 150TH, UM, FOUNDER'S DAY OF THE COMMUNITY OF JOSEPH CITY.
THAT'S WHEN IT BECAME AN ESTI WHEN IT WAS ESTABLISHED AND WHAT YOUR COMMUNITY JUST RECENTLY CELEBRATED OVER THE WEEKEND.
AND SO, AGAIN, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY OR HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE, TO JOSEPH CITY.
AND IT'S JUST, UM, IT'S JUST, UH, I WOULD JUST SAY IT'S, UH, UNIQUE THAT WE'RE ALSO HERE TODAY TO ALSO, UM, RECOGNIZE THE CHAMPIONS AND THEN ALSO TO PROVIDE YOU A MEDAL.
UM, AND IN CONTINUATION IN THAT TO THE STATE CHAMPIONS, UM, YOUR JOURNEY TO THE TOP WASN'T JUST ABOUT THE FINAL GAME.
IT WAS ABOUT EVERY PRACTICE, EVERY SPIRIT, EVERY TOUGH DEFENSE, AND EVERY SHOT YOU TOOK TOGETHER, YOU FACED, CHALLENGED CHALLENGES HEAD ON, PUSHED YOURSELF BEYOND LIMITS AND NEVER LOST SIGHT OF THE GOAL.
UM, THE UNWAVERING COMMITMENT AND RELENTLESS EFFORT, UM, ARE WHAT TRULY DEFINE YOU AS CHAMPIONS.
THE VICTORY IS A TESTAMENT TO YOUR INCREDIBLE SPIRIT AND THE BOND THAT YOU SHARE AS A TEAM.
SO, AND LET'S NOT FORGET THE AMAZING SUPPORT SYSTEM BEHIND THE TEAM.
A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO YOUR COACHES WHO GUIDED AND INSPIRED YOU INDIVIDUALLY TO GREATNESS TO THE SCHOOL STAFF.
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YOU FOR YOUR UNWAVERING SUPPORT AND FOR CREATING ENVIR AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THESE YOUNG WOMEN COULD THRIVE.AND THEN TO THE COMMUNITY, YOUR CHEERS AND YOUR CURRENT ENCOURAGEMENT FUEL THEIR JOURNEY AND ESPECIALLY TO THE PARENTS.
YOUR SACRIFICES, EARLY MORNING DRIVES AND ENDLESS SUPPORT MADE THIS DREAM A REALITY.
THIS CHAMPIONSHIP IS SHARED, IS A SHARED VICTORY FOR ALL.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'D ALSO LIKE TO TURN THE TIME OVER TO THE COACHES IF THEY WOULD ALSO LIKE TO OFFER INPUT AND THEN A RECAP, UM, OF THE GAME FOR OUR AUDIENCE HERE, WE GR WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE RECOGNIZED.
UM, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR WORDS.
THEY WERE VERY KIND AND VERY ACCURATE.
WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WHEN I START TO GET CHOKED UP, THEY MAKE FUN OF ME.
UM, IT HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF AN HONOR TO COACH THESE LADIES.
WE'VE GOT A GREAT COACHING STAFF.
WE'VE GOT, LIKE YOU SAID, GREAT COMMUNITY, GREAT SUPPORT FROM NAVAJO COUNTY.
UM, UH, THIS IS THE END OF MY 10TH YEAR AS VARSITY COACH FOR THE JOSEPH CITY LADY WILDCATS.
THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST COHESIVE TEAM I HAVE EVER COACHED.
AND THESE LADIES CAME TOGETHER.
UM, IF YOU WATCH ANY OF OUR GAMES, YOU COULD HEAR OUR BENCH.
THEY NEVER STOPPED CELEBRATING FOR EACH OTHER.
IT DIDN'T MATTER WHO WAS DOING WHAT AND IT DIDN'T MATTER WHO WAS IN THE LIMELIGHT.
AND THAT IS UNIQUE TO THESE YOUNG LADIES.
I'M VERY, UH, TOUCHED AND HONORED TO BE THEIR COACH BECAUSE OF HOW THEY MAKE, THEY HELP ME LIFT UP AS WELL.
IF THERE'S ONE LESSON I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM COACHING AND FROM THIS GROUP OF LADIES IS EVERYBODY HAS TALENT.
EVERYBODY HAS A JOB AND EVERYBODY HAS A ROLE TO PLAY.
AND WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR TALENT IS, YOU ACCEPT YOUR ROLE AND YOU DO YOUR JOB TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, YOU WILL MAKE OTHERS SUCCESSFUL.
AND THAT'S WHAT THESE LADIES DID.
THEY'RE A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THEY DO IN THE FUTURE.
I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION MY ASSISTANT COACHES.
UM, THEY'VE PUT IN COUNTLESS, COUNTLESS HOURS IN GUIDANCE AND IN TALKING TO THE GIRLS AND IT IS JUST A PHENOMENAL, WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY.
THEY CHAMP GAME WAS ABSOLUTELY THE BEST GAME THAT WE'VE PLAYED ALL SEASON.
FROM START TO FINISH, THEY CAME OUT AS A COACH.
YOU SIT BACK AND YOU WONDER, OKAY, ARE WE GONNA DO THIS? ARE WE GONNA WORK ON THIS? AM I GONNA HAVE TO DO THIS? WE PUT A GAME PLAN TOGETHER AS COACHES AND THEN THEY CAME OUT.
THAT PLACE WAS ELECTRIC AND LOUD AND I DID VERY LITTLE COACHING IN THAT GAME.
THESE LADIES WENT OUT, DID THEIR JOB, DID IT WELL, AND DID IT WITHOUT US SAYING A WHOLE LOT TO THEM.
AT HALFTIME, THEY, WE ALWAYS COME IN AND I ASK A QUESTION, WHAT DO WE NEED TO WORK ON? I COULDN'T EVEN ASK THAT QUESTION.
THEY SAID, COACH, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT WE ROTATE BETTER ON DEFENSE.
AND THEN WE CLOSE OUT ON THOSE THREE POINTERS.
THEY NAMED EVERYTHING THAT I HAD BEEN THINKING OF.
THEY'RE AWESOME GROUP OF LADIES.
WE HAVE A GREAT COMMUNITY AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
I DO HAVE SOME MEDALS I WOULD LIKE TO AWARD BESTOW UPON YOU.
AND THEN IF WE CAN GET A GROUP PICTURE OF YOUR TEAM HERE IN THE FRONT.
AND THEN ALICIA WILL GRAB A PICTURE OF THE FULL BOARD IN THE BACKGROUND.
[00:30:15]
DO YOU WANT NO CHAIRS? OH, WE WERE PROBABLY JUST MOVING SO PEOPLE HADWHERE DO YOU WANT US? HOW DO YOU WANT US? YOU CAN, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU CAN HAVE DO CHAIRS BACK ALREADY.
UM, SUPERVISOR ALI RIGHT HERE BETWEEN PERFECT.
UM, CHAIRMAN, IF YOU ACT LIKE YOU'RE HAVE TO BE OUTTA SCHOOL.
CAN WE DO ONE MORE THING? YES.
ISN'T THIS YOUR SECOND ONE, TWO IN A ROW.
YOU GIRLS, YOU PROBABLY FIGHT YOUR FIGHT SONG.
SING YOUR FIGHT SONG TO THIS GROUP TODAY.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION, UH, SUPERVISOR PASTOR KAI AND THE REPRESENTATION YOU GIVE YOUR DISTRICT.
[b. Recognition of Show Low D-2 - 109 lb. Wrestling State Champion Ruthie Wilhelm, Show Low D-3 - 140 lb. Wrestling State Champion Ben Freund and Show Low D-3 - 152 lb. Wrestling State Champion Dallan Rawlings. ]
NEXT ITEM WE HAVE IS, UH, PRESENTATION FOR A WRESTLING GROUP FOR SHO.WE HAVE, UH, WE COULD HAVE THEM COME IN.
YOU GUYS JUST STAND RIGHT THERE.
TODAY BEFORE US, WE HAVE, UH, SOME GREAT CHAMPIONS.
WE HAVE RUTHIE WILHELM WHO HAS WON, UH, STATE TWO TIMES IN A ROW, I BELIEVE RUTHIE, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
WHAT'S YOUR OVERALL RECORD? UM, I THINK IT'S LIKE 35 IN ONE.
AND THEN WE HAVE D RAWLINGS, UH, STATE CHAMPION THIS YEAR.
THE WEIGHT CLASS I BELIEVE IS ONE 50, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
WHAT'S YOUR OVERALL RECORD? UH, SENIOR YEAR I 59 TO THAT'S FANTASTIC.
SO HERE WE HAVE THE FATHERS OF BOTH OF THESE CHILDREN WHO HAS ALSO HELPED COACHING MR. WILHELM AND MR. DANIEL RAWLINGS.
AND SO I WANT TO HEAR JUST A, A FEW MINUTES FROM, UH, DANIEL AND THEN FROM COACH WILHELM AND THEN EACH OF YOU FOR, UH, YOUR EFFORTS.
YOU GUYS CAN TURN AROUND AND FACE US NOW.
WHO DO YOU WANT TO GO FIRST? WANT THE COACHES TO GO FIRST? OKAY.
UH, MY NAME IS DANIEL RAWLINGS.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP COACH, UM, THESE TWO AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE GIRLS AND BOYS SHOW LOW WRESTLING THIS YEAR AND IN YEARS PAST.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I JUST LOVE ABOUT WRESTLING IS IT, UH, DEFINITELY SHOWS YOU WHAT YOU HAVE DEEP DOWN INSIDE OF YOU.
THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES IN LIFE WHEN THINGS GET HARD AND I DON'T KNOW OF ANOTHER SPORT WHERE I'VE BEEN TO THOSE PRACTICES AND THE PRACTICE IS THE HARDEST THING THAT A LOT OF THESE YOUTH HAVE EVER DONE IN
[00:35:01]
THEIR LIVES.A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE MAKE IT ONE PRACTICE OR TWO PRACTICE OR, OR MAYBE A WEEK AND THEY SAY, I I CAN'T DO THIS.
SO FOR THESE TWO AND THE REST OF THE SHOW TEAM THAT MADE IT TO THE END OF THE YEAR, UM, IS A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT JUST TO MAKE IT TO THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND THEN TO COMPETE ON THE BIGGEST STAGE IN ARIZONA WHERE YOU GO OUT, UH, UNDER THE LIGHTS IS A, A FEELING FOR A FATHER, A COACH THAT I DON'T THINK EVER GETS OLD FOR ME, IT DOES NOT.
AND THEN TO SEE THESE YOUTH COMPETE AND GIVE IT THEIR ALL IS A SENSE OF PRIDE THAT NOT EVERYBODY GETS TO EXPERIENCE IN THEIR LIFETIME.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE THESE TWO.
THERE'S ALSO ONE OTHER, HIS NAME IS BEN FRONT.
HE'S NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY 'CAUSE HE'S, UM, HAVING TO TAKE THE SATS.
BUT THE THREE OF THOSE PUT IN ENDLESS HOURS, UM, OUTSIDE OF THE REGULAR PRACTICE HOURS, WHETHER IT WAS AT HOME OR IN THE GYM, EARLY MORNINGS, UH, LATE EVENINGS TO MEET A GOAL THAT THEY REACHED.
AND TO SEE THEM FULFILL THAT GOAL IS SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY THAT, UM, YOU JUST GOTTA GIVE THEM PROPS AND, AND SAY CONGRATULATIONS AND HATS OFF TO THEM.
WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS HAVING US AND, AND GIVING THEM THE TIME TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
I, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE AND SUPPORTING THEM.
AND MY WIFE SHOWED ME A QUOTE BY KALE SANDERSON, JUST REC JUST BARELY, AND I'M PROBABLY GONNA BUTCHER IT, BUT IT SAID IS, IS, UH, WRESTLING SEASON.
WHAT IS IT SHE SAY IS WRESTLING SEASON OPTIONAL.
IS REST OR YEAR ROUND WRESTLING IN THE OFF SEASON.
IS WRESTLING IN THE OFF SEASON OPTIONAL? AND HE SAYS WINNING IS.
SO I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, THESE GUYS DO WRESTLE YEAR ROUND AND THEY PUT FORTH THE EFFORT AND UH, AND I WANT TO ECHO WHAT DANIEL SAID ABOUT THE, THE CONFIDENCE THAT THIS SPORT GIVES THE INDIVIDUAL.
ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN GIRLS, RIGHT NOW THE GIRLS WRESTLE.
IT'S JUST PHENOMENAL WHAT IT, WHEN A GIRL GOES OUT THERE TO WRESTLE AND SHE'S COMPETING THERE, THEY HANDLE THEMSELVES DIFFERENTLY.
THEIR SELF-ESTEEM IS JUST, IT'S, IT'S JUST REMARKABLE.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANY PARENT TO ENCOURAGE THEIR KIDS TO WRESTLE, EVEN IF IT'S JUST TO, TO GET MORE SELF-CONFIDENCE.
AND WE NEED THAT IN THIS WORLD.
AND, AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE THREE STATE CHAMPIONS WE HAD.
SO, AND BEHIND EVERY STATE CHAMPION IS THERE'S A PARTNER AND SO ALL THESE GUYS HAVE PEOPLE PUSHING THEM, COACHES AND OTHER WRESTLERS.
SO, AND THEY'RE NOT HERE, BUT THEY'RE JUST AS IMPORTANT TO GET THESE GUYS GOING.
WE'D WOULD LIKE YOU TO TAKE JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WRESTLING TO YOU AND WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A TWO TIME STATE CHAMPION.
IF YOU GO TO THE PODIUM, PLEASE.
UM, IT JUST MEANS LIKE IN ORDER TO LIKE BE A STATE CHAMPION, YOU HAVE TO LIKE WORK YOUR HARDEST, LIKE NO MATTER WHAT.
AND IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF PRESSURE TO LIKE BE A STATE CHAMPION AND THEN LIKE, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE TO BE WORKING YOUR HARDEST, LIKE NO MATTER WHAT.
AND LIKE, EVEN ON DAYS YOU DON'T WANT TO, IT'S STILL YOU HAVE TO OR ELSE YOU WON'T GET THE OUTCOME YOU WANT.
AND IN THE END IT'S WORTH IT, LIKE ALL OF IT.
LAN WRESTLING TO ME HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ESCAPE.
LIKE WRESTLING'S ALWAYS BEEN THE MOST FUN THING I DO IN MY DAY.
I LOOK FOR, I LOOK FORWARD TO GOING TO PRACTICE EVERY DAY AND, UH, MY JOURNEY TO BECOME A STATE CHAMP DIDN'T START, UH, MY SENIOR YEAR.
MY JOURNEY TO BECOME A STATE CHAMP STARTED MY FRESHMAN YEAR.
UH, WHEN I FINALLY MADE THE VARSITY TEAM, I WAS ABLE TO START WINNING MATCHES AND I STARTED TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THE, THE IDEA OF WINNING AND WORKING MY BUTT OFF TO OUTWORK THE OTHER GUY STANDING ACROSS FROM ME.
AND THEN MY SOPHOMORE YEAR I GOT A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND MY JUNIOR YEAR I GOT A LOT BETTER AND I, UH, I WAS RANKED LIKE THREE IN THE STATE THE WHOLE TIME.
I WAS SUPPOSED TO MAKE A REALLY GOOD RUN, HAD A TITLE, AND UH, I FELL SHORT IN MY SEMI-FINALS MATCH BY ONE POINT.
AND, UH, THAT STUCK WITH ME FROM THE END OF STATE MY JUNIOR YEAR UNTIL NOW.
I SACRIFICED FOOTBALL, I SACRIFICED TRACK, I GAVE UP EVERYTHING TO BECOME A STATE CHAMP.
AND UH, THE SACRIFICES TAUGHT ME HOW TO PERSEVERE AND CHOOSE WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND I'M JUST GRATEFUL FOR WRESTLING AND I DON'T THINK I'D BE THE PERSON I AM WITHOUT IT.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE YOU COME UP HERE IN JUST A MINUTE AND RECEIVE A MEDAL AND GET A PICTURE WITH, UH, EACH OF YOU.
[00:40:01]
AN INDIVIDUAL SPORT IS SO HARD BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOBODY ELSE TO BLAME.AND WE SHOULDN'T EVER BLAME ANYBODY, BUT YOU HAVE NO OTHER REASON OF WHY YOU FORGOT TO MAKE A MOVE OR YOU LET THAT HAPPEN TO YOU, OR YOU DIDN'T ACT AT THE POINT THAT YOU'D BEEN TRAINED TO ACT.
IT IS SUCH A COMPETITIVE SPORT AND IT'S OVER LIKE THAT.
OR IT CAN LAST A MINUTE OR TWO AND THEN YOU GO INTO ANOTHER ROUND.
BUT WRESTLING IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN NEAT TO WATCH.
AND I THINK THOSE WHO CAN CONTINUE TO BE CHAMPIONS, IT HELPS THEM THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFE.
AND YOU SAID BOTH HAVE SACRIFICED A LOT OF THESE STATE CHAMPIONS IN YOUR TALKING TODAY.
WE COULD HAVE YOU COME UP HERE AND WE'LL GET A PICTURE WITH YOU AND THE BOARD AND COME UP.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING, THANK YOU FOR HAVING.
GREAT EXAMPLES OF CHAMPIONS TODAY, BOTH YOUNG MEN AND YOUNG WOMEN.
IT'S EXCITING THAT WE'RE RAISING GOOD PEOPLE IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO, TO OUR YOUTH.
[c. Recognition and acknowledgment of Navajo County’s 131st Anniversary, celebrating its history, community, and contributions to the region.]
ITEM WE HAVE, UH, EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION.RECOGNITION AND KNOWLEDGE OF NARO COUNTY'S HUNDRED 31ST ANNIVERSARY IN CELEBRATING ITS HISTORY AND COMMUNITY AT THIS TIME.
WE'LL TURN THE TIME TO ALICIA DIETZ.
UM, GOOD MORNING CHAIRMAN, VICE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THIS MORNING WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MARK A MOMENT IN HISTORY RELEVANT TO OUR GATHERING TODAY.
ORIGINALLY SPLIT FROM YAVAPAI COUNTY TO FORM APACHE COUNTY.
NAVAJO COUNTY WAS FORMED ON MARCH 21ST, 1895.
IT WAS THE FINAL ACT OF THE TERRITORIAL LEGISLATION AND HOLBROOK WAS NAMED COUNTY SEAT.
IN 1895, GROVER CLEVELAND IS PRESIDENT.
ARIZONA IS ACTUALLY STILL A TERRITORY.
X-RAYS HAVE JUST BEEN DISCOVERED.
AND MOTION PICTURES ARE BEGINNING TO MAKE THEIR DEBUT FOREVER CHANGING.
THE LANDSCAPE OF STORYTELLING HERE IN NORTHERN ARIZONA, LIFE LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT THAN IT DOES TODAY.
RAILROADS ARE OPENING DOORS AND SHAPING COMMUNITIES.
STREETS ARE NAMED AFTER SALOONS.
CITIES ARE NAMED AFTER CARD GAMES.
AND FRONTIER LIFE IS THE WAY OF LIFE.
WE HAVE SINCE GROWN INTO A VIBRANT AND DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
ONE ROOTED IN RESILIENCE, SHAPED BY CULTURE, AND STRENGTHENED BY THE PEOPLE WHO CALL IT HOME.
WE BOAST PROUDLY OF PETRO LIFTS AND PETRIFIED WOOD PIONEERS AND PASTURED A HARVEY HOTEL.
A FAMOUS CORNER ADORNING OUR STRETCH OF THE MOTHER ROAD HERSELF AND MONUMENT VALLEY IS AT OUR FINGERTIPS.
THE SCENIC SOUTHWEST IS HARD EARNED POETRY, LASSOED IN SWEAT WITH POTENTIAL AS FAR AS THE EYE COULD SEE.
TODAY WE COMMEMORATE NOT JUST THE FOUNDING OF OUR HOME COUNTY, BUT 131 YEARS OF HISTORY, PARTNERSHIPS, AND PROGRESS FROM OUR TRIBAL NATIONS TO OUR SMALL TOWNS AND GROWING COMMUNITIES.
[00:45:01]
NAVAJO COUNTY REFLECTS A RICH BLEND OF HERITAGE, HARD WORK, AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.SO TODAY WE HONOR THAT PAST, WE CELEBRATE THE PRESENT, AND WE LOOK AHEAD TO WHAT LIES IN STORE.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NAVAJO COUNTY.
ANYBODY HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR SHARING OUR HISTORY WITH US TODAY.
[a. Navajo County recognizes the following employees for their excellence in personal performance, far exceeding organization expectations for the months of February and March: Justin McKinney (Assessor's Office); Austin Khane (BOS/Administration); Sam Vanderbeek (Information Technology); and Jason Carroll (Health District). ]
NEXT ITEM.WE HAVE THE EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION, UH, AT THIS TIME.
DURING THE TIME WE'RE ON, I BELIEVE, HI, RON.
HE DOESN'T FEEL REALLY WELL AND HE CAN'T TALK.
SO MY NAME IS VICKI RAMSEY CHAPMAN.
I'M PART OF THE PART OF THE CARE COMMITTEE AND I'M HERE TO RECOGNIZE THE FOLLOWING EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR EXCELLENCE AND PERSONAL PERFORMANCE.
FAR EXCEEDING ORGANIZATION EXPECTATIONS FOR THE MONTHS OF FEBRUARY AND MARCH.
CAN I GET JUSTIN MCKINNEY? HE'S FROM THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE.
JUSTIN, YOU GONNA PUT THAT LEAF ON THE TREE HERE? AWESOME.
CONTINUE TO GROW AND SHED SHAPE.
DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION? NO, NOT.
DID YOU GET THE PRESENTATION? CHERYL DID SEND IT.
UM, CAN I GET AUSTIN KNA FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISOR TO ADMINISTRATION?
HE ALSO MADE IT FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.
CAN I GET SAM VANDERBEEK FROM ME? FORMATION TECHNOLOGY OR IT? CONGRATULATIONS.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, JASON CARROLL FROM THE HEALTH DISTRICT.
YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SAY, UH, JUSTIN AUSTIN, SAM AND JASON, CONGRATULATIONS TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD.
YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY BE NOMINATED BY ONE OF YOUR FELLOW WORKERS.
AND I THINK THAT IS A TESTAMENT TO THE JOBS THAT YOU'RE DOING, THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND WE RECOGNIZE YOU FOR THAT.
AND THANKS FOR REACHING HI YOU GUYS TODAY AND, UH, DOING WHAT YOU DO.
AND APPRECIATE YOU AND HONORING YOU TODAY.
[a. Personnel Service Awards: Congratulations to the following employees for their continued service to Navajo County: Stevie Studer (Public Works) 5 years; Kathryn Downing (Assessor) 5 years; Lachelle Johnson (Clerk of Superior Court) 5 years; Judge Melinda Hardy (Superior Court) 5 years; Tyson Binnie (Sheriff) 5 years; LaVonne Carroll (Sheriff) 5 years; Chance Flores (Sheriff) 5 years; Kolton VanWinkle (Sherrif) 5 years; LaRee Price (Probation) 5 years; Tracy McCray (Public Works) 5 years; Clinton Haddox (Public Works) 10 years; Bryan Layton (BOS/Administration) 10 years; Suzanne Smith (Constable) 10 years; Kim Curley (Probation) 10 years; Katelin Lerma (Superior Court) 15 years; Jennifer Ober (Public Works) 15 years; and Anna Lesperance (Winslow Justice Court) 30 years.]
NEXT WE HAVE, UH, EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION HERE.WE'LL TURN THE TIME FINISH OVER TO, UH, ERIC SCOTT.
GOOD MORNING CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THIS MORNING WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR YEARS OF SERVICE TO NAVAJO COUNTY.
WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THEM THIS MORNING, SHARE, UH, SOME KIND WORDS AND ENJOY SOME TIME MEETING WITH, WITH THEM.
AND WE WANNA RECOGNIZE 'EM THIS MORNING.
GIVE 'EM THEIR, THEIR STREET SIGN IF THEY HAVEN'T RECEIVED IT ALREADY.
AND THEN WE WILL, WE'LL GET SOME PICTURES WITH THEM TOO.
[00:50:01]
FIRST WE HAVE STEVIE STUDER.BEEN WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR FIVE YEARS.
STEVE, WHY DON'T YOU JUST COME RIGHT AROUND HERE BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO COME UP HERE A LITTLE LATER.
OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE CATHERINE DOWNING.
CATHERINE'S BEEN WITH THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE FOR, FOR FIVE YEARS, AND ACTUALLY WITH THE COUNTY FOR SEVEN.
ELLE JOHNSON WITH THE CLERK OF THE SUPERIOR COURT.
ALSO BEEN WITH NAVILLE COUNTY FIVE YEARS.
SHE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT, UH, THIS MORNING DUE TO, DUE TO COURT.
SHE'S BEEN WITH NAVAJO COUNTY FIVE YEARS.
WAS THERE SOMEONE HERE FOR JUDGE HARDY TO GRAB OR SIGN? SHE MENTIONED SOMEONE MAY BE NO.
TYSON BINNEY WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
BEEN WITH NAVAJO COUNTY FIVE YEARS.
OH, HE HAD TO TAKE YEAH, TYSON WAS HERE THIS MORNING, BUT HE HAD TO, HE HAD TO RUN OUT.
LEVON CARROLL WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
ALSO BEEN WITH NAVAJO COUNTY FIVE YEARS.
CHANCE FLORES WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
ALSO BEEN WITH NAVAJO COUNTY FIVE YEARS.
COLTON VAN WINKLE, ALSO WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
AND ALSO FIVE YEARS LORIE PRICE.
UH, LORIE, UH, I DIDN'T SEE HER THIS MORNING.
SHE'S BEEN WITH NAVAJO COUNTY FIVE YEARS, UM, PLUS 29.
WHEN SHE, BEFORE WHEN SHE RETIRED.
TRACY TRACY'S BEEN WITH PUBLIC WORKS FIVE YEARS.
YOU, UH, CLINT HADDIX PUBLIC WORKS 10 YEARS.
WE GOT OUR COUNTY MANAGER, BRIAN LAYTON.
BRIAN'S ALSO BEEN WITH NAVAJO COUNTY 10 YEARS.
BEEN WITH NAVAJO COUNTY 10 YEARS.
KIM CURLEY WITH OUR PROBATION DEPARTMENT.
ALSO BEEN WITH NAVAJO COUNTY 10 YEARS.
YOU GET YOUR SHIRT RIGHT BACK HERE.
KAITLYN LAMA WITH THE SUPERIOR COURT.
BEEN WITH NAVAJO COUNTY 15 YEARS.
[00:55:02]
JENNIFER OBER, PUBLIC WORKS ALSO.AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE ANNA NCE WITH THE WINSLOW JUSTICE COURT.
LET'S GIVE 'EM ALL ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE 15 AND ABOVE, COME ON UP AROUND HERE AND WE'LL GET A BIG GROUP PICTURE HERE.
YEAH, THAT'S, YOU CAN ALL JUST TURN TO THE SIDE AND, UM, YOU HAVE YOUR SIGNS CONNECTED ANGLE LIKE YOU, WHATEVER THE V TAKE.
SO WHATEVER WAY YOU SEE YOUR NAME, SMILE.
WE JUST APPRECIATE OUR EMPLOYEES AND FOR THEIR HARD WORK.
AND ERNIE, DID YOU CHECK ERNIE? ERNIE, DID YOU CHECK THAT EVERYBODY NOW IS IN HERE.
IS THERE NOBODY ELSE OUTSIDE THE ROOM, PLEASE? YES, THERE'S A SEAT RIGHT OVER HERE, MR. VANCE.
THERE'S A SEAT RIGHT OVER HERE.
[b. Economic Development and REAL AZ Update]
YOU.OUR NEXT ITEM WE HAVE IS, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, REAL REALIZE Z UPDATE OF ASCO COUNTY MANAGER.
BRIAN LAYTON, IF YOU COULD PREFACE THIS BEFORE WE TURN THE TIME TO CHRIS PASTORS.
UM, BOARD OVER THE, UH, THE PAST COUPLE OF BOARD MEETINGS.
AND WE'VE HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT REAL Z THE FUNCTIONS, HOW IT WORKS, UM, WHAT IS IT DOING, UH, FOR THE COUNTY.
AND SO WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, CHRIS PASSERS, TO COME AND SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT REALI.
UM, AND WE ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS THAT BE AVAILABLE TO EXPLAIN, UH, THE GREAT SUCCESSES THAT REALI HAS ACCOMPLISHED FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THIS NORTHERN, THE NORTHERN ARIZONA REGION.
SO, JIM, AT THAT, WE'LL INVITE CHRIS
[01:00:01]
TO COME UP AND, OKAY.THANK YOU CHAIRMAN, VICE CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M EMPLOYED AS NAVAJO COUNTY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
UH, ONE OF MY, UH, DUTIES IS ALSO TO SERVE AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR REAL.
AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A, UH, A LOT OF, UH, QUESTIONS AND, UH, AND A LOT OF ATTENTION.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, COME BEFORE YOU.
UM, SO IN THIS PRESENTATION, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE WHAT, THE WHY, THE HOW, AND THE WHO AND, UH, AND, AND GET ALL OF THIS OUT IN THE OPEN, UH, SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT IT IS WE'RE DOING.
UM, I DO, UH, WANT TO, UH, GIVE A SINCERE THANKS FOR THOSE ARE HERE.
THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF NOISE OUT THERE THAT IS, UH, BRINGING ATTENTION TO THE AREA.
UH, MY ROLE IS TO, UH, TO PROVIDE SIGNAL WITHIN THAT NOISE.
AND, UH, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT SIGNAL IS.
UH, THE SIGNAL BEING THIS AREA IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS.
THIS AREA IS LOOKING FOR GROWTH.
THIS AREA IS PARTNERED IN NETWORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE THAT GROWTH.
SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT, UM, THE ORIGINS.
WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT WHY WE DO IT, HOW WE DO IT, HOW IT WORKS, THE, THE, UH, THE FUNCTIONS, WHO WE ARE.
AND THEN, UH, QUESTIONS, UH, THROUGHOUT.
SO, UH, BOARD, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION, UH, FEEL FREE TO, UH, UM, PAUSE ME AND, UH, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
UH, BUT I THINK YOU'LL SEE THAT A LOT OF THESE QUESTIONS ARE, UM, ARE THOUGHT THROUGH AND, UH, GONNA BE IN THE PRESENTATION.
SO WHAT IS REALE AND WHY WAS IT CREATED? SO REALLY WHAT THIS COMES BACK TO IS, THIS COMES BACK TO THE MISSION.
SO REAL Z IS AN INFORMAL REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION LED BY COMMUNITY LEADERS COMMITTED TO MARKETING, PROMOTING AND STRENGTHENING THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT ACROSS THE REAL Z REGION, WHICH IS NAVAJO AND APACHE COUNTIES TO SUPPORT LONG-TERM ECONOMIC GROWTH.
THAT'S WHAT DRIVES WHAT WE ARE.
UM, THE, UH, WE WE, WE'VE BEEN A COULD YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, LEAH, OR, YEP.
SO WHAT I'M SHOWING HERE IS SOME OF THE DIFFERENT MARKETING SKINS THAT REAL AZ HAS WENT THROUGH OVER THE LAST 10, 15 YEARS.
SO YOU CAN KINDA SEE, YOU KNOW, THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS, APACHE COUNTY, NAVAJO COUNTY, AND THE MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN, WITHIN EACH, UH, IF YOU GO ONE MORE SLIDE, PLEASE.
THAT WAS ABOUT 10 YEAR, 15 YEARS AGO.
IT WAS THE REAL AZ CORRIDOR, RIGHT? TWO COUNTIES, NINE COMMUNITIES, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE SEE THE REAL AZ CORRIDOR HERE, AND I'M GONNA COME TO THIS IN A, A LITTLE BIT, BUT WHAT EVERYBODY'S FAMILIAR WITH NOW AND WHAT EVERYONE'S SEEING THE NEW MARKETING SKIN, UM, IS BASED ON OUR, OUR NEW WEBSITE, OUR NEW BRANDING.
UM, BUT THE REASON I SHARE THIS, THIS HISTORY AND THIS ORIGIN IS THIS ISN'T ANYTHING NEW TO OUR REGION.
IT'S A DIFFERENT MARKETING SKIN.
NOW, THE, UH, THE 10, 15 YEARS AGO, THE LEADERS SAID, WELL, HEY, WHY DO WE NEED A REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP? NO ONE OUTSIDE OF APACHE AND NAVAJO COUNTY KNOWS ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE, WHY OUR COMMUNITIES ARE SPECIAL, WHY PEOPLE SHOULD BRING THEIR FAMILIES, SHOULD BRING THEIR BUSINESSES HERE.
AND IF, IF YOU DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE, BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW APACHE AND NAVAJO COUNTY, BUT I'D POSE A QUESTION.
TELL ME ABOUT UNION COUNTY AND QUAY COUNTY IN NEW MEXICO.
WHAT ARE THEY KNOWN FOR? WHAT DO THEY HAVE THAT'S NORTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO, RIGHT? NOBODY IN THE BUSINESS WORLD REALLY THINKS ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN TERMS OF A COUNTY.
AND THIS GROUP SAYS, WELL, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO PROMOTE OUR REGION.
WE NEED TO JUST NOT BE PART OF ARIZONA.
BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE THINK OF ARIZONA, THEY THINK OF PHOENIX, THEY THINK OF FLAGSTAFF, BUT WE WANNA BRING ATTENTION TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
[01:05:01]
THE, THE GROUP, UH, FORMED, UM, IT ITSELF TO, UH, PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO BUSINESSES LOCATING OR EXPANDING HERE.THAT WHAT THAT IS IS, IS GUIDING BUSINESSES THROUGH THE, THE PROCESSES, WHETHER IT BE A MUNICIPALITY PROCESS, A COUNTY PROCESS, SO THEY CAN, UH, INVEST HERE.
UM, THEY ALSO DECIDED THAT WE NEEDED INDUSTRY ATTRACTION AND SITE READINESS SUPPORT.
SO WE HAD PLACE TO HOST THIS, AND WE NEEDED, UM, IMPROVED BUSINESS TO COMMUNITY AND PARTNER NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES SO PEOPLE WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT OUR AREA, NAVAJO AND APACHE COUNTY IS NOT JUST ON THE MAP, BUT ALSO ON THE RADAR FOR INDUSTRY INVESTORS, RIGHT? AND SO MANY IN THIS ROOM HAVE SEEN THE WEBSITE, THE PROMOTIONAL VIDEOS.
I THINK THAT'S WHY SOME OF THEM ARE HERE.
AND SO HAVE OUR INDUSTRY LEADERS, AND THEY'RE IMPRESSED.
THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT MAKES OUR REGION UNIQUE, UNIQUE, WHAT MAKES OUR COMMUNITIES, UH, VIABLE, UH, AREAS FOR THEIR BUSINESSES.
NOW, EVERY TIME WE, UH, WE HOLD A, A MEETING WITH THESE NEW INVESTORS, THEY, THEY LOOK AT THIS REAL LAZY, AND THEY SAY, WOW, WE'VE NEVER COME ACROSS THIS BEFORE.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN A REGION THAT'S AS COHESIVE AND CAN ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS UP FRONT AND HELP GUIDE US TO WHERE MIGHT BE THE BEST FIT, WHO WE SHOULD TALK TO, AND WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS AT A REGIONAL LEVEL.
USUALLY IT'S DONE AT A ECONOMICS DEVELOPMENT DONE AT A CITY LEVEL, RIGHT? SO IT'S A VERY DISTINCT BOUNDARIES, BUT WE OFTEN SEE THAT, THAT CERTAIN CITIES MAY BE HAVE A BETTER FIT FOR AN INDUSTRY.
AN INDUSTRY WANTS TO BE ABLE TO, TO MEET WITH THOSE DIFFERENT CITIES, TO FIND OUT WHERE IT IS.
UM, BUT THEY ARE, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE CONTINUING TO, UH, TO COME TO US AND JOIN US.
NOW, A LOT OF THIS ACTION, AND I'M GONNA, THIS IS WHERE I'M GONNA SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF THE STORY.
ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, IT BECAME VERY CLEAR THAT CHOA POWER PLANT IN NAVAJO COUNTY WAS GONNA STOP BURNING COAL.
AND UP UNTIL THAT TIME, REAL AZ HAD OPERATED WITH NO STAFF, NO DEDICATED STAFF.
THEY DID A FEW, YOU KNOW, QUARTERLY MEETINGS, UM, UH, ATTENDED BY SOME.
BUT THEN THIS, THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BECAME VERY REAL AND EVERYTHING CHANGED.
SO THE NAVAJO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, WHEN IT WAS, UH, UH, ALLOCATED ITS AMERICAN, UH, RESCUE PLAN ACT DOLLARS, IT INVESTED HEAVILY INTO THE COUNTY'S INFRASTRUCTURE, INTO BROADBAND MIDDLE MILE.
IT ALSO TOOK A, A PORTION, 400,000 AND SAID, WE WANT AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR FOR OUR COUNTY TO HELP DRIVE, UM, OUR, OUR GROWTH.
AND WHO WOULD ALSO LEAD REAL A UM, AT THE SAME TIME, UH, A MAJOR UTILITY PARTNER, A PS GENEROUSLY INVESTED 600,000 INTO THE REGIONAL'S ECONOMIC GROWTH.
AND SO AFTER THIS, THE, UH, THE, THE, THE GROUP THAT WAS REAL AZ, THEY INVESTED IN THE NEW WEBSITE THAT YOU GUYS ARE SEEING, THE NEW SKIN, UH, UH, UH, MARKETING STRATEGY.
AND, UH, THE REASON THEY WERE, THEY WERE DOING THIS IS BECAUSE THEY WERE BEING BOLD AND THOUGHTFUL THAT EVERYTHING HAD CHANGED.
WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS OUR MAINSTAYS FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION WAS NOW GOING TO BE DIFFERENT.
THE LEADERS KNEW THAT THEY WANTED TO BE ENGAGED WITH THIS FROM THE BEGINNING.
AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS.
SO AS THIS, UM, CHANGE WAS HAPPENING, IT TOOK ABOUT 18 MONTHS FOR THE, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE REAL AZ GROUP TO, UH, RECRUIT AND SELECT THE RIGHT CANDIDATE.
I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO, UH, TO BE THAT CANDIDATE.
UM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT, THAT KIND OF SET THE TRAJECTORY WAS THE WORK THAT WE HAD BEEN DOING IN NAVAJO, APACHE, AND COCONINO COUNTIES AS IT RELATED TO COAL COMMUNITIES AND BUILDING RESILIENT ECONOMIES AND COAL COMMUNITIES.
THIS WAS A NATIONAL PROGRAM WHERE THE THREE COUNTIES HAD BEEN COLLABORATING TO TRY AND RETOOL OUR, OUR ECONOMIES.
AND, UH, THAT BRECK, THE BUILDING RESILIENT ECONOMIES IN COAL COMMUNITIES, I'M SORRY, IT'S A, IT'S A BIG ACRONYM.
BUT THAT WAS KIND OF THE FOUNDATIONAL PIECE THAT STARTED MOVING US TOWARDS, UM, TOWARDS WORK THAT WAS ON ISSUES THAT WERE BIGGER THAN ANY SINGLE ONE OF THE MEMBERS COULD EVER ADDRESS, RIGHT? AND, UH, SO WE, WE, WE CAME UP WITH A STRATEGY AND STARTED CHIPPING AWAY AT THAT.
UM, DURING, UH, DURING THIS TIME WHEN, WHEN I CAME IN, WE ALSO AS A, UH, A GROUP, BECAUSE THERE WAS DEDICATED LEADERSHIP, UM, THERE WAS THE DISCUSSION AND THE EXPLORATION OF WHAT IS THE BEST VEHICLE FOR REAL Z TO ACHIEVE, UH, ITS A MISSION.
[01:10:01]
AND SO THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK THAT STARTED IN OCTOBER OF 2024.UM, AND THEN ONCE I CAME IN, WE STARTED LOOKING AT THAT AND, AND, UH, WE'RE DECIDING ON WHAT THE, THE BEST VEHICLE WAS.
AND AT, AT THE END OF IT, THE DECISION WAS MADE TO STAY HIGHLY ORGANIZED BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT EVERYONE EXPECTED, WELCOME ALL MEMBERS AND MEMBERS WITH SKIN IN THE GAME, RIGHT? SO THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE ACTUALLY INVESTING THEIR TIME, TALENT, TREASURE, UH, TO ACHIEVING, UH, OUR, OUR MISSION THROUGH AN INFORMAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP.
NOW, THIS GROUP, REALLY Z FUNCTIONS AS A PROGRAM UNDER NAVAJO COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
OKAY? SO I, I I SAY, WHEN I SAY INFORMAL, THERE'S NO STATUTORY, UM, AUTHORITY THAT HAS BEEN GRANTED TO THIS GROUP.
WHAT WE ARE IS A, UM, A COLLECTIVE OF THOSE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN, UM, ACHIEVING THE MISSION.
SO THIS GROUP KIND OF STARTED TO TAKE OFF IN THAT BRECK AREA, BUILDING RESILIENT ECONOMIES AND COOL COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND, AND UP HERE I'VE GOT A FEW, UH, FEW SHEETS, KIND OF COVER SHEETS OF WHAT THIS WAS ABOUT, RIGHT? LIKE WHY THE IMPETUS FOR CHANGE, WHY ARE WE SEEING REAL A AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL? WHY IS THE STATE AND THE NATION AND INTERNATIONALLY LOOKING AT OUR AREA NOW? AND, UH, SO IIII, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, PAUSE FOR A SECOND AND SHARE A FEW MORE OF THE, UH, THE PRINTOUTS THAT GO ALONG WITH THESE COVER PAGES FOR THE, UH, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
SO IF IT'S ALL RIGHT, I, I'LL SHARE THIS WITH THE CLERK.
THERE'S, UH, THERE'S A FEW COPIES HERE THAT KIND OF SPEAKS IN MORE, UM, DETAIL ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING UNDER THE BUILDING, RESILIENT ECONOMIES AND COAL COMMUNITIES, WHAT THE WINDS ARE.
ONE OF THE THINGS HERE THOUGH IS, UH, WHAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT AS OUR REGION IS WE DIDN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT TO WORK WITH.
AND BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO GO INVEST MONEY WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE NEW THINGS GOING, WHEN THINGS ARE CLOSING, WHEN BUSINESSES ARE, UH, ARE, ARE SHRINKING.
UM, AND REMEMBER THAT THIS IS POST COVID.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE ECONOMY OF TANK TOURISM WAS DOWN.
UM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID TO, UH, TO JUMPSTART THIS WITH OUR STRATEGY WAS WORKING ON A BASE HITS IDEA.
SO IN THE, IN THE, IN THE GAME OF BASEBALL, GOOD COACHES WILL ALWAYS TELL EVERYONE, BASE HITS WIN BALL GAMES, I NEED YOU TO GET ON BASE.
AND SO THIS, THIS IDEA OF PROMOTING PROJECTS FROM DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES TO GET ON BASE IS WHAT HELPED TO GET THIS MOMENTUM MOVING FORWARD.
UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF MADE A BIT OF A PLAY WITH A BASEBALL CARD, THE BRECK ALLSTAR.
SO YOU, WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SEEING THERE IS FOR NAVAJO COUNTY, THERE'S ALSO ONE MADE FOR APACHE COUNTY WHO'S A PARTNER, AND ALSO ONE FOR, UH, FOR COCONINO COUNTY, WHICH KIND OF LINES OUT WHAT THOSE BASE HITS WERE.
AND I'LL, I'LL SHARE WITH YOU A STORY ABOUT THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT, UM, AT, WHEN WE, WHEN WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THIS, UH, THE, THE, THIS CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT, WHEN WE'VE GOT LEMONS, WE GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE LEMONADE AND BASE HITS WAS THE STRATEGY THAT WE IMPLEMENTED.
SO AS PART OF THIS, WE ACTUALLY HELD, UH, THE VERY FIRST IN THE NATION A FEDERAL FUNDING SUMMIT.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE BROUGHT 12 DIFFERENT FEDERAL FUNDING AGENCIES TO JOSEPH CITY.
JOHN'S AND ALL OF THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO HAD PROJECTS THAT THEY FELT WERE GOING TO ADVANCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WERE ABLE TO COME IN AND PITCH WHAT THEIR PRO, THEIR PROJECT WAS TO THESE FUNDERS TO FIND WHAT IS A GOOD FIT, WHAT AGENCY SHOULD I BE TALKING TO, WHO IS IT? AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS DONE IN PERSON, IT WASN'T ONLINE, BUT WHAT IT DID IS IT OPENED UP THE, UH, THE NETWORK, RIGHT? SO IT WASN'T JUST US AS A REGION WORKING TOGETHER, WE ALSO WORKING WITH STATE AND FEDERAL AS WELL.
AND SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES THAT THE, UH, THE FEDERAL AGENCIES HAVE EVER DONE THIS, UH, IN, IN THE UNITED STATES.
BUT THAT WAS JUST THE START THAT GOT THESE BASE HITS ROLLING, AND I'M GONNA KEEP ROLLING.
SO WITH THE NEXT SLIDE, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT AS A REGION WE NEEDED TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE OUR STUFF OURSELVES.
AND WHAT IS OUR THING IS, IS APACHE COUNTY, NAVAJO COUNTY, ALL THE COMMUNITIES WITHIN, AND EVERYBODY'S GOTTA THING COCONINO.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT COCONINO COUNTY, YOU THINK ABOUT THE GRAND CANYON, THAT'S THEIR THING.
THEIR INDUSTRY'S BUILT AROUND THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE THE BIG DIRTY HOLE, BUT WHAT WE'VE GOT IS REAL.
AND SO REAL IS ACTUALLY AN ACRONYM FOR WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR REGION.
[01:15:01]
REMEMBER, THIS IS WHAT THE COMMUNITY LEADERS IDENTIFIED 15 YEARS AGO.THEY SAYS, HEY, WE GOT WORKFORCE, WE GOT PRIVATE LAND, WE GOT INFRASTRUCTURE, WE GOT BIOMASS, WE'VE GOT INTERSTATES, RAIL, TRANSMISSION LINES.
WE'RE ENERGY AGNOSTIC AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT REAL, THE ENERGY PART, WE DON'T PICK WINNERS.
WHAT HAPPENS IS THE MARKET AND THE UTILITIES ARE SAYING, THIS IS THE TYPE OF ENERGY THAT WE WANT.
OUR JOB IS TO SUPPORT THAT ENERGY DEVELOPMENT.
THE A, THE ACCESS FRIENDLY GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE LAND OWNERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS THAT ARE CONNECTED UP, RIGHT? TRAINING FOR OUR YOUTH AND, AND TALENTED WORKFORCE.
SO THAT'S THE A, THE LIFESTYLE, TRADITIONAL VALUES, QUALITY EDUCATION, OUTDOOR REC, RESPECT FOR THE LAW, DIVERSE HOUSING, THOSE ARE THE LIFESTYLE THINGS.
SO THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE REAL A Z.
AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT THIS REAL A Z IS THAT'S OUR, OUR THING THAT DIFFERENTIATES US AS A REGION ON A, UH, ON A STATE, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL SCENE.
BUT I, I KNOW THAT A LOT OF FOLKS HERE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE ENERGY, UH, PIECE.
SO I, I'D LIKE TO, TO KIND OF DIVE INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY HELPFUL.
LIKE I SAID, EVERYTHING LOOKS DIFFERENT NOW THAT WE'RE NOT BURNING COAL FOR ENERGY.
SO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS, THEY KNEW THAT THINGS ARE CHANGING, AND WE NEED TO BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
WE NEED TO BE SHAPING HOW, WHERE, WHAT AND HOW THESE, UH, THESE PROJECTS DEVELOP.
AND AT THE END OF THE, UM, UH, THE, UH, THE, THE, THE TUNNEL, RIGHT NOW WE'RE SEEING RENEWABLE ENERGY, BUT WE'RE GONNA SEE MORE ENERGY.
WE'RE GONNA SEE PUMPED HYDRO, WE'RE GONNA SEE THERMO, UH, GAS.
WE'RE GONNA SEE ALL DIFFERENT TYPES.
BUT REMEMBER, THE ENERGY DEMANDS ARE NOT PICKED BY ME OR REAL, A Z THE MARKET AND THE UTILITIES DETERMINE WHAT THEY WANT.
RIGHT NOW, RENEWABLES ARE FILLING THAT GAP, BUT IT'S GOING TO CHANGE.
BUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT THE LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY ARE AT THE TABLE SHAPING HOW THIS COMES TOGETHER.
EVERYBODY'S HEARD THE SAYING, IF YOU'RE NOT AT THE TABLE, YOU'RE ON THE MENU.
THE LEADERS, UH, RECOGNIZE THAT THEY, THEY NEED TO MAKE THAT TABLE.
AND SO, UH, REALIZE Z HAS CONTINUED TO HOST, UM, THOSE, UH, THOSE INDUSTRY.
NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE HERE, UM, NOW IS WE'VE GOT UPDATED ORDINANCES IN, IN NAVAJO COUNTY.
APACHE COUNTY IS ALSO LOOKING AT, UH, UH, DOING, WORKING THROUGH ITS ORDINANCES FOR, UH, FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION FOR RENEWABLES, BUT GETTING TO A, A PATHWAY WHERE IT CAN WORK AND BE DONE PROPERLY, UM, WHERE ECONOMIC BENEFIT IS RETAINED IN AN AREA WHERE THERE IS, UM, A WEIGHING OF, OF WHERE THEY SHOULD GO, HOW THEY SHOULD BE PLACED.
THAT DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
THAT WAS YEARS AND YEARS OF WORK.
THAT WAS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF STAFF HOURS, SOME OF THAT I WAS INVOLVED WITH.
BUT I THINK THAT, THAT WHAT WE, WE WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW IS THAT COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE LOOKING AT HOW NAVAJO COUNTY IS LEADING THAT.
AND, AND IN A LOT OF WAYS WE ARE THAT, THAT, THAT CUTTING EDGE, WE ARE THE, UH, THE, THE TIP OF THE SPEAR, IF YOU WILL, ON HOW DO WE DO THIS BETTER THAN JUST LETTING IT HAPPEN TO US.
NO, WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING IT AND IT'S HAPPENING WITH US.
AND, UH, SO, SO PART OF THIS, AND, AND SUPERVISORS, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN, UH, SOME OF THE ARTICLES THAT, UH, UH, NACO WROTE WITH, UH, WITH OUR, OR OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY, UH, MYSELF, TALKING ABOUT HOW COUNTIES CAN MAINTAIN THAT CONTROL IN SHAPING WHERE AND HOW IT LOOKS.
WE CAN'T SAY NO PRIVATE LANDOWNER.
YOU CAN'T DO THAT LEGAL BUSINESS ON YOUR PROPERTY.
BUT WHAT WE CAN SAY IS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE THINGS ARE MITIGATED FOR, RIGHT? AND SO THERE'S A, UH, A LOT OF COUNTIES, VERY RURAL COUNTIES, THAT ARE LOOKING, UH, TO, TO US, TO, UH, TO, TO, TO SHOW THEM HOW WE'RE DOING IT DIFFERENTLY HERE.
WE'RE ACTUALLY PART OF THIS, UM, DEVELOPMENT.
SO REAL, AN INFORMAL ADVISORY GROUP, WHICH OPERATES THROUGH THE REGIONAL COLLABORATION AND SHARED RESOURCES, RIGHT? WE, WE HAVE IN-PERSON BI-MONTHLY MEETINGS.
WE PROVIDE LUNCH FOR THE MEMBERS.
UM, OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES ARE FUNDED THROUGH MEMBERSHIP DUES.
AND WHEN I SAY OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES, THAT'S THE WEBSITE, THE MOVIES, THE, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, THE, THE, THE BROCHURES,
[01:20:01]
THE, THE SITE SELECTION.UM, THAT'S PAID BY OUR, OUR CONTRIBUTIONS FROM MEMBERSHIP DUES, AS WELL AS SOME MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS AND GRANT FUNDING THROUGH LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, RIGHT? AND THESE ALL ALIGN WITH THE, UH, THE REGIONAL PRIORITIES AND NEEDS OF THE MEMBERS.
SO, AS I SAID IN THE BEGINNING, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR COORDINATES THE ACTIVITIES OF REAL, IT'S BASICALLY TWO JOBS, BUT IT'S ONLY ONE PAYCHECK.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, GUYS, IS THAT I SERVE THE INTERESTS OF THE GROUP, BUT I'M EMPLOYED BY NAVAJO COUNTY.
REAL IS THE SKIN THAT WE DO TO PROMOTE AND LIFT THE ENTIRE REGION.
NOW, THERE ARE NO REAL AZ STAFF.
THE ACTIVITIES ARE, THEY'RE AS PART OF THE JOB DESCRIPTION.
NOW, I, I WANNA SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME WITH THIS BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT OUR MEMBERS HAVE BEEN CRAFTING OVER THE LAST YEARS, IS WHAT ARE THEIR PRIORITIES? AND THERE'S JUST THREE ACROSS THE TOP REALLY, THAT I WANT TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO.
SO THIS TAKES A LOT OF TIME WITH THE EXECUTIVE, UH, ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE, UH, THE BOARD OF MEMBERS, UM, INDUSTRY RECRUITMENT.
YOU CAN SEE THIS IS DIVIDED LEFT AND RIGHT ON THE RIGHT SIDE AS PRIORITY ONE.
THAT'S THE STUFF THAT WE AS REAL AEE CAN ACTUALLY DRIVE AND DO.
UM, THE STUFF ON THE LEFT IS STUFF THAT WE CAN SUPPORT, RIGHT? SO PRIORITIES ONE, PRIORITIES TWO.
NOW YOU'LL SEE IN THE TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER, THAT'S OF LARGEST REGIONAL ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE, INDUSTRY RECRUITMENT.
AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT WHY THE, UH, THE GROUP DECIDED THAT.
THEN YOU CAN SEE IN PRIORITY TWO, ENERGY COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR MEMBERS.
WORKING THROUGH THAT, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THAT TIE IN BACK TO BRECK.
UH, AND THEN ALSO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
SO I, I'M ALSO, UH, BEEN APPOINTED BY THE, UH, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO BE ON THE AR, NORTHEASTERN ARIZONA LOCAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD AS A BOARD MEMBER AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR, FOR, FOR WORKFORCE.
AND WHAT THAT DOES THOUGH, THIS IS, THIS IS KIND OF A BIG DEAL BECAUSE IT'S NOT RIGHT HAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LEFT HAND.
'CAUSE SOMETIMES THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING TOGETHER.
WHAT WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT IS HAND IN GLOVE WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS UNIQUE IN OUR REGION, BUT REALLY ENSURES THAT WE CAN, WE CAN ACTIVELY, UH, MOBILIZE OUR, OUR WORKFORCE, OUR EMPLOYERS, OUR TRAINING PROVIDERS.
AND YOU'LL GET TO SEE ALL THOSE, UH, THOSE PARTNERS, HOW THEY COME TOGETHER.
BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT INDUSTRY ATTRACTION.
THEY GO, HEY, BRING ME A COSTCO.
YOU KNOW WHAT I WANT? NO, NO, NO.
BRING A TRADER JOE'S AND WELL, OKAY, THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD COMMERCIAL RETAIL.
BUT THE WAY THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORKS THAT THIS GROUP HAS REALIZED, ESPECIALLY IN RURAL AREAS WITH DECLINING POPULATIONS, WHICH WE, WE HAVE, IS INDUSTRY BRINGS JOBS.
PEOPLE BRING ROOFTOPS AND ROOFTOPS ATTRACT RETAIL.
SO YOU WANT A COSTCO, GIVE ME 110,000 ROOFTOPS, AND COSTCO WILL BE HERE.
YOU WANT A SAM'S CLUB, THEY'LL WORK ON 65,000 IN AN AREA, RIGHT? BUT YOU CAN SEE HOW INDUSTRY IS WHAT BRINGS WHAT PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY WANTING.
UM, AND SO THAT, THAT'S WHY INDUSTRY AT, UH, ATTRACTION IS, IS NUMBER ONE TOP PRIORITY.
SO I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF THIS.
AND, AND THIS IS WHERE IT GETS REALLY TRICKY TO BRING HEAVY, LARGE INDUSTRY TO AN AREA.
NOW, AS, AS WE SAID, UM, OUR AREA HAS, UH, HAS SMALL COMMUNITY POCKETS, 2000 HERE, 8,000 HERE, 5,000 THERE, 10,000 HERE.
WE KNOW WE WORK AS A COLLECTIVE.
AND THAT IF THERE'S A EMPLOYER THAT IS OFFERING GOOD WAGES, PEOPLE WILL LIVE ALL OVER AND TRAVEL.
SO OVER A, UH, A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, WE HAD, UH, ZENNI HOME, WHICH, UH, YOU GUYS ARE GONNA SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, UH, AS WE GO.
THEY WERE UNSURE WHETHER THEY SHOULD INVEST IN THEIR HOUSING MANUFACTURING LOCATION HERE IN NAVAJO COUNTY.
AND, UH, THEY SAY, OKAY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE WORKED THROUGH PART OF THE, UH, THE LAND OPTIONS, THE LAND.
I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A LITTLE BIT.
THAT WAS A, THAT WAS A HIGHLY PROBLEMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, CHALLENGED, UH, PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WAS TAX DEFUNCT FOR OVER SEVEN YEARS.
NO TAXES PAID ON IT, BUT THE EXECUTIVE TEAM SAYS, OKAY, THAT MAY WORK.
WE GOT ACCESS TO HIGHWAY INTERSTATE, BUT WE WE'RE NOT SURE THAT THIS IS AN AREA THAT'S READY TO GROW.
WE SHOWED OUT AND WE SHOWED UP.
[01:25:01]
WE HAD A DINNER WITH THESE EXECUTIVES IN, UH, IN SNOWFLAKE.UH, THAT WAS ONE OF TWO MEETINGS WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAD THE MAYORS, THE CITY MANAGERS, THE TOWN MANAGERS, WHO ALL CAME AND PRESENTED WHAT THEIR APPETITE IS FOR GROWTH IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, HOW THEY ARE INTERESTED IN AND, AND WHAT IS, UH, TO EVENTUATE OUT OF THIS, UH, THIS LARGE HOUSING MANUFACTURER IN OUR AREA.
AND THEN ALSO BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS AND ENGAGE WITH, UH, WITH THE, UH, EXECUTIVES.
AND SO WE DID THAT OVER AN EVENING.
UH, BUT THAT'S NOT WHERE WE STOP BECAUSE WE'RE LIKE, OKAY, LEADERSHIP IS GOOD.
WHAT ABOUT WORKFORCE, YOU GUYS? WE WE'RE NEEDING A LOT OF PEOPLE AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO MEET MORE AS WE GROW.
SO THE NEXT DAY, WE ACTUALLY ENDED UP GOING TO ST.
JOHN'S, AND WE WERE HOSTED AT THE, UH, AT THE HIGH SCHOOL THERE.
AND WE BROUGHT ALL OF OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS, WORKFORCE TRAINERS, AND THESE EXECUTIVES, AND WE SAT DOWN FOR ABOUT TWO AND A HALF HOURS SO THEY COULD UNDERSTAND WHAT EACH PLAYER HAD TO CONTRIBUTE, WHERE MPC WAS WITH THE TRAINING, WHERE THE HIGH SCHOOLS WERE, WHERE NAVI WAS WITH THE TRAINING, WHERE THE, UH, ARIZONA AT WORK, RIGHT? BECAUSE THERE'S THIS ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM IS VERY COMPLEX, BUT YOU'VE GOTTA BRING THEM TOGETHER SO THAT EXECUTIVES CAN GO, YOU GUYS ACTUALLY GOT US COVERED.
AND SO, SO WE WERE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH, THROUGH THIS.
SO NOW I WANNA BE CLEAR, UM, ZENNI HOME HAS HAD SOME MAJOR TRA CHALLENGES AS, UH, UM, PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE READ IN THE PAPER, BUT THIS IS THEIR HOME.
THEY, THEY'RE REFIGURING THEIR BUSINESS MODEL, BUT THIS IS THEIR HOME.
THAT LOCATION THAT THEY, THEY THEY PURCHASED IS WHERE THEY, UM, WHERE THEY'RE GOING.
AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE SOME CHANGES TO THEIR BUSINESS MODEL, UH, SOME CHANGES TO, UH, TO HOW THEY OPERATE, WHAT THEY DO.
BUT YOU'RE GONNA BE SEEING IT HERE, UH, THIS YEAR.
SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE ALL CAME TOGETHER TO PULL IN A BIG INDUSTRY RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, CITY OF PHOENIX SAYING, HEY, WE GOT YOU.
UM, THE, UH, SO A LITTLE BIT ON, UH, ON WHAT WE DO, BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE GET KIND OF, YOU KNOW, CONFUSED, I THINK, OH, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PUSHING WINDMILLS.
NO, WINDMILLS ARE BEING ASKED FOR BY THE MARKET.
PRIVATE OWNERS AND DEVELOPERS ARE RESPONDING TO THAT, BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT WE'RE PROMOTING.
SO THE, UH, NAVAJO COUNTY MIDDLE BROADBAND, THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
WHEN I GO TO SEMICON WEST IN PHOENIX, WHICH IS THE HUB FOR SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING, WHAT DO THEY WANT TO KNOW? HEY, IS THERE A BETTER LIFESTYLE UP THERE? BUT CAN I GET INTERNET CONNECTION? RIGHT? SO WE'RE PROMOTING WHAT WE'VE INVESTED ON HERE, UH, AT A, UH, AT A NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL LEVEL.
YOU KNOW, WE PARTNER WITH OUR MUNICIPALITIES, RIGHT? TO POINT OUT WHY PEOPLE SHOULD COME UP, WHY SHOULD THEY SHOULD INVEST THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR TIME UP HERE.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE, UH, THE BROCHURES AND, UM, AND KIND OF MARKETING THAT WE'VE GOT.
AND WHAT, WHAT I'VE GOT HERE IS, I'VE ACTUALLY GOT SOMETHING FOR, FOR BOTH THE AUDIENCE AND, AND FOR YOU GUYS BECAUSE, AND, UH, IF, IF IT'S ALL RIGHT, UH, THERE, THERE'S EIGHT OF THOSE THERE.
UH, AND THIS IS FOR THE AUDIENCE HERE TOO, BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE PACKING A LOT INTO IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD COMMENTS ABOUT WHY NOT NUCLEAR? WELL, WE LOVE TO WORK ON A PATH FOR NUCLEAR, BUT THAT'S NOT WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION.
THAT'S FEDERAL, STATE REGULATIONS.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
WHAT ABOUT FORESTRY? WHAT ABOUT BIOMASS? UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE ACTIVELY PROMOTING.
AND SO THOSE ARE DIFFERENT FORMS OF ENERGY.
I'LL HAVE THEIR PLUSES AND MINUSES, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE, UH, IT'S NOT FOR US TO PICK WINNERS.
IT'S FOR US TO GUIDE THESE BUSINESSES IN.
AND THEN FOR THOSE THAT WANT LIKE A LITTLE SNAPSHOT, THIS LOOKS LIKE A BUSINESS CARD.
BUT I, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO TAKE THIS.
THIS IS, THIS IS ALL ABOUT US.
WHY WE'RE GREAT, WHY OUR WORKFORCE IS THE BEST.
SO IT'S A LITTLE PIECE, UH, APOLOGIES FOR THOSE THAT, THAT DON'T LIKE THE, UH, THE OLD SCHOOL LOCOMOTIVE PULLING, UH, TURBINES, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE, UH, THE SKIN IS THERE.
UM, SO I'M GONNA JUST LEAVE THOSE THERE FOR, FOR EVERY FOLKS.
UM, MY, MY NUMBER, MY EMAIL ADDRESS, IF YOU WANT TO CONNECT, BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO, UH, TO ENGAGE WITH YOU.
UM, SO A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WHAT WE DO, I'VE GOT IT UP HERE IN BOLD.
WE MARKET, PROMOTE AND ASSIST ALL BUSINESSES, OKAY? THESE BUSINESSES ARE EXECUTIVES THAT ARE SOPHISTICATED INVESTORS.
THEY AREN'T THE GUYS THAT ARE SAYING, HEY, I'M GONNA, YOU KNOW, WANT TO RUN MY, UH, MY LITTLE, UH, ETSY SHOP OUT OF A GARAGE.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT INVESTING MILLIONS, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS, SOMETIMES EVEN BILLIONS.
AND SO WHEN THEY'RE, THEY'RE COMING TO AN AREA, THEY, THEY EXPECT A LEVEL OF SOPHISTICATION
[01:30:01]
THAT CAN MEET THEIR QUESTIONS.BUT I WANNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT A, A, A STORY OF A, UH, A SMALL BUSINESS THAT CAME TO US, UH, THAT'S NOT A MEMBER OF REAL, BUT THIS JUST KINDA SHOWS HOW WE, UH, WE, WE'VE TAKEN THAT.
SO THERE'S A, UH, UH, A CHEMISTRY TECHNOLOGY COMPANY CALLED CARBON UTILITY.
AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM SINCE THAT FEDERAL FUNDING SUMMIT THAT I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT, UH, WAY BACK.
AND, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE A HIGH TECH COMPANY, UH, THAT IT WAS HEADQUARTERED IN PHOENIX.
AND WHY DIDN'T THEY END UP SETTING THEIR OPERATIONS IN PHOENIX? WHY DID THEY CHOOSE HOLBROOK, ARIZONA AND NAVAJO COUNTY AS THEIR LOCATION? WELL, THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A BASE HIT, RIGHT? SO THEY'VE GOT FIVE EMPLOYEES.
WHAT THEY NEEDED WAS THEY NEEDED A SITE THAT WAS SECURE, THAT HAD WATER POWER FENCING, UH, AND THEN ALSO ACCESS TO RAIL AND HIGHWAY.
THEY ALSO WERE TANGENTIAL TO THE ENERGY PRODUCTION OF RENEWABLE.
AND SO CARBON UTILITY, WE STARTED WORKING WITH THEM AS WELL AS THE, UH, THE CITY OF HOLBROOK TO FIND A PLACE BECAUSE THEY HAD TAKEN THEIR TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS THESE, UH, CONTAINERS THAT CONVERT OUT THE CHEMICALS IN THE AIR USING SOME ELECTRICITY AND WATER TO CREATE CARBON FIBER, CO2 AND DIFFERENT, UM, DERIVATIVES OF, UH, METHANOL.
THEY'D BEEN DOING THIS IN THE UK, THEY WANTED TO BRING IT INTO PHOENIX, BUT THEY COULDN'T FIND THE RIGHT PLACE.
SO, YEP, THEY GOT FIVE, UH, EMPLOYEES.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT THIS WAS AN UNUSED BUILDING.
UM, SO WE SUPPLIED 'EM WITH ALL THEIR LOCAL CONTRACTOR CONNECTIONS TO REHAB AND FIT OUT THAT LOCATION, RIGHT? SO THEY ALSO BROUGHT THE WORKERS FROM OUR AREA, BUT GETTING TRAINING THROUGH, UM, PARTNERSHIPS WITH MPC AND, AND GROW ARIZONA, WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN THAT.
SO THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT GO OH, FIVE JOBS.
SO WHAT, THAT'S A BASE HIT, BASE HITS WIN BALL GAMES.
AND THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF A MEMBER THAT WAS NOT, OR, OR, SORRY, A, A BUSINESS THAT WE HELPED THAT WAS NOT A MEMBER, AND THERE'S MANY, MANY MORE.
SO I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
UH, THESE ARE KIND OF SOME OF OUR, OUR, OUR BROCHURES AND, AND INFORMATION THAT WE, UH, WE UTILIZE TO, UH, TO HELP THESE, UH, SOPHISTICATED INVESTORS, UM, CHOOSE OUR LOCATION.
SO NOW THIS IS WHAT WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT.
THEY GO, OKAY, HOW DOES THIS ACTUALLY WORK? AND SO WHAT I'VE SPENT IS, IS A LOT OF TIME TO, 'CAUSE I COULD GIVE YOU A, A, A WORKSHEET WITH MANY DIFFERENT WORK PAGE WORKBOOKS AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SHOWING YOU ALL THIS, BUT I THINK IT'S EASIER TO SEE THIS VISUALLY.
SO I TALKED ABOUT THAT 600 K FROM A PS, THE 400 K FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE ACT, RIGHT? THAT FUNDING, WE HAVE ALSO GOT FUNDING FROM OUR MEMBERSHIPS DUES.
SO ABOUT 90 K ANNUALLY, WE'VE GOT 270 K THAT WAS INVESTED TO US THROUGH THE OFFICE OF RESILIENCY.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT 200 K IN INTEREST THAT WE ACQUI, UH, ACCRUE ANNUALLY BASED ON THAT, THAT INITIAL INVESTMENT YOU SHOWED 20 K, 20 K IN INTEREST, NOT 200.
UH, EXCUSE ME, CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU.
YEAH, IT'S ONLY 20 K ANNUALLY IN INTEREST.
AND WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT'S THE FUELING AND THE FUNDING THAT PAYS FOR A NAVAJO COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, AS WELL AS THE REAL LAZY OPERATIONS.
SO THAT'S A PROMOTION, THE WEBSITE, ALL OF THE, UH, THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE DO, OKAY? SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW IT WORKS, HOW IT FITS TOGETHER.
BUT WHAT IS THE, UH, RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT THAT WE'RE GETTING? SO, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THAT PAPER MILL TAX DEFAULT PROPERTY, 423,000, PAID HIM BACK TAXES.
THAT IS THE HOME OF THE NEW HOUSING MANUFACTURER.
WE'VE GOT A COAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER THAT'S NOT BEING PAID BY YOUR GUYS', UH, TAXES THAT'S BEING PAID BY, UH, ONE OF OUR PARTNERS.
SO WE, WE'VE GOT THAT, THAT POSITION SUPPORTING OUR TRANSITIONING COAL COMMUNITIES, RIGHT? BECAUSE UP UNTIL THAT TIME, IT WAS JUST ME.
UM, WE'VE GOT THE, UH, ROUTE 66 BROWNFIELDS GRANT THAT'S BEING UTILIZED BY THE COUNTY AS WELL AS MANY PRIVATE INDUSTRY ACROSS THE COUNTY.
THIS INCLUDES TRIBAL MUNICIPALITIES AS WELL AS UNINCORPORATED.
WE'VE GOT THE, THE HOUSING MANUFACTURER THAT I MENTIONED.
WE'VE GOT, UH, ACTIVE HOUSING DEVELOPERS THAT ARE BUILDING OVER 250 NEW UNITS NOW.
UM, WE'VE GOT SOLAR BATTERY FARMS, RIGHT? NEARLY A THOUSAND JOBS THAT ARE TAKING OFF IN THIS TIME.
UM, WE'VE GOT, UH, NEW TECHNOLOGY AND RECREATION BUSINESSES THAT INVESTED HERE AS WELL AS, UH, ECONOMIC SUPPORT STUDIES, RIGHT, THAT VALIDATE OUR, OUR COMMUNITY'S ASSETS.
UM, AND WE'VE HAD 38 NEW COMPANIES INVESTING INTO
[01:35:01]
REAL A, UM, SINCE I, UH, STARTED.SO THIS IS KIND OF A BREAKDOWN OF, UH, OF, OF HOW WE LOOK WITH PRIVATE, ACADEMIC, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, NONPROFITS.
UM, NEW MEMBERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO JOIN.
I THINK PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF THE, UH, NIMBY NOT IN MY BACKYARD, OR THE, UH, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT, NOT IN YOUR BACKYARD, UH, MENTALITY.
THEY WANT TO CREATE SOMETHING.
THEY SEE CRANES, AND THEY, THEY GO, THAT'S AN AREA THAT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO, UH, TO BE PART OF AND, UH, AND CREATE A BETTER ECONOMIC FUTURE OPPORTUNITY FOR, UH, FOR MY FAMILY.
SO JUST LAST WEEK, WE HAD, UH, ABOUT 60 OVER 60 MEMBERS ATTEND OUR, OUR LAST MEETING WITH NEW MEMBERS JOINING EVERY MONTH.
UH, THE REASON I SHARE THIS IS, IS THESE GUYS, YOU KNOW, ARE TRAVELING THREE AND A HALF HOURS, ONE WAY TO BE ENGAGED IN THIS GROUP, RIGHT? AND, UH, I, I LET THEM KNOW ON THURSDAY, UM, HEY, I'M GONNA BE PRESENTING TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR COMMENTS WOULD BE, UH, MOST WELCOME.
UH, I DID RECEIVE A, UH, A FEW, UH, LETTERS OF SUPPORT THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE FROM YOU WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, YES.
I ACTUALLY RECEIVED 'EM LAST NIGHT, UM, FROM SOME OF OUR MEMBERS.
AND YOU'LL SEE A LOT MORE OF THIS COMING THROUGH, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE IS A LOT OF FOLKS THAT HAVE INVESTED THEIR TIME, TALENT, AND TREASURE INTO GROWING THIS REGION.
AND THEY WANT TO MAKE IT KNOWN WHAT THEIR POSITION IS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND, UH, IN REAL LAZY.
SO FOR EVERY PERSON OUT THERE THAT WANTS TO STOP THESE CHANGES, THERE ARE MANY MORE THAT ARE ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE MARKETING PROMOTION, STRENGTHENING OUR BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT ACROSS THE NAVAJO AND APACHE COUNTIES.
SO THIS NEXT SLIDE HERE, THIS IS, THIS IS HELPFUL TO REITERATE, AND I KNOW MANY PEOPLE ARE LIKE, OKAY, WE UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WORKS.
OKAY? MEMBERS, INCLUDING OUR EXECUTIVE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE NOT PAID.
THEY VOLUNTARY THEIR TIME RESOURCES, AND THEY ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTE MONEY TOWARDS ACHIEVING THE REAL AZ MISSION, RIGHT? SO OUR ORIGINAL FOUNDING MEMBERS AND OUR NEW GROWING MEMBERSHIP, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT SHOWS THAT THE HUNGER AND THE OPEN FOR BUSINESS MENTALITY THAT I STARTED THIS OUT WITH.
UM, BUT YOU CAN KIND OF SEE HOW THE, UH, THE SIDE, UH, THAT THE SIDE THERE, YOU GOT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WHO EMPLOYS THE COUNTY MANAGER, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
MYSELF, REPORTS TO THE COUNTY MANAGER.
I'VE GOT A COAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER REPORTING TO ME.
BUT ON THE SIDE, WE'VE GOT THE REAL A MEMBERS AND THE EXECUTIVE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SO THOSE GUYS ARE HELPING TO INFORM AND KINDA SHAPE.
BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT HOW THIS, UH, THIS COMES TOGETHER, AND I THINK THIS IS, UH, YOU KNOW, A SIMPLE, SIMPLE UNDERSTANDING, BUT VERY, VERY HELPFUL.
UM, THIS HERE IS, IS IS A PICTURE OF OUR MEMBERS AND OUR PARTNERS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS IS, THIS GOES BEYOND NAVAJO AND APACHE COUNTY, RIGHT? BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN WE'RE WORKING ON INDUSTRY ATTRACTION, WE NEED AN ENTIRE NETWORK TO DIFFERENTIATE OURSELVES.
UH, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA PAUSE AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU, CHRIS, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME YOU'VE PUT TOGETHER TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS HERE.
YOU, ANY BOARD MEMBERS, UH, HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I PROBABLY WILL BIT LATER.
ANYONE ELSE? JUST, I WANT, UH, THE PUBLIC TO BE AWARE THAT SUPERVISOR PEKA HAD TO LEAVE FOR A FEW MINUTES, BUT HE IS ON ONLINE, AND SO HE IS ALSO PART OF THIS MEETING STILL.
NORMALLY, WE ON A PRESENTATION, WE DON'T REALLY TURN IT OVER MUCH TO THE PUBLIC, BUT BECAUSE WE'VE KIND OF CHANGED SOME OF OUR FORMATS A LITTLE BIT, HOPEFULLY SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.
UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA GO BACK AND FORTH, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME COMMENTS.
UH, HOPEFULLY WE'VE ANSWERED SOME OF YOUR COMMENTS.
SO IF WE HAVE, PLEASE HOLD THOSE.
AND PLEASE TRY NOT TO BE REDUNDANT.
IF SOMEBODY HAS MENTIONED SOMETHING PRIOR, UH, WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT, YOU KNOW, REDUNDANT.
SO AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE HAVE ASKED TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU, CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, UH, PLEASURE SUPERVISORS.
UM, I STARTED OUT HERE AT NAVAJO COUNTY
[01:40:01]
IN 2004.UH, WORKED HERE FOR FOUR YEARS UNDER JAMES MENLO.
UH, STARTED OUT AT THE CITY IN 2008.
AND, UM, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THE GROWTH, UH, THAT NAVAJO COUNTY HAS HELPED HOLBROOK IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WITH REAL EASY, AND, UM, RECENTLY CHRIS, THAT ORGANIZATION.
UM, BECAUSE HOLBROOK IS SO RURAL AND SMALL, WE DON'T HAVE PERSONNEL THAT WE CAN HIRE TO, UM, WORK ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UM, SO WE RELY ON THE COUNTY A LOT, AND A LOT FOR US IS WE JUST DON'T KNOW PEOPLE.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
I, WE ALL WEAR A LOT OF DIFFERENT HATS.
SO, UH, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, UM, REACH OUT TO YOU GUYS, LET YOU GUYS KNOW HOW MUCH I REALLY DO APPRECIATE REAL EASY FOR, FOR THE CITY OF HOLBROOK AND CHRIS AND NOW JACK, THAT THAT'S ON BOARD.
WE, WE HAVE SEEN PHENOMENAL AMOUNT OF GROWTH IN, IN HOLBROOKE AND, AND THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE HEADING.
AND I'M, I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED, AND WE WOULD NOT HAVE THESE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, WITHOUT THAT, THAT CONNECTION.
AND, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
NEXT WE HAVE, UH, PRESTON, RAVEN, MR. CHAIR, I THINK THERE'S A MISCOMMUNICATION.
I THOUGHT I WAS HERE TO SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM
I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THAT LITTLE GAL WENT THROUGH THAT.
THANK YOU, UH, MR. CHAIR, MR. CHAIR, UH, VICE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, TODAY, I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK AS A, AS A MEMBER OF, OF APACHE COUNTY'S, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF.
I'M GONNA SPEAK AS A MEMBER OF LAZ AND, AND SO AS TO NOT, UH, REEMPHASIZE AND GO OVER THINGS AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO SHARE A QUICK EXAMPLE OF THE BENEFITS OF BEING A MEMBER OF REAL IN STORY FORM.
UH, WE HAVE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER HEARD OF THE MOONSHOT COMPETITION.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ENTREPRENEURS TO GO AND PITCH THEIR, THEIR PRODUCT IN FRONT OF A PANEL OF JUDGES.
WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT SUCCESS IN OUR AREA ALONE, UM, BUT IT HAS FALLEN UPON ME THIS YEAR TO GO AND FIND CORPORATE SPONSORS TO FUND THE PLACINGS.
THE FIRST PLACE GETS THIS MUCH SECOND PLACE GETS MUCH TO THE SAYS, OKAY, PRESTON, WE NEED YOU TO GO OUT AND GET SOME MONEY FOR US TO SUPPORT THESE, UH, THIS EVENT, THIS.
AND SO I'M THINKING TO MYSELF, SHOOT, WHO, WHO DO I KNOW I CAN CALL AND SAY, HEY, DO YOU WANNA SPONSOR THIS EVENT? AND IT DAWNED ON ME, I'M SURROUNDED WHEN I GO TO A REAL LAZY EVENT, I'M SURROUNDED BY INDIVIDUALS AND ENTITIES WHOSE SOLE PURPOSE IS OUR SUCCESS AND DRIVING OUR ENTREPRENEURS AND DRIVING BUSINESS AND DRIVING SUCCESS AND FOR OUR, FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND SO I WENT THERE, I WENT TO MY RELAY MEETING, AND IN FOUR CONVERSATIONS, THREE OF THEM STEPPED UP AND SAID, WE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SUPPORT THAT.
AND THE FOURTH ONE SAID, CALL ME NEXT YEAR.
AND SO, FOR ANYTHING ELSE, THE NETWORKING, AVAILABILITY AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE ASSOCIATE THERE WITH IS, IS, IT'S PRICELESS.
AND SO I AM VERY EXCITED FOR THE SUCCESS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE THROUGH OUR BEING A PART OF THAT, WHETHER IT BE ENERGY CONSTRUCTION, EDUCATION, COMMUNICATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, COMMERCE OR HEALTH.
YOU WILL HAVE SOMEBODY REPRESENTED HERE THAT IS THEIR WHOLE JOB.
WE'RE KINDA LIKE THE TUGBOAT BRINGING THE BIG SHIPS IN.
WE WANNA MAKE IT SO WE CAN BRING YOU IN AND GET YOU SAFELY TO YOUR BIRTH WHERE YOU CAN START YOUR PROJECT AND BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITIES.
GOOD MORNING AGAIN, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND EVERYBODY HERE, IT'S RARE YOU GET TO SEE A PRESENTATION WITH SUCH BS AS THAT WAS JUST PROVIDED.
YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT WHAT AN ECONOMIC, UH, DEVELOPMENT REALLY IS.
THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS SUPPOSED TO BRING JOBS AND BRING INDUSTRY IN THAT THE PEOPLE NEED THAT'LL PROVIDE JOBS FOR THE COMMUNITY HERE.
WE DON'T WANT TO BRING JOBS FOR EMPLOYEES OUT OF DALLAS.
WE DON'T WANT TO BRING JOBS, TEMPORARY JOBS FOR EMPLOYEES OUTTA MINNESOTA.
WE WANT EMPLOYMENT FOR THE PEOPLE HERE.
THAT IS LONG TERM THEN NONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE HAS BROUGHT UP WILL DO ANY OF THAT.
THEY TALK ABOUT THE WIND AND SOLAR.
THIS IS ANTIQUATED, ANCIENT TECHNOLOGY.
[01:45:01]
HAVEN'T BEEN, MAYBE THEY'RE NOT AWARE THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY A GROUP IN DC RIGHT NOW LOOKING FOR PLACES LIKE NAVAJO COUNTY TO PUT A SMALL NUCLEAR REACTOR, AN SMR. THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE CHOA PLANT.HAVE THEY REACHED OUT TO THESE PEOPLE? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
YOU KNOW HOW I KNOW THIS? BECAUSE I'VE REACHED OUT TO 'EM, I HAVE REACHED OUT TO, SO HAS DAVE MARSHALL, SO HAVE MANY OTHERS.
WE'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH LEE DEN.
WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH DOUG BERGHAM.
WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH CHRIS WRIGHT.
WE HAVE BEEN TOUCH WITH THE PRESIDENT TRUMP'S STAFF.
THEY HAVE 10 SITES THAT THEY WANT TO BRING A SMALL NUCLEAR REACTOR TO.
WHAT WILL THIS PROVIDE FOR US? REAL JOBS FOR NAVAJO COUNTY EMPLOYEES THAT PAY WELL? HAVE THEY REACHED OUT TO 'EM? NO.
WHY HAVEN'T THEY? BECAUSE THEY'RE SO INVESTED IN AN ANCIENT PRODUCT THAT IS FAR PAST ITS TIME.
NO CIVILIZED COUNTRY IS NOW LOOKING AT WIND AND SOLAR.
CHINA HAS DIVESTED ITSELF OF EVERY SINGLE WINDMILL AND EVERY SINGLE SOLAR FARM, EUROPE, NORWAY, EVERYBODY ELSE HAVE DUMPED THEM.
WHY? BECAUSE THE SMALL NUCLEAR REACTORS ARE THE ANSWER.
THEY PROVIDE FAR MORE ENERGY THAN WIND AND SOLAR CAN EVER PROVIDE.
THERE'S NO ADVANTAGE TO DOING THIS.
HE TALKS ABOUT THE THOUSAND JOBS FOR THE BATTERY PLANT.
WELL, GUESS WHAT? THOSE AREN'T NAVAJO COUNTY JOBS AND THEY'RE NOT LONG LASTING.
WHY WOULD WE WANT THOSE PEOPLE HERE? THEY'RE GONNA PAY, PAY HOTEL BILLS, MAYBE, BUT THEY GO, THEY LEAVE US ALONE.
FIRE THIS GUY AND FIND A REAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPER THAT'S INTERESTED IN FINDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR NAVAJO COUNTY, FOR WHAT NAVAJO COUNTY NEEDS AND WANTS.
PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE OR YOU'LL BE ASKED TO LEAVE.
THIS IS THE DECORUM THAT WE HAVE IN THIS ROOM.
GOOD MORNING AGAIN, SUPERVISORS.
UM, REGARDING, UH, CHRIS PASTOR'S PRESENTATION, PAGE NINE.
UNDER ENERGY, WE DON'T PICK WINNERS.
THIS IS THE DEFINING TRUTH ON MR. PASTOR'S PRESENTATION.
IN REAL, A Z HE HAS DONE NOTHING BUT PICK LOSERS FOR NAVAJO COUNTY AND HAS COMPLETELY IGNORED THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AS A WHOLE.
PAGE 18 REAL A Z IS BRINGING IN $90,000 IN MEMBERSHIPS AND GRANTS WITHOUT A BUSINESS LICENSE TO DO SO, IS OPERATING THROUGH THE COUNTY AND BY THE COUNTY IN THE COUNTY BUILDING AS AN NGO AND HAS NO PUBLIC MEETINGS.
HOW IS THIS POSSIBLY LEGAL? PAGE 14 REAL A Z IS NOW PROMOTING ZENNI HOMES, WHICH IS A DISASTER IN JULY OF 2025.
ZENNI HOMES PULLED OUT IN NAVAJO COUNTY WITH 210 LAYOFFS.
THIS IS VERY DISAPPOINTING THAT CHRIS PASTORS JASON WHITING AND NAVAJO COUNTY HAVE SOLD OUT TO INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE COMPANIES.
SO STOP TRYING TO HIDE THE 16 TO 17 ANTIQUATED, OBSOLETE, GIANT WIND AND SOLAR FARMS THAT YOU ARE ENTERTAINING ALL OF THE EXPENSE AT THE COMMUNITY AND OUR FUTURE.
CHRIS ALSO FORGOT TO MENTION THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS HE SPENDS ON WHINING AND DINING.
THESE INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE CORPORATION FIGUREHEADS ON A REGULAR BASIS, ENERGY COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT.
ON PAGE 12, CHRIS PASTORS, JASON WHINING AND NAVAJO COUNTY ARE AN ABSOLUTE DISASTER.
FAILING TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF CITIZENS AGAINST BUILDING ANY RENEWABLE STRUCTURES IN THE NEIGHBORING RANCHES AND COMMUNITIES, AND HAVE COMPLETELY DISREGARDED THE EXTENSIVE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES OF THESE INDUSTRIALIZED WASTELANDS.
PERFECT EXAMPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ONCE BEAUTIFUL NIGHT SKIES, WHICH ARE FOREVER DESTROYED BY A CONSTANT NERVE WRACKING OF BLINKING RED LIGHTS THAT CAN BE SEEN FOR HUNDREDS OF MILES.
ENDANGERING DRIVERS AND PILOTS ALIKE.
PAGE 18, SOLAR AND BATTERY FARMS ESTIMATES 950 JOBS, ALL TEMPORARY OUTTA COUNTY WORKERS.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NONE OF THESE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN APPROVED AND GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS.
PAGE 20, WANT A WINNER? YES, REOPEN THE COAL PLANTS AND START GENERATING REAL LOCAL JOBS AND CREATE REAL WEALTH IN NAVAJO COUNTY.
YOU WOULD ALSO PRESS FOR NUCLEAR, ONE HAS TO WONDER WHAT BENEFIT EACH OF YOU IS RECEIVING TO CONTINUE TO SLAP THE COMMUNITY IN THE FACE WITH DEC WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR COUNTY, WE DEMAND THAT THE BOARD DO A FULL INVESTIGATION OF REAL AZ AND ALL ITS ASSOCIATES AND ACT LABORATORIUM ON REAL AZ RELATED RENEWABLE ENERGY PRODUCTS UNDER A RS 11 DASH 8 33 AND RESCIND RESOLUTION
[01:50:01]
17 DASH 2 0 2 5 AND CUT OUT ALL THE TIES AND DISSOLVE REAL LAZY OPERATIONS IMMEDIATELY.YOU SHOULD ALL BE ASHAMED OF YOUR NEGLIGENCE AND LACK OF DUE DILIGENCE IN EDUCATING AND RESEARCHING WHAT IS REALLY GOOD FOR NAVAJO COUNTY.
IT'S THE RESIDENTS OF THIS COUNTY THAT MATTER.
NEXT WE HAVE, UH, KATHLEEN SCH SMITH.
SUPERVISORS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
UM, SO I'M NOT REDUNDANT WITH SOME OF THE WORDS THAT OUR CITY MANAGER FROM HOLBROOK, I'M HERE REPRESENTING AS THE MAYOR OF HOLBROOK.
UM, SO I WON'T GO OVER EVERYTHING I WROTE DOWN.
UM, I DO WANNA EX TO MENTION JUST A FEW THINGS.
HAVING WORKED IN LOCAL AND REGIONAL ROLES IN NORTHERN EAST IN NORTHEASTERN ARIZONA FOR OVER 13 YEARS, I HAVE CONFIDENT CAN CONSTANTLY SAY THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN THE LEVEL OF CLO COLLABORATION AMONG GOVERNMENT INDUSTRY AND NONPROFIT PARTNERS THAT WE ARE SEEING TODAY.
THERE IS REAL MOMENTUM HAPPENING AND IT IS MAKING A MEASURABLE IMPACT.
IT'S MAKING AN IMPACT IN HOLBROOK.
LIKE MR. PASTORS TALKED ABOUT, HAVING CARBON UTILITIES COME TO HOLBROOK.
THAT IS FIVE JOBS, THAT IS FIVE FAMILIES.
THOSE BASE HITS MATTER FOR US.
UM, I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF CONFUSION WITH REAL AZ I WAS FORTUNATE TO WORK FOR THE CITY OF HOLBROOK WHEN I FIRST MOVED BACK 13 YEARS AGO.
I'VE SEEN THE TRANSFORMATION HAPPEN.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ON ENERGY AND WINDMILLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT I WAS JUST AT THE MEETING LAST WEEK, THERE WAS TWO REPRESENTATIVES FROM A PS THERE, THERE WAS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM TEP THERE.
THEY ARE INVOLVED IN THESE CONVERSATIONS.
UM, WHEN YOU SPEAK OF NUCLEAR, WE GET THAT CONVERSATION A LOT IN HOLBROOK TOO WITH PEOPLE SAYING, HEY, WHAT ARE WE GOING, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE TO POWER PLANT? THAT'S A BIG IMPACT FOR US HERE IN HOLBROOK.
I SAT RECENTLY ABOUT A MONTH AGO WITH THE PRESIDENT OF A PS AND HE TALKED ABOUT NUCLEAR SPECIFICALLY AND ABOUT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS THEY'RE DOING AND THAT'S AP S'S PROPERTY.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT COME IN AND TRY TO TELL AP PS WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR PROPERTY, BUT AP S HAS A PLAN AND I APPRECIATED, UM, THE APS PRESIDENT TALKING TO ALL THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND I KNOW THEY WERE DOING IT TO COMMUNITY LEADERS TOO, TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE POTENTIAL OPTIONS.
NUCLEAR WAS ONE OF THE OPTIONS AND HE'S, IN HIS OPINION, IT WAS 10 TO 15 YEARS OUT AND THEY TALKED ABOUT, IT'S LIKE, YEAH, WE HAVE NUCLEAR, THESE SMALL REACTORS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT WITH ENERGY GROWING EXPONENTIALLY AS MUCH AS IT IS, THEY'RE SAYING EVEN THOSE SMALL NUCLEAR REACTORS MAY NOT BE ENOUGH.
WE MAY BE LOOKING AT BIGGER, YOU KNOW, MORE PALO VERDE.
THEY'RE WATCHING THE PROGRAM, THEY ARE WELL INVESTED IN THIS AND THEY ARE AT THE TABLE.
AND SO I APPRECIATE REAL EASY.
UM, THEY ARE IN TALKS WITH AP PS, AP PS HAS REPRESENTED US AT EVERY REAL EASY MEETING THAT I'VE EVER BEEN TO AND TEP AS WELL.
AND I KNOW SRP HAS BEEN WHEN THEY CAN AS WELL.
I I HAD A JUNIOR HIGH STUDENT REACH OUT TO ME ABOUT A YEAR AGO ASKING WHY WE GOT A SECOND DOLLAR STORE IN HOLBROOK ONCE.
AND UH, I HAD EXPLAINED TO THE JUNIOR HIGH STUDENT HOW ECONOMICS WORKS.
WE WOULD LOVE AS A CITY TO BE ABLE TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHO COMES TO OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND SO, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S CERTAIN LAWS WE'VE GOTTA FOLLOW AND YOU'D KNOW AS WELL AS I DO AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, WE CAN'T JUST STOP ANYBODY FROM COMING.
AND SO I APPRECIATE NAVAJO COUNTY AND I APPRECIATE REAL LAZY SAYING, OKAY, THESE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT US.
LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE TALKING TO PROPERTY OWNERS AND SO, BUT WHAT CAN WE DO TO MITIGATE ANY CONCERNS? WHAT I'VE HAD MANY DISCUSSIONS WITH, MR. PASTORS, YOUR TIME IS UP.
MY NAME IS JOAN LEWIS AND I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY, NOT WITH ANGER, BUT WITH A HEAVY HEART.
AND IN THE SPIRIT OF HARMONY, THAT SACRED BALANCE, OUR ANCESTORS TAUGHT US TO WALK.
I'VE LISTENED TO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS TODAY SPEAK WITH COURAGE.
THEY HAVE LIFTED THE VEIL ON WHAT WAS HIDDEN, THE BROKEN CHAIN OF CUSTODY IN OUR ELECTIONS.
THE CAMERAS THAT WE FAILED TO SEE, THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE TURNED AWAY.
THIS IS NOT AN ITEM TO TALK ABOUT ELECTIONS AT THIS TIME.
THIS INCLUDES REAL EASY, IT'S MY NEXT SENTENCE.
PARDON? THEN GO TO THAT POINT.
THE VOICES OF OUR PEOPLE TURNED AWAY.
AND THE SHADOW ORGANIZATION, REAL ARIZONA THAT CONTINUES TO OPERATE LONG AFTER IT WAS DISSOLVED.
THEIR WORDS CARRY THE STRENGTH OF WOMEN AND MEN WHO REFUSE TO LET IMBALANCE DESTROY WHAT OUR GRANDMOTHERS PROTECTED FOR US.
WE KNOW THAT WHEN THE PEOPLE'S VOICE IS SILENCED AND THE LAND IS SOLD WITHOUT CEREMONY, THE WHOLE CIRCLE BREAKS.
OUR VOICES ARE NOT JUST PIECES OF PAPER.
[01:55:01]
PRAYERS FOR OUR FUTURE, OUR RANCHES, OUR MOUNTAINS, AND OUR WATER.THE VERY BODY OF MOTHER EARTH.
WHEN FOREIGN MONEY BUILDS WAREHOUSES THAT HIDE THE COUNT AND PUSHES GIANT MACHINES ACROSS SACRED GROUNDS, WE ARE WALKING OUT OF BALANCE AND HARMONY IS LOST.
I ASK YOU AS LEADERS CHOSEN BY THE PEOPLE TO REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE.
YOU ARE NOT PLACED HERE TO SERVE OUTSIDE INTEREST OR DISSOLVE ENTITIES.
YOU WERE PLACED HERE TO PROTECT THE HARMONY OF NAVAJO COUNTY FOR THE CHILDREN NOT YET BORN FOR THE SHEEP, THE CATTLE THAT GET GRAZES FOR THE WIND THAT CARRIES OUR SONGS AND OUR PRAYERS.
RETURN OUR ELECTIONS TO THE PRECINCT LEVEL WHERE FAMILIES CAN WATCH FAMILIES COUNT VOTES.
DECLARE THE CURRENT SYSTEM IMPRACTICAL.
PLACE AN IMMEDIATE MORATORIUM ON ALL NEW REAL ARIZONA RELATED PROJECTS SO OUR LAND CAN BREATHE AGAIN.
RESCIND RESOLUTION 17 20 25 AND CUT EVERY TIE WITH THAT SHADOW ORGANIZATION.
ONLY THEN CAN WE BEGIN TO WALK IN BEAUTY ONCE MORE.
TO EACH OF YOU, I OFFER THIS PRAYER.
MAY THE HOLY GOD GUIDE YOUR MINDS.
MAY YOU HEAR THE VOICES OF OUR, YOUR ANCESTORS AND THE CRIES OF THE UNBORN.
MAY TRUTH REPLACE FEAR AND MAY HARMONY REPLACE GREED AND MAY YOU CHOOSE TO WALK IN BEAUTY.
NEXT, UH, JESSE GRONER, CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT HERE.
I'M CEO AND FOUNDER OF A COMPANY, TRIPLE OAK POWER, TRIPLE OAK POWERS ON THE, ON THE SLIDE THERE, LOWER LEFT HAND CORNER.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE CURRENT BUSINESS GOING ON IN NAVAJO COUNTY, BUT WE HAVE A, A BIG PROJECT THAT WE ARE WORKING ON FOR OVER FIVE YEARS IN APACHE COUNTY.
UH, WE CALL THAT THE BLACK RIDGE RENEWABLE PROJECT.
UM, TRIPLE OAK IS A COMPANY I'M VERY PROUD OF.
UH, OUR MISSION IS DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE ENERGY PLANTS.
WE REALLY ARE DEVELOPING POWER PLANTS IN THE MODERN ERA.
THESE INVOLVE TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE, UH, PROVEN BUT CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AND FIND EFFICIENCIES.
UM, TO ME SUSTAINABILITY IS BOTH AN ENVIRONMENTAL WORD AS WELL AS AN ECONOMIC ONE.
AND I THINK WHAT I APPRECIATE SO MUCH ABOUT REALZ IS THAT THEY SHARE THAT VALUE AND, AND CREATE A FORUM BY WHICH PEOPLE CAN TALK, TALK ABOUT WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE, ESPECIALLY THROUGH THAT ECONOMIC LENS.
WHAT LASTS? WHAT HAS THE COST BENEFIT RATIO BALANCED? SO THAT DEVELOPMENT IS CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE FUNDAMENTALLY.
I KNOW COMMUNITIES IMMEDIATELY FACE CHANGE WITH FEAR.
UM, AND SO IT'S, IT'S ON US AS, UH, DEVELOPERS AS INDUSTRY TO COME TO COMMUNITIES, UH, THOUGHTFULLY TO TAKE THE TIME IT TAKES TO GO THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, TO MAKE PROPOSALS, TO LISTEN TO THE REACTION, TO CHANGE WHERE WE CAN AND TO ULTIMATELY END UP WITH, AGAIN, A SUSTAINABLE PROPOSAL.
AND REALLY, Z PRESENTS A A REALLY SPECIAL, OPEN, TRANSPARENT COLLABORATIVE FORUM TO DO WHAT WE DO, UH, TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS, UH, NOT WHERE DECISIONS ARE ON THE TABLE, BUT WHERE IDEAS CAN FORMULATE INFORMATION CAN BE SHARED.
COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS CAN BE STRUCK SO THAT ULTIMATELY WHEN WE MAKE OUR PROPOSAL IN, IN OUR CASE TO THE APACHE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THAT THERE'S THOUGHTFULNESS THAT WENT INTO IT AND THAT IT'S A SUPPORTABLE DECISION.
AND SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE EXISTENCE OF REAL.
UH, WE APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT, THAT CHRIS DOES HERE AND, UH, WILL REMAIN SUPPORTIVE AS A MEMBER THROUGHOUT OUR PROCESS.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, I WISH THERE WERE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE REAL Z IN OTHER PLACES THAT WE DO BUSINESS.
IT'S A VERY HELPFUL, UM, ORGANIZATION, UH, THAT THAT GIVES A VOICE TO, UH, THE VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS OF INTEREST.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'VE BEEN HERE TWICE BEFORE AND ASKED FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE WHAT CHRIS OFFERED.
UM, THE EXPLANATIONS WERE, UM, ENLIGHTENING.
UH, I THINK, I GUESS TO ME WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE FACT THAT NAVAJO COUNTY IS A GOVERNMENT THAT'S RUN BY THE TAXPAYERS IN ITS
[02:00:01]
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS NOW OUTSOURCED TO SOMEBODY ON THE OUTSIDE THAT'S CHRIS PASTORS, YET HE'S AN EMPLOYEE IN YOUR, UM, ORGANIZATIONAL CHART.AND I JUST FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IF REAL LAZY WAS ITS OWN ENTITY, REALLY, TRULY, AND IT WASN'T A PART OF NAVAJO COUNTY, THEN PEOPLE COULD COME IN WITH THEIR PITCHFORKS AND, AND, AND, AND TAR AND WHATEVER THEY WANNA DO TO BE MAD AND, AND ANGER BE ANGRY AT THEM.
BUT INSTEAD THERE'S SUCH, UM, I DON'T WANNA SAY COLLUSION, BUT I MEAN THERE'S SO MUCH, UM, THAT'S INTERTWINED WITH REAL AND NAVAJO COUNTY AND I DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT, YOU KNOW, UM, I LOOK ON THE FINANCIAL REPORTS THAT ARE OUT THERE AND THERE'S A DONATION, A MEMBERSHIP BY NAVAJO COUNTY TO REAL, WELL, I'M SORRY, BUT I THOUGHT REAL A Z WAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR NAVAJO COUNTY.
SO, I MEAN, TO ME, THE CONVOLUTION, UM, CREATES DISTRUST.
AND I, AND I, I HONOR THAT DISTRUST, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T WANT NAVAJO COUNTY AND APACHE COUNTY TO FAIL.
I THINK OUR COUNTIES ARE BEAUTIFUL.
I THINK, AS I HAVE MENTIONED IN THE PAST, UH, ARIZONA HAS FIVE CS AND ONE OF THEM IS CLIMATE.
AND WE HAVE, TOURISM IS ONE OF OUR MAJOR INDUSTRIES UP HERE, BUT YET THESE HUGE GIGANTIC WIND TURBINES AND SOLAR FARMS ARE GOING TO EAT UP A LOT OF OUR LAND.
UH, AND FORTUNATELY, THE THE RESERVATIONS ARE, ARE, ARE GUARDED FROM THAT.
THEY DON'T ALLOW THEM ON THERE.
UH, SO WE HAVE TO TAKE THE BRUNT OF THAT IN NAVAJO COUNTY'S 10,000 SQUARE MILES.
THAT LEAVES A SMALL PORTION OF THE LAND TO, TO BEAR THE BRUNT OF THESE, UH, UNSIGHTLY.
I MEAN, THEY OPERATE 30, NOT EVEN 25% OF THE TIME ON AVERAGE.
WHAT KIND OF A, A, A PERSON WOULD WANNA BUY A, A STOVE OR A REFRIGERATOR OR ANY VEHICLE OR MECHANISM THAT ONLY OPERATES 25% OF THE TIME? SO LET'S GET WITH THE PROGRAM.
I THINK IT'S VERY INTERESTING ABOUT THE, UH, THE NUCLEAR, UH, CHOA PLANT.
CHOA PLANTS, ITS OWN PRIVATE PIECE OF LAND.
BUT LET'S, LET'S DO A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN CHASE THE, THE, THE RELIABLE SUPPOSEDLY ENERGY SOURCES AND, UM, AND WORK MORE WITH THE PEOPLE.
AND AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME IN HERE AGAIN TODAY AND SAY SOMETHING.
I THANK YOU FOR BRINGING CHRIS IN BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS A, A GOOD EXPLANATION.
IT'S A START, IT'S A CONVERSATION AND I THINK WE ALL NEED TO TALK 'CAUSE WE'RE ALL IN IT TOGETHER.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S, UM, ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO HAVE, UH, NEGATIVE THINGS HAPPEN.
I THINK WE WANT TO, UM, WE WANNA THRIVE.
WE ALL HAVE INVESTMENTS IN THIS COMMUNITY WITH CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN AND, UM, AND MAYBE EVEN OUR RETIREMENTS OURSELVES.
SO LET'S MAKE IT A GOOD PLACE.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR, UH, DOING THE PRESENTATION TODAY.
NEXT AND LAST WE HAVE IS CECILIA LIN.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, ALLOWING US TO HEAR THIS PRESENTATION.
WE APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU PUT INTO IT AND, UH, IT SOUNDS SO GREAT.
IT SOUNDS SO WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO GROW.
UM, WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, MY FIRST CONCERN WAS THE LACK OF HEALTH THAT SMALL FAMILY, LOCAL OWNED BUSINESSES GOT FROM THIS COUNTY.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE A LITTLE BETTER, BUT WE'VE GOT TO, YOU SAY YOU'VE BEEN, YOU'VE GOT LAWS TO FOLLOW.
WELL, WE DO HAVE TO FOLLOW THE LAW AND THERE ARE KNOWN VIOLATIONS OF OUR A RS STATUTES WITH REAL IEE AS IT'S SET UP RIGHT NOW.
THE SO-CALLED REAL ARIZONA DEVELOPMENT GROUP TOOK DUES AND SPONSORSHIPS FROM THE VERY DEVELOPERS NOW RUSHING SOLAR AND BATTERY PROJECTS IN DORA COUNTY.
THEY SPENT ONLY 2.2% OF THAT MONEY ON ACTUAL GOODS AND SERVICES INSIDE THE COUNTY.
THIS WAS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IT LOOKS MORE LIKE A PAY TO PLAY.
IT IS TIME TO COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN ANY REMAINING INFLUENCE LAZY HAS IN OUR COUNTY AND DEMAND A FULL ACCOUNTING OF WHERE THAT MONEY WENT.
THE OFFICIAL HASH KNIFE, SOLAR DECOMMISSIONING PLAN PROVES THAT WE'RE BEING SOLD A LIE.
IT REMOVES PANELS AND BATTERIES TO ONLY THREE FEET DEEP, NO BASELINE SOIL OR WATER TESTING, NO PLAN FOR PFAS CADIAN OR LITHIUM TESTING AND THE 4.4 $14.4 MILLION BOND NOT REQUIRED UNTIL YEAR 10 UNDER A RS 1133.
YOU HAVE BOTH THE POWER AND THE DUTY TO PROTECT US.
AND I DEMAND THAT THIS BOARD IMMEDIATELY IMPOSE A MORATORIUM ON THE NEW SOLAR WIND AND BESS PROJECTS UNTIL WE HAVE A REAL BASELINE TESTING AND UPFRONT FINANCIAL GUARANTEES AND NOT PROMISES.
OUR WATER, OUR LAND, OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE ARE NOT OUR BARGAINING CHIPS SHUT DOWN.
HERE'S THE KNOWN VIOLATIONS, A RS 10 DASH 3 8 0 5.
DISSOLVED CORPORATIONS MAY NOT CARRY ON ANY BUSINESS EXCEPT WINDING UP AFFAIRS, MARKETING SITE VISITS, DUES COLLECTIONS, DEVELOPER PROMOTION.
[02:05:01]
NOT WINDING UP.THE ENTITY WAS NEVER PROPERLY DISSOLVED OR WOUND UP.
IT IS SIMPLY MOVED TO GOVERNMENT COUNTY GOVERNMENT A RS 11 2 51 AND COUNTY ETHICS RULES.
PUBLIC EMPLOYEES, HOLBROOK, FACILITIES, COUNTY SEAL, AND COUNTY WEBSITE ARE ALL BEING USED TO OPERATE A BRAND A, A, A NON-EXISTENT PRO, UH, NON-PROFIT.
NUMBER FOUR, THE ONGOING MISREPRESENTATION, COLLECTING DUES AND PRESENTING A DISSOLVED ENTITY AS NORTHEAST ARIZONA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ENGINE WHILE IT FAILED TO FILE TAX DOCUMENTS ITSELF.
IT'S TIME YOU GUYS REALIZE IT.
BRING IT BACK THE BOARD FOR ANY DISCUSSION OR, OR COMMENTS THEY WANT TO HAVE OR ANY COMMENTS ON THIS.
WE CAN COMMENT BACK ON COMMENTS THAT WERE SAID BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE REGULAR CALL.
GO HAVE SUPERVISOR WA UM, JUST A, A COUPLE THINGS THAT I'M HAVING TO BE IN CONVERSATION WITH THE BOARD.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD KIND OF SAID IN DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT WAS KIND OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH ME SERVING ON THE EXECUTIVE.
HOPEFULLY IT'S UNDERSTOOD NOW AFTER WHAT CHRIS PRESENTED.
THAT'S NOT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST FOR ME TO SERVE ON THAT EXECUTIVE BOARD.
SO TO BE VERY CLEAR, I DON'T GET PAID, I DON'T GET ANY MONEY NOR HAVE I FROM REAL AZ.
SO THAT'S NOT, THERE'S NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST THERE.
WHAT I HOPE YOU HEARD, CHRIS, IS THAT YOU'RE BY MANY, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
UM, FOR SOME REASON THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME LACK OF UNDERSTANDING AROUND I I HEAR PEOPLE SAY LIKE, HEY, WE DO, WE NEED TO BE BETTER STEWARDS OF OUR, OUR LAND.
UM, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROTECTING OUR LAND.
I LIKE THE, THE, THE OWNERSHIP.
WHAT I'D LOVE TO SEE IS THAT SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE GO PURCHASE THAT LAND AND GET TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS WITH THAT LAND.
'CAUSE IT'S A LITTLE BLURRY WHEN THEY SAY OUR LAND, THIS ISN'T, THIS ISN'T A DIFFERENT, THIS IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
THEY HAVE RIGHTS THAT OWN THAT LAND.
AND THERE ARE BUSINESSES THAT ARE MAKING PRIVATE DECISIONS.
THE ONLY ROLE THAT THE COUNTY HAS WITHIN THAT IS TO LOOK TO SEE THAT THEY'RE DOING THINGS LEGALLY AND WITHIN THE ORDINANCE.
WHEN WE VOTE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.
WE'RE NOT VOTING ON DO WE WANT THEM HERE OR DO WE NOT.
THERE'S NOT A CATALOG THAT WE LOOK AT AND SAY, WE WANT THIS BUSINESS AND WE WANT THAT BUSINESS.
THERE ARE RANCHERS THAT OWN SOME OF THIS LAND.
THEY'RE INDIVIDUALS OWN THIS LAND.
AND FOR MANY YEARS THEY'VE STRUGGLED WITH THAT LAND.
DO THEY NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO MAKE A DECISION WHAT TO DO WITH THAT LAND? OUR ROLE IS NOT TO DICTATE TO THEM.
I CAUTION YOU ALL TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT PROPER GOVERNANCE IS.
PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS MATTER, THEY ABSOLUTELY MATTER.
AND WE DO HAVE A ROLE IN DECIDING, HEY, ARE THEY BEING SAFE? AND DO THEY MEET OUR ORDINANCE OR DO THEY NOT? BUT WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT A ROLODEX AND SAYING, HMM, HERE'S THE BUSINESSES WE WANT TO ORDER TODAY BECAUSE OUR CITIZENS BROUGHT IT UP IN A CONVERSATION.
FOLKS, THESE ARE PRIVATE BUSINESSES THAT ARE MAKING FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS IN THIS AREA.
AND AS IT RELATES TO, AS IT RELATES TO POWER, I LOVE THE CONCEPTS AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT AND CANDIDLY I'D WAY RATHER SEE SOME OF THE NUCLEAR OPTIONS THAT ARE COMING INTO THE AREA.
BUT THE REALITY IS NAVAJO COUNTY DOES NOT PURCHASE POWER.
THAT'S THE UTILITIES AND THAT'S THE WAY THAT IT'S SET UP HERE.
SO IF WIND AND SOLAR IS WHAT THEY'RE BUYING, THEN THEY'RE GONNA HAVE INVESTORS COMING HERE TO DO THAT.
IF NUCLEAR IS WHAT THEY'RE BUYING, THEN THEY'RE GONNA HAVE INVESTORS THAT ARE COMING HERE TO DO THAT.
FEEL FREE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE UTILITIES IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
THEY PURCHASE AND THEY DISTRIBUTE POWER.
PRIVATE LANDOWNERS ARE CHOOSING TO SELL THEIR LAND, PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS AND WORK WITH PRIVATE BUSINESSES.
OUR ROLE IS SIMPLY, DOES IT MEET THE ORDINANCE OR DOES IT NOT? AND THAT'S WHAT WE LOOK AT.
I APPRECIATE THE PASSION THAT'S THERE.
I HEAR THIS CONVERSATION OUTSIDE OF THIS ALL THE TIME.
THE ONE THING THAT I WOULD SAY THAT I FEEL IS REALLY IMPORTANT, CHRIS, THANK YOU.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT THAT IS.
AND PEOPLE, I HOPE THEY HEARD THAT THIS IS A COLLABORATIVE THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND IF, IF THEY WANT TO INVEST THERE.
BUT REAL Z HAS NO AUTHORITY TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS.
THAT HAS TO GO THROUGH A VERY PUBLIC PROCESS THAT COMES HERE BEFORE THE BOARD.
AND THE BOARD'S ROLE IS TO DETERMINE DOES IT MEET OUR ORDINANCE
[02:10:01]
OR NOT? LAWS ARE MADE AT THE LEGISLATURE, NOT HERE BY THE COUNTY.THE LEGISLATURE MAKES DECISIONS AROUND WHAT IS LEGAL AND WHAT IS NOT.
IF YOU DON'T WANT 'EM HERE, HAVE THE LEGISLATURE CHANGE THE LAW RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY.
OUR AUTHORITIES ARE GIVEN TO US BY THE LEGISLATURE.
THEY DO NOT GIVE US THE AUTHORITY TO PICK AND CHOOSE ARBITRARILY WHO WE WANT TO COME HERE.
IF IT WAS ILLEGAL ACCORDING TO THEM BY LAW, GUESS WHAT? THEY WOULD NOT BE HERE.
BUT WE'RE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THE LAW.
WE'RE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW PROCESS AND ALLOW EVERY CITIZEN, EVERY BUSINESS TO HAVE THE SAME EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH IS WHAT I THINK MOST OF US STAND FOR.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CORE VALUE OF IT, I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S LACK OF CLARITY AROUND THINGS, BUT THE LAST THING I WANT YOU TO HEAR IS THAT YOU'RE NOT DOING A GOOD JOB.
VERY MUCH APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO, CHRIS, AND ALL THOSE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN TRYING TO BRING JOBS HERE, TRYING TO BRING INDUSTRY HERE AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A PATH FORWARD.
UM, I, I APPRECIATE SUPERVISORS OR WHITING'S COMMENTS AND UM, I SUPPORT THOSE COMMENTS.
UM, I APPRECIATE CHRIS AND THE WORK THAT HE IS DONE.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT NAVAJO COUNTY AND WE THINK ABOUT RURAL ARIZONA AND WHAT DOES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MEAN? UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE CITY OF PHOENIX OR MESA MEANS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
YOU ALREADY HAVE POPULATIONS OF THOUSANDS, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO ALREADY LIVE WITHIN THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND IF A BUSINESS DOESN'T THRIVE IN A METROPOLITAN AREA, THE CITIZENS ARE GOING TO BE OKAY.
THERE'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER ECONOMIC ENGINE THAT'S GOING TO COME OR INDIVIDUALS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET JOBS AND TO CARE FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
BUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL COMMUNITIES AND PARTICULARLY NAVAJO COUNTY, UM, THAT IMPACTS ALL OF OUR FAMILIES.
AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT GROWTH AND WE THINK ABOUT WHERE IT IS THAT WE WANT TO BE IN THE FUTURE, CERTAINLY WE WANT TO PROTECT OUR RURAL NATURE.
WE LOVE BEING IN OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO BE ABLE TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITIES SO THAT OUR CHILDREN CAN THRIVE.
SO THAT IF YOU ARE LIKE ME AND GETTING OLDER, THAT SOMEDAY YOU'LL HAVE GRANDCHILDREN AND YOU WANT YOUR GRANDCHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE.
UM, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT.
AND IF WE DO NOTHING THAT'S IRRESPONSIBLE AND, AND HOW DOES THAT SUPPORT ALL OF THOSE FAMILIES? THE CHILDREN THAT WE SAW HERE TODAY AND THEIR LOVE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
IT TAKES A GREAT DEAL OF WORK FOR MANY PEOPLE TO BE INVESTED.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.
THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND THE WORK AND COLLABORATION, UM, THAT THE EFFORTS ARE NOT FOR NAUGHT.
THAT IT IS ABOUT PROTECTING ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE CARE ABOUT.
AND IT IS A DIFFICULT THING TO UNDERSTAND.
SOMETIMES IF I AM THE OUTSIDER LOOKING IN, I WOULD BE ANGRY SOMETIMES AS WELL.
AND THERE ARE TIMES WHERE I MAKE DECISIONS HERE THAT I AM ANGRY BECAUSE WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE LETTER OF THE LAW AND SOMETIMES THE LETTER OF THE LAW DOESN'T ALLOW US THAT FLEXIBILITY TO DETERMINE IF WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW A PARTICULAR BUSINESS OWNER OR A LAND PROPERTY OWNER TO USE THEIR LAND A PARTICULAR WAY.
BUT I DO, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE END GOAL, AND I KNOW COLLECTIVELY HERE AS THE BOARD AND THOSE WHO SERVE WITHIN NAVAJO COUNTY, THAT THE INVESTMENTS OF BEING ABLE TO WORK AND SERVE ARE NOT ABOUT PERSONAL GROWTH OR OUR OWN PERSONAL UM, UH, AGENDA.
IT IS ABOUT THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE AND THAT ENSURING THAT WE ARE DOING TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY WITHIN THE LAWS THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING IN ALLOWING OUR COMMUNITIES TO GROW AND THRIVE.
AND, AND IF I'M SEEING IT DIFFERENTLY OR IF I DON'T SEE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW
[02:15:01]
THAT THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE VARIANCES OF OPINIONS AND PERSPECTIVES AND THAT'S JUST THE NATURE OF LIFE.UM, BUT IF WE CAN BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT ONE, PROTECTING OUR RURAL NATURE AND THEN ALSO LOOKING AT DEVELOPMENT SO THAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO THRIVE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES, UM, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO I I APPRECIATE THE WORK AND PRESENTATION, CHRIS, IN HELPING US TO UNDERSTAND AND HELPING, UM, TO ANSWER THE, SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS THAT THE PUBLIC DID HAVE.
AND THERE WILL BE CONTINUAL QUESTIONS AND THAT'S OKAY.
UM, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE CLARITY AND I, I HOPE, UM, THAT OUR PARTNERSHIPS, THAT THEY CONTINUE TO GROW AND THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO SEE GROWTH IN NAVAJO COUNTY.
THANK YOU VICE CHAIR FOR THOSE WORDS.
I THANK EACH ONE OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO OUR PRESENTATION.
I APPRECIATE CHRIS FOR PUTTING IT TOGETHER AND ANSWERING SOME HARD QUESTIONS.
I THANK OUR STAFF FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO BEHIND.
I CHALLENGE OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN REAL AC THAT WE'RE DOING THAT IS NOT LEGAL ACCORDING TO THE LAW, TO POLICE CHANGE IT AND BRING IT TO OUR ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY.
WE PAY DUES AS A COUNTY TO THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS ASSOCIATION.
THEY'RE A GOVERNMENT ENTITY, NOT A GOVERNMENT ENTITY, BUT THEY'RE AN ASSOCIATION THAT WE COLLABORATE WITH MANY SUPERVISORS.
THE CITIES PAY TO THE LEAGUE OF CITIES DUES SO THAT THEY CAN COLLABORATE, SO THAT THEY CAN CHAMPION FOR LAWS AND RULES AND THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING SO THEY CAN KEEP LOCAL CONTROL AWAY FROM LEGISLATORS THAT WANT THE STATE TO DICTATE WHAT WE DO.
WE FIGHT FOR LOCAL CONTROL FOR 22 YEARS, I HAVE LISTENED.
I AND I HAVE TRIED TO HAVE OUTCOMES THAT ARE POSITIVE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
IT MAY NOT ALWAYS BE WHAT ONE PERSON OR A GROUP OF PEOPLE WANT, BUT I'VE TRIED TO LISTEN, I'VE TRIED TO UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES.
I DO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING, NO CLAIM, CLAIM TO, BUT I KNOW THAT AS WE COLLABORATE TOGETHER, WE USUALLY GET IT RIGHT.
SOMETIMES WE FAIL, SOMETIMES THE SYSTEM DOESN'T SUPPORT US.
BUT SOME OF YOU HAVE MADE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST PEOPLE TODAY THAT I FEEL THEY FEEL THEY'RE UNFOUNDED AND I'M UNBIASED AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE MADE IN A PUBLIC FORUM.
IF YOU WANT TO TELL THAT PERSON TO HIMSELF AND LET HIM HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, THEN DO SO.
IF YOU WANT TO SAY IT TO US AS A BOARD, GO AHEAD, SAY IT TO US AS A BOARD AND WE'LL LISTEN.
I THINK THAT IT'S OUR ROLE AND OUR POSITION, AND I'LL ALWAYS SAY THAT WE REPRESENT THE PEOPLE TO THE VERY BEST ABILITIES WE HAVE.
I HAVE SAID IN MEETINGS WHERE THE PRESIDENT OF A PS WHO SETS ON THE NUCLEAR BOARD OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND HE TURNS RIGHT NOW AND TELLS US YOU WILL NOT SEE A NUCLEAR PLANT IN ARIZONA FOR 10 TO 15 YEARS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HE'S HEARD.
BECAUSE IT TAKES $50 MILLION FOR THE RESEARCH.
AND WHEN IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE FACT WE ARE DOING THINGS AS SUPERVISOR WHITING STATED, WE'RE DOING THINGS BECAUSE THE LAW TELLS US WE HAVE TO.
AND HE'S VERY CLEAR IN THE FACT THAT IT'S THESE PEOPLE'S PROPERTY, NOT OURS, BUT IT'S THEIRS AND THEY HAVE THAT RIGHT.
AND I WILL FIGHT FOR THEIR PROPERTY RIGHTS AS I WILL FIGHT FOR YOUR PROPERTY RIGHTS EACH AND EVERY DAY.
AND I'VE DONE THAT FOR 22 YEARS AND I'LL CONTINUE TO DO IT.
DONNA, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION, FOR LETTING US WORK THROUGH THIS TOGETHER AS A GROUP.
AND I ENCOURAGE YOU, IF YOU HAVE OTHER CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE OR QUESTIONS THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE ANSWERED, PLEASE SEEK US OUT OR SEEK OUT PART, PART OF OUR STAFF AND WE'LL BE MORE HAPPY TO COVER THAT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO PAR NAVAJO COUNTY INTO ONE OF THE GREAT COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA.
[a. Consideration and approval of the recommended distribution of Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Title I funds to school districts.]
[02:20:01]
ITEM WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA IS SUPERINTENDENTS SCHOOLS, UH, CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL AND RECOMMENDED DISTRIBUTION OF SECURE RURAL SRS TITLE FUNDS TO ROCHELLE LEWIS.GOOD MORNING CHAIR, SM SEYMOUR VICE CHAIR WHITE, WHITE SINGER.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT THIS.
UM, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WILL BE A NEED FOR A VOTE AS IT WAS APPROVED WITHIN THE CONSENT AGENDA.
HOWEVER, I DID WANT TO JUST DO A LITTLE EDUCATION ABOUT WHERE, UH, FOREST FEES COME FROM AND WHAT SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS IS.
SO A BRIEF HISTORY OF SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS IN 1908, SHORTLY AFTER FEDERAL FOREST LANDS WERE ESTABLISHED, CONGRESS COMMITTED TO SHARE 25% OF TIMBER HARVEST WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES AND GOVERNMENTS THAT WORKED FOR A WHILE.
TIMBER SALES WERE GOING WELL, UH, IN THE LATE, ACTUALLY, MID 1990S, ENDANGERED SPECIES PROTECTIONS, UH, COLLAPSED THE AMERICAN TIMBER INDUSTRY.
AS WE, AS WE ALL KNOW, UH, AND SCHOOLS WERE LEFT OR WITH INSUFFICIENT REVENUES FROM TIMBER ALONE, CONGRESS SAW THAT THIS NEEDED TO BE RESOLVED.
AND SO THE SECURE ROLE SCHOOLS COUNTY SELF-DETERMINATION ACT WAS PASSED BY CONGRESS, AND IT WAS DESIGNED TO COMPENSATE FOR DECLINING TIMBER HARVEST.
AS YOU KNOW, OUR TIMBER HARVEST HAS NOT RECOVERED.
UM, TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THE, THE 25% DID FOR US, IN THE YEARS WHEREIN SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS WASN'T RENEWED, WE RECEIVED $55,000 TO DISTRIBUTE BETWEEN ROADS, FIREWISE COMMUNITIES, AND ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, AND YOU'LL SEE IN THE NEXT YEAR, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER AMOUNT WITH THE SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS ACT.
THERE HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY MANY LAGS WITHIN THIS CONGRESSIONAL RE REAUTHORIZATION.
THIS HAS CAUSED A LOT OF PROBLEM FOR SCHOOLS BECAUSE SCHOOLS DON'T HAVE MONEY THAT THEY CAN RELY ON FOR SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.
UH, I SPOKE PERSONALLY, WHICH WITH EACH OF OUR SUPERINTENDENTS WHO RECEIVE THESE FUNDS AND A BIG PURCHASE IS OUR BUSES FOR TRANSPORTATION.
I'D INVITE ANY OF YOU TO GO ON A ROBUST ROUTE IN ANY OF OUR SCHOOLS, AND YOU'LL SEE THE WEAR AND TEAR THAT HAPPENS ON THOSE BUSES AND THE REPAIRS THAT THEY NEED.
IT ALSO, THEY ALSO USE IT FOR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING TUTORING.
AS A FORMER READING SPECIALIST, THIS IS CRUCIAL.
THERE ARE A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT, THAT NEED AND STUDENTS THAT RELY ON THIS.
IT'S ALSO EXTRA PAY FOR OUR TEACHERS, WHICH IS, WHICH IS GREAT FOR THEM.
AS YOU KNOW, OUR TEACHER PAY IS NOT VERY HIGH.
UM, IT ALSO PROVIDES SPECIALTY HIGH SCHOOL COURSES, INCLUDING ADVANCED PLACEMENT AND STUDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE ADVANCED PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES, THEY'RE SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND, AND WE DON'T NEED THAT IN OUR RURAL SCHOOLS.
UM, SOMETHING I CAN PERSONALLY TESTIFY OF TOO IS THIS, FOR SOME SCHOOLS LIKE THE SNOWFLAKE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THEY WOULD USE THIS FOR, UM, AIDS IN THE CLASSROOM.
AND I WANT YOU TO IMAGINE 26 OR MORE SIX YEAR OLDS LEARNING TO READ AND DO MATH, AND IT'S REALLY NICE TO HAVE AN AN EXTRA SET OF HANDS IN THERE.
UM, AND IT HELPS WITH STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT GREATLY.
SO THROUGH A LOT OF LOBBYING EFFORTS BY MANY OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, INCLUDING THOSE OF YOU WHO SIT ON THIS BOARD, WE WERE ABLE TO GET SECURE RURAL SCHOOLS, REAUTHORIZED AND BACKDATED FOR FISCAL YEAR 24, 25, AND 26.
HOWEVER, THIS ALREADY EXPIRES IN SEPTEMBER.
AND SO THIS CREATES, AGAIN, UNCERTAINTY FOR SCHOOLS WHILE THEY'RE ALREADY GETTING FUNDS.
THEY'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT, BUT IT'S HARD TO HIRE LONG-TERM EMPLOYEES WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE PAID.
SO THIS IS HOW THE ALLOCATION IS LAID OUT, AS YOU CAN SEE COMPARED TO THAT $55,000 AT SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY FOUR, FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY $2.
ROADS GO HAND IN HAND WITH BUSES, AND IT'S IMPORTANT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR COUNTY.
THE BULK GOES TO OUR SCHOOLS, AND A PORTION GOES TO TITLE THREE FIREWISE COMMUNITIES, WHICH HELPS FIRE WI FIRE EDUCATION AND PREVENTION.
AND TODAY I'M MOSTLY FOCUSING ON SCHOOLS OF THAT SCHOOL FUNDS.
WE DISTRIBUTE 50,000 TO OUR NAVAJO COUNTY ACCOMMODATION DISTRICT.
THIS SERVES THE ENTIRE COUNTY, UM, STUDENTS.
AND SO THIS ALSO HELPS US KEEP AN ADMINISTRATOR EMPLOYED.
AND IF WE GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, NOW, THESE FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED ACCORDING TO AVERAGE DAILY MEMBERSHIPS.
SO THAT'S, IF KIDS ARE SHOWING UP TO SCHOOL ATTENDANCE IS REALLY IMPORTANT, NOT ONLY FOR THEIR LEARNING, BUT TO BE ABLE TO FUND THEM.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A CALCULATION WITH A PERCENTAGE OF IT'S
[02:25:01]
A SICK REEFS FOREST, THE NUMBER OF ACRES.AND SO YOU CAN SEE THE DISTRIBUTIONS THERE FOR SNOWFLAKE.
HEBREW REGARDS, SHOW LOW AND BLUE RIDGE.
UM, I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THESE FUNDS ARE GUARDED BY OUR DISTRICTS.
THEY'RE DOING THE VERY BEST THEY CAN IN SPENDING THEM RESPONSIBLY, ESPECIALLY WITH UNCERTAINTY.
AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THEIR EFFORTS.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR EFFORTS IN LOBBYING AND SUPPORTING, UM, RESPONSE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO FY 25 WILL BE EXPECTED MID-APRIL WITH A SIMILAR, SIMILAR ALLOCATION, WHICH WE WILL SUBMIT TO A CONSENT AGENDA.
AND THEN 26 IS HAPPENING MID-APRIL IN 2027.
SO JUST THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE AND EDUCATE.
WE LOVE EDUCATING, AND I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS AND ON OUR SCHOOL'S NEEDS THIS YEAR.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MICHELLE.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? OKAY, THANK YOU.
SINCE WE PULLED THIS OFF THE ITEM, UH, THE CONSENT, WE NEED A MOTION.
OH, DID WE PULL IT OFF? I, OKAY.
UH, I MAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[a. Consideration of a proclamation declaring the week of April 12th through April 18th 2026, as "National Telecommunicator's Week" in Navajo County, Arizona.]
ITEM.HERE WE HAVE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, CONSIDERATION OF A PROCLAMATION DECLARING THE WEEK OF APRIL 12TH TO THE 18TH.
NATIONAL COMMUNICATORS WEEK IN NAVAJO COUNTY.
GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, RECOGNIZE OUR, THE NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK, OFTEN SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS DISPATCHERS WEEK, WHICH THIS YEAR WILL BE OBSERVED APRIL 12TH THROUGH APRIL 18TH, HERE IN NAVAJO COUNTY.
TODAY, WE TAKE A MOMENT TO HONOR A GROUP OF PRO OF PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE OFTEN UNSEEN, BUT NEVER, UH, BUT UNI, BUT NEVER UNIMPORTANT.
TELECOMMUNICATOR TELECOMMUNICATORS.
THEY'RE THE CALM VOICE IN THE CHAOS, THE STEADY PRESENCE ON THE OTHER END OF THE LINE.
DURING SOMEONE'S WORST DAY IN 2025 ALONE, OUR COMMUNICATION CENTER HANDLED OVER 68,000 TELEPHONE CALLS, INCLUDING MORE THAN 18,000 9 1 1 CALLS AND DISPATCHED TO OVER 20,000 EVENTS.
BEHIND EVERY ONE OF THESE NUMBERS IS A PERSON IN NEED, SOMEONE EXPERIENCING AN EMERGENCY SEEKING HELP OR RELYING ON US IN A CRITICAL MOMENT.
OUR TELECOMMUNICATORS ARE THE FIRST RESPONDERS BEFORE A DEPUTY ARRIVES ON SCENE BEFORE LIGHTS AND SIRENS.
IT IS OUR TELECOMMUNICATORS WHO GATHER THE INFORMATION, ASSESS THE SITUATION, AND ENSURE THAT THE APPROPRIATE RESOURCES ARE SENT QUICKLY AND SAFELY.
THEY ARE THE VITAL LINK BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND OUR DEPUTIES IN THE FIELD.
FOR OUR DE, FOR OUR DEPUTIES, DISPATCH IS MORE THAN JUST A VOICE ON THE RADIO.
THEY PROVIDE CRITICAL UPDATES, OFFICER SAFETY INFORMATION, AND REALTIME COORDINATION, WHICH ALLOWS OUR PERSONNEL TO DO THEIR JOBS EFFECTIVELY AND RETURN HOME SAFELY AT THE END OF THEIR SHIFT.
IT IS A CAREER THAT DEMANDS PROFESSIONALISM, RESILIENCE, AND COMPASSION.
OUR STAFF WORKS 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 365 DAYS A YEAR, HOLIDAYS AND WEEKENDS AND LATE NIGHTS.
OUR COMMUNICATION CENTER IS ALWAYS STAFFED, ALWAYS READY, AND ALWAYS COMMITTED TO SERVING THE PEOPLE OF NAVAJO COUNTY.
BECOMING A TELECOMMUNICATORS, NO SMALL TASKS, NEW HIRES, UNDERGOING EXTENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAM THAT LASTED APPRO APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS, NEARLY 1000 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION, HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AND EVALUATIONS.
THIS RIGOROUS PROCESS ENSURES THEY'RE FULLY PREPARED TO HANDLE THE HIGH PRESSURE, HIGH STAKES SITUATIONS THEY WILL FACE ON A DAILY BASIS.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK CAITLYN MONTOYA, WHO SERVES AS OUR COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER.
IF CAITLYN WANTS TO WAIVE OVER THERE,
THE WORK THEY DO REQUIRES QUICK THINKING, EMOTIONAL STRENGTH, AND ABILITIES TO REMAIN CALM UNDER PRESSURE.
THEY HEAR THINGS MOST OF US NEVER WILL, YET THEY CONTINUE TO SHOW UP AND READY TO SERVE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
ON BEHALF OF THE NAVAJO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE GRATITUDE TO OUR TELECOMMUNICATORS FOR THEIR DEDICATION, THEIR PROFESSIONALISM, AND THEIR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR DEPUTIES.
THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THESE OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS AND THROUGH THIS PROCLAMATION AND FOR THE SUPPORTING OF THE ESSENTIAL WORK THEY DO EACH AND EVERY DAY.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE.
SECOND MOTION AND MAY HAVE A SECOND TO APPROVE THIS PROCLAMATION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
WE, WE APPRECIATE OUR TELECOMMUNICATORS
[02:30:01]
FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO.SECOND SAVE LIVES, AND WE, WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS GO THROUGH EACH DAY.
NEXT ITEM I NEED, WE NEED TO MOVE INTO THE NAVAJO COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE DISTRICT.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL FOR THE VOTE.
[a. CONSENT AGENDA: The following item(s) are considered to be of a routine or administrative in nature and will be approved as a group unless a member of the Board wishes to discuss a particular item: ]
NEXT ITEM IS THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.I HAVE FIVE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, ANY ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE DISCUSSED OR VOTE, I'LL LOOK FOR A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
SECOND, A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
IS THERE A SECOND? SUPERVISOR? BANAL.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS? CALL FOR THE VOTE.
[1. Consideration of a proclamation proclaiming April 2026 as "National Public Health Month 2026" and April 6–12, 2026 as "National Public Health Week 2026" in Navajo County.]
PROCLAMATION PROCLAIMING APRIL, 2026 IS NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH MONK, UH, PRESENTED BY JANELLE LIN, A HEALTH DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR.GOOD MORNING CHAIRMAN, VICE CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU TODAY AND EXPRESS APPRECIATION FOR MY PUBLIC HEALTH TEAM AND, UM, ASK YOU TO CONSIDER PROCLAIMING APRIL PUBLIC HEALTH MONTH IN NAVAJO COUNTY.
UM, IN RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH MONTH.
I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE GRATITUDE TO MY DEDICATED PUBLIC HEALTH TEAM FOR THE VITAL WORK THEY DO EVERY DAY TO PROTECT AND STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY.
THEIR COMMITMENT, EXPERTISE, AND COMPASSION ARE EVIDENT IN THE COUNTLESS WAYS THAT THEY SERVE.
THEY ARE OFTEN SERVING BEHIND THE SCENES, ALWAYS WITH PURPOSE AND INTEGRITY, AND WHETHER RESPONDING TO EMERGING CHALLENGES, SUPPORTING PREVENTION EFFORTS, OR CARING FOR THOSE IN NEED.
THEY EMBODY THE VERY BEST OF PUBLIC SERVICE BECAUSE OF THEM.
OUR COMMUNITY IS HEALTHIER, HEALTHIER, SAFER, AND MORE RESILIENT.
UM, AND I WANNA THANK THEM FOR THEIR UNWAVERING DEDICATION AND THE MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE THEY MAKE IN THE LIVES OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THEN I'LL JUST READ THE PROCLAMATION FOR YOU.
WHEREAS THE WEEK OF APRIL 6TH, 2026 IS NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK, AND THE THEME IS READY, SET ACTION.
HIGHLIGHTING THAT PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS OCCURRING THROUGH SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES, LEGISLATION, AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVES HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED THE HEALTH OF ALL AMERICANS.
WHEREAS SIGNIFICANT STRIDES HAVE BEEN MADE IN PUBLIC HEALTH SINCE THE INCEPTION OF NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK IN 1994, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC HEALTH SUCCESSES.
CHILDHOOD MORTALITY, WHICH WAS AT A RATE OF 13.8 DEATHS PER 1000 LIVE BIRTHS IN 94, HAS NOW FALLEN TO 5.4 DEATHS PER 1000.
UM, LIVE BIRTHS DUE TO VACCINES.
BETTER HEALTHCARE ACCESS AND NUTRITION, SMOKING RATES, WHICH WERE AS HIGH AS 25.5% AMONG US ADULTS IN 1994 HAVE NOW FALLEN TO 11.4% DUE TO COMPREHENSIVE SMOKE-FREE POLICIES, PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS AND TAXATION OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS, DEATHS DUE TO HIV AND AIDS, WHICH PEAKED IN 1994 AT 49,095 AIDS RELATED DEATHS THAT YEAR HAVE DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY WITH ANTI ANTIVIRAL THERAPY, ENSURING MOST PEOPLE WITH HIV CAN LIVE.
NORMAL LIFESPANS AND PREVENTION TOOLS LIKE PREP HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED TRANSMISSION MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND TREATMENT WITH 40% OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS BEING UNTREATED IN 94 HAS PROGRESSED WITH INCREASED AWARENESS PARITY LAWS AND INTEGRATION INTO PRIMARY CARE, WHICH HAVE EXPANDED ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND REDUCED TREATMENT GAPS.
LEAD POISONING WITH 44 4 0.4% OF US CHILDREN HAVING ELEVATED BLOOD LEVELS IN 94 HAS NOW FALLEN TO LESS THAN 5.5% DUE TO POLICIES BANNING LEAD GASOLINE, REDUCING LEAD IN PAINT, PIPES AND WATER SYSTEMS. HEALTH IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, SUCH AS RISING HEAT RELATED DEATHS WERE UNDER RECOGNIZED BEFORE THE NEW MILLENNIUM, BUT ARE NOW BEING MITIGATED BY ACTIONS SUCH AS PUBLIC HEALTH CAMPAIGNS, LOCAL ADOPT ADOPTION PLANS, INCLUDING COOLING CENTERS AND OTHER PREPAREDNESS PLANS TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM EXTREME WEATHER, WILDFIRES, AND OTHER REGIONAL THREATS.
PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS HAS IMPROVED RAPIDLY, ESPECIALLY LED BY SCIENTIFIC ADVANCEMENT, INCLUDING MRNA TECHNOLOGY AND GLOBAL VACCINE DEPLOYMENTS.
AND COMMUNITIES HAVE INCREASED INVESTMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE, STOCKPILES, AND GLOBAL SURVEILLANCE, ALL OF WHICH MUST BE SUSTAINED.
WHEREAS RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY POPULATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES CONTINUE
[02:35:01]
TO EXPERIENCE DISPARITIES IN THE BURDEN OF ILLNESS AND DEATH AS COMPARED TO THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES.WHEREAS A PERSON'S HEALTH CAN DIFFER DRASTICALLY BY ZIP CODE DUE TO DIFFERENCES IN BUILT ENVIRONMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, COMMUNITY CONTEXT, ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD, AND ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND HEALTHCARE.
WHEREAS PUBLIC HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS USE NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK TO EDUCATE PUBLIC POLICY MAKERS, PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, AND THE PUBLIC ON ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES.
WHEREAS PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS HELP COMMUNITIES PREVENT, PREPARE FOR WITHSTAND AND RECOVER FROM THE IMPACT OF A FULL RANGE OF HEALTH THREATS RANGING FROM INFECTIOUS DISEASE OUTBREAKS TO NATURAL DISASTERS.
WHEREAS EFFORTS TO ADEQUATELY SUPPORT PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE PREVENTION OF DISEASE AND INJURY CAN CONTINUE TO TRANSFORM A HEALTH SYSTEM FOCUSED ON TREATING ILLNESS INTO A HEALTH SYSTEM FOCUSED ON PREVENTING DISEASE AND INJURY AND PROMOTING WELLNESS.
AND WHEREAS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WOULD LIKE TO OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF ALL THOSE IN INVOLVED IN IMPROVING THE HEALTH STATUS OF INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES, INTERVENTIONS, EDUCATION AND SUPPORT, INCLUDING HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS, AND MOST OF ALL OUR CITIZENS THEMSELVES FOR ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY, UM, FOR THEIR PERSONAL HEALTH AND STRIVING TO IMPROVE IT.
AND WITH THAT, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU WOULD, UM, CONSIDER DECLARING, UH, THE MONTH OF APRIL, 2026 AS NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH MONTH IN NAVAJO COUNTY AND THE WEEK OF APRIL 6TH THROUGH THE 12TH AS NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK 2026 IN NAVAJO COUNTY.
ANY COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION? SUPERVISOR WAYNE? UM, THANK YOU.
MAKE SURE TO RELAY THAT BACK TO YOUR TEAM.
YOU'VE GOT A TEAM THAT'S DOING A LOT INSIDE THE COMMUNITIES.
USUALLY WHEN SOMEBODY'S NEEDING THE SERVICE IS WHEN IT'S KNOWN.
BUT REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS DO.
ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU AS WELL.
I'LL LOOK FOR A MOTION AT THIS TIME.
CHAIRMAN, I MOTION FOR APPROVAL? YOU HAVE A MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? SUPERVISOR LEDGE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU NEITHER THAT PASS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THAT THEY DO.
NEED A MOTION TO MOVE BACK TO REGULAR SESSION? SO MOVED A MOTION.
SECOND BY SUPERVISOR
ANY OPPOSED? EITHER THAT PASSED.
NEXT ITEM WE HAVE IS, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, NAVAJO COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.
I NEED A MOTION TO MOVE INTO, I GUESS WE SHOULD HAVE JUST GONE FROM THERE INTO THERE.
UH, AND THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT HAVE A MOTION.
[1. Consideration of an Intergovernmental Agreement between the Navajo County Flood Control District and the Silver Creek Flood Control District for financial assistance for the Silver Creek Drainage Maintenance and Improvements Projects in the amount of $50,000.00 per year for two consecutive years.]
WE'RE NOW IN NAVAJO COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, UH, REGULAR FIRST ITEM HERE ON THE AGENDA.CONSIDERATION OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN NAVAJO COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL AND THE SILVER LAKE FLOOD DISTRICT.
SUPERVISOR SEYMOUR AND THE OTHER, OR CHAIRMAN SEYMOUR AND THE OTHER SUPERVISORS HAPPY TO BE HERE.
THE SILVER CREEK FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SILVER CREEK IRRIGATION DISTRICT.
THE TOWN OF TAYLOR AND THE TOWN OF SNOWFLAKE MAINTAINS THE SILVER CREEK DRAINAGE FROM DAGS DAM TO THE MOUTH OF THE CANYON AND SNOWFLAKE TO REDUCE FLOOD HAZARD.
THIS WORK, IT INCLUDES REMOVING DEBRIS, DEAD, DEAD AND OR DOWN TREES AND OVERGROWN VEGETATION THAT, UH, CONTRIBUTES TO FLOODING.
ONGOING MAINTENANCE IS ESSENTIAL.
UM, LEAH, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, WE'D JUST LIKE TO SHOW YOU A A DO PHOTO.
ONE OF THIS IS WHAT IS, THIS IS AN AFTER, WE DON'T HAVE ANY BEFORE PICTURES, BUT THIS IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED.
THIS IS AFTER THEY HAVE COME THROUGH AND CLEANED UP.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S AN ONGOING, UH, NECESSARY MAINTENANCE, BUT IT'S COSTLY.
SO THE SILVER CREEK FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT IS REQUESTING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM NAVAJO COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT AND BY WAY OF IGA.
[02:40:01]
AND THIS IGA WOULD AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY TO PROVIDE REIMBURSEMENT FOR VARIED MAINTENANCE EXPENSES UP TO $50,000 PER YEAR FOR TWO YEARS.PAYMENT WOULD BE BASED ON PAID INVOICES AND TIED TO MAINTENANCE PROGRESS.
PUBLIC WORKS HAS REVIEWED THIS REQUEST AND THEY FIND IT CONSISTENT WITH THE PURPOSE OF THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT AND STAFF SUPPORTS APPROVAL OF THIS IGA.
ANY DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM BOARD FOR A MOTION? UH, CHAIRMAN, I GUESS I WILL MAKE A COMMENT AND I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL, BUT JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH THEM.
I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN, UM, THEY'VE HAD SOME ONGOING ISSUES THERE AND THAT THEY'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON TRYING TO RESOLVE THOSE, SO APPRECIATE WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND ALSO THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY ON HELPING 'EM OUT.
AND I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.
ANY OPPOSED? DID THAT PASS? THANK YOU.
NEXT ITEM WE HAVE IS PLANNING AND ZONING, UH, PLANNING DEVELOPMENT SERVICE.
I'LL RETURN TO REGULAR SESSION.
I NEED A MOTION TO TURN TO REGULAR SESSION.
DUE TO THAT PASS, WE'RE BACK IN REGULAR SESSION.
[a. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration and adoption of Resolution Number 10-2026, approving/denying a Final Plat Amendment to allow Tract A to be split into five (5) parcels. ]
FOR THE TIME TO CAPTAIN WRIGHT, APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE, CAPTAIN.MEMBERS OF THE BOARD BEFORE YOU IS, UM, FPA 26 DASH ZERO ONE CHENEY RANCH, UNIT ONE SUBDIVISION FINAL PLAT AMENDMENT.
UM, THIS IS A REQUEST FOR A FINAL PLAT AMENDMENT TO ALLOW TRACK A TO BE SPLIT INTO FIVE PARCELS.
UM, SO MAY 15TH, 1984, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS GRANTED A SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT FOR CHENEY RANCHES IN RESOLUTION 75 DASH 84, AUGUST 23RD, 1985.
CHENEY RANCH, UNIT ONE SUBDIVISION WAS RECORDED WITH PLAT BOOK 14 DASH 43.
UM, A FINAL PLAT AMENDMENT IS REQUIRED DUE TO THE DESIRE TO SPLIT TRACK A INTO INDIVIDUAL LOTS TO THEN BE SOLD.
TRACK A IS A PN NUMBER 4 0 9 DASH TWO FOUR DASH 78, WHICH IS 6.71 ACRES.
UM, FIVE NEW LOTS WOULD BE CREATED AND ALL LOTS WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 1.334 ACRES.
THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS IN LINDEN KITTY CORNER TO LINDEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, ARIZONA HIGHWAY TWO 60 IS THE NORTH BORDER OF THIS PROPERTY.
TO THE SOUTH OF THIS PROPERTY IS CHENEY RANCH, UNIT FOUR A AND TO THE WEST OF THE SINGLE FAMILY TO THE WEST IS SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES.
PROPERTIES IN THE SUBDIVISION ARE A SINGLE FAMILY.
UM, HERE'S AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY AND TRACKED A, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WOULD BE SPLIT INTO FIVE PARCELS EACH TOTALING 1.334 ACRES.
AND THEN WE ZOOM IN A LITTLE BIT ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO ON THE NORTH, UM, THERE WILL BE A NEW 24 FOOT INGRESS, EGRESS AND UTILITY EASEMENT IS PROPOSED ON THE NORTH OF PARCELS 2, 3, 4, AND FIVE.
AND NAVAJO COUNTY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STAFF RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS FINAL PLAT.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN NO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC REGARDING THIS ITEM.
I'M AVAILABLE SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
AND THE AGENT LAUREN MERRI IS SPOKE, IS HERE.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO ASK HER.
ANY QUESTIONS TO THE BOARD? SO THIS IS BASICALLY JUST A LAW SPLIT THAT FALLS WITHIN OUR ORDINANCE TO BE ABLE TO DO.
WE'RE NOT DOING ANY ZONING CHANGES OR ANYTHING.
SINCE THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR THE PUBLIC.
ANY COMMENTS THEY WISH TO SHARE AT THIS TIME? SEE, NOBODY MOVED.
UH, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS OPEN AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR RECOMMENDATION
[02:45:03]
MOTION.I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE, UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER 10 20 26 AS PROPOSED SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? I'LL CALL FOR VOTE.
[b. Report to the Board regarding investigation of constituent complaints about lighting at West Camp Wind Farm.]
NEXT ITEM IS, UH, THE REPORT OF THE BOARD REGARDING INVESTIGATION, WHICH CONSTITUTES COMPLAINTS ABOUT LIGHTING AT WEST CAMP.MR. COOPER CHAIRMAN, VICE CHAIRWOMAN SUPERVISORS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING.
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, OUR STAFF HAS BEEN MADE AWARE THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAVE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FROM RESIDENTS OF NAVAJO COUNTY, UH, REGARDING THE BLINKING OBSTRUCTION LIGHTS ON THE NEW WEST CAMP WIND FARM HERE WITHIN NAVAJO COUNTY.
UH, IN JANUARY OF 2026, THE BOARD HAD DIRECTED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STAFF TO GO THROUGH AND INVESTIGATE CONTACT THE PARENT COMPANY OF THE WEST CAMP WIND FARM FOR AN UPDATE ON THE LIGHTING MITIGATION REQUIREMENTS, UH, THAT HAD BEEN PUT INTO PLACE.
UM, JUST AS A REMINDER TO THE BOARD WITH THE ORIGINAL SPECIAL USE PERMIT, I'M SURE AS YOU'RE AWARE, THERE WAS A REQUIREMENT THAT AN AIRCRAFT DETECTION LIGHTING SYSTEM BE PUT IN FOR THIS WIND FARM AS LONG AS APPROVED BY THE FAA AS THAT IS ULTIMATELY THEIR AUTHORITY AND JURISDICTION.
UM, AND SO THIS WAS A PART OF FOLLOW THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAD HAPPENED AND TO SEE WHEN THAT WOULD MOVE AND GO INTO PLACE FOR THIS WIND FARM.
UH, SO WEST CAMP WIND FARM, THEY DID CONFIRM THAT THE AIRCRAFT DETECTION LIGHTING SYSTEM IS IN PLACE, UM, WHICH WE ALSO OBSERVED THROUGHOUT THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS OF THAT WIND FARM AS REQUIRED BY THE BOARD.
UH, IN ORDER TO ACTIVATE THAT SYSTEM.
THE FAA REQUIRES, AND I'LL HAVE TO READ ONE OF THESE HERE, I APOLOGIZE.
UM, BUT THEY, THEY REQUIRE FULL HARDWARE INSTALLATION, ONSITE FLIGHT TESTING, SO NONE OF THE HYPOTHETICALS OF FLIGHT TESTING, COVERAGE MAPPING, AND THEN FINALIZING THE OBSTRUCTION EVALUATION AIRPORT AIRSPACE ANALYSIS.
UM, THEY DON'T MAKE THAT ONE EASY TO READ.
TO FUNCTIONALLY COMPLETE ALL OF THESE PROCESSES.
A WIND FARM MUST BE, UH, FULLY CONSTRUCTED AND COMMERCIALLY OPERATIONAL.
UM, SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE WEST CAMP WIND FARM IS CONSTRUCTED, BUT IT'S NOT INTO FULL COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS.
UH, JUST ANOTHER NOTE FOR THE BOARD REQUIREMENTS OF THE FAA AS FAR AS MEETING.
ALL OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SUPERSEDE OR OVERRIDE AS A JURISDICTION, AS THAT'S A, A FEDERAL LAW THAT EXISTS THERE.
UM, SO WE'RE AT THE MERCY OF THE TIMELINES OF THE FAA AS IT RELATES TO THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF THESE WIND FARMS. IN SPEAKING WITH THE PARENT COMPANY FOR THIS PROJECT, WEST CAMP CURRENTLY EXPECTS TO BE OPERATIONAL NO LATER THAN JUNE OF 2026.
UM, IN RECENT CONVERSATIONS, THEY ARE PUSHING TO EXPEDITE THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, GIVEN THAT IT'S ALREADY FULLY CONSTRUCTED.
BUT THEY ARE, UM, AGAIN, AT THE MERCY OF SOME, SOME OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND AUTHORITIES FOR WHAT'S THERE, UH, TO GET FULLY CONNECTED TO THE GRID OPERATE, AND THEN HAVE THE FAA TESTING COMPLETED FOR THOSE LIGHTS.
HOWEVER, ONCE THAT IS COMPLETE WITH THE FAA, THE AIRCRAFT AIRCRAFT DETECTION LIGHTING SYSTEM WILL BE ACTIVATED AND THE LIGHTS WILL ONLY ILLUMINATE WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ARE DETECTED WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE SYSTEM.
UH, I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
I WANTED TO KEEP IT RELATIVELY SIMPLE, BUT BY NO LATER THAN JUNE, WE SHOULD EXPECT THAT SYSTEM TO BE FULLY FUNCTIONAL, IF NOT EARLIER.
UM, HOPEFULLY WE'RE OPTIMISTIC THERE.
THANK YOU FOR LOOKING INTO THAT MATTER AND ADDRESSING WHAT WE CAN DO TO, TO MAKE IT BETTER FOR THE AREA.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, COMMENTS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, UM, SO CURRENTLY THE LIGHTS ARE IN CONTINUAL OPERATION, AND THEN AT THAT JUNE DATE, POTENTIAL JUNE DATE, THEN, UM, THE LIGHTS WILL OPERATE BASED ON HOW MANY MILES AN AIRCRAFT COMES INTO THAT PARTICULAR SPACE.
IS THAT WHAT WILL HAPPEN? CHAIRMAN? OKAY.
IS THAT, I, I THINK I MISSED THAT PART OF IT BEING CONTINUALLY MM-HMM
OPERATIONAL, SO APPRECIATE YES.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION THERE.
UM, SO IT IS CONTINUAL OP, CONTINUALLY OPERATIONAL AT THIS POINT IN TIME, AS THEY HAVE NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED TO PUT THE AIRCRAFT DETECTION LIGHTING SYSTEM INTO FULL COMMISSION.
UM, IT IS STILL A REQUIREMENT OF THE FAA THAT THOSE LIGHTS BE ACTIVE AS THOSE TOWERS ARE WITHIN THE AREA, UM, THAT IS THERE FOR PILOT SAFETY WITHIN THE REGION, UH, AS THEY MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NEW SYSTEM.
UM, AS FAR AS THE NEW SYSTEM, ONCE THAT'S ACTIVATED, IT WILL HAVE A HORIZONTAL BUFFER, UH, AROUND THE WIND FARM OF THREE NAUTICAL MILES IN ALL DIRECTIONS.
SO A A THREE MILE RADIUS EXPANDING OUTWARDS FROM THIS WIND FARM.
AND THEN IF AN AIRCRAFT IS DETECTED FROM ANYWHERE 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND TO A
[02:50:01]
THOUSAND FEET ABOVE THE, THE WIND TURBINES, IT WILL ACTIVATE THAT SYSTEM.ANYTHING THAT'S OUTSIDE OF THAT THREE NAUTICAL MILE BUFFER OR THAT IS ABOVE THAT THOUSAND FOOT THRESHOLD ABOVE THE TURBINES THEMSELVES, IT WILL NOT ACTIVATE AS IT'S NOT DEEMED NECESSARY BY THE FAA.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE.
[a. Consideration and acceptance of the resignation of Timothy Jordan, Navajo County Recorder, effective April 16, 2026.]
NEXT ITEM IS A CONSIDERATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE RESIGNATION OF TIMOTHY JORDAN BY ERIC SCOTT.CHAIRMAN, VICE CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD BEFORE, BEFORE YOU.
TODAY WE HAVE THE CONSIDERATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE RESIGNATION OF TIMOTHY JORDAN, THE RECORDER FOR NAVAJO COUNTY.
UH, THERE IS AN ERROR ON THE AGENDA.
IT STATES EFFECTIVE APRIL 16TH, 2026, AND IN MR. JORDAN'S OFFICIAL RESIGNATION LETTER, IT'S ACTUALLY APRIL 15TH.
SO IF I COULD GO AHEAD AND READ HIS OFFICIAL LETTER HERE.
DEAR CHAIRMAN SEYMOUR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I AM WRITING TO FORMALLY SUBMIT MY RESIGNATION AS COUNTY RECORDER FOR NAVAJO COUNTY EFFECTIVE APRIL 15TH, 2026.
IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF NAVAJO COUNTY IN THIS CAPACITY.
I AM PROUD OF THE WORK WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED TOGETHER TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY, ACCURACY, AND ACCESSIBILITY IN OUR RECORDS.
THIS DECISION WAS NOT MADE LIGHTLY, BUT AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION, I BELIEVE IT IS THE RIGHT TIME FOR ME TO STEP DOWN AND ALLOW FOR A SMOOTH TRANSITION.
I'M COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH YOU AND MY TEAM TO ENSURE AN ORDERLY HANDOVER OF RESPONSIBILITIES BEFORE MY DEPARTURE.
PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW LONG I CAN, HOW I CAN ASSIST DURING THIS TRANSITION PERIOD.
THANK YOU FOR THE TRUST AND SUPPORT YOU HAVE EXTENDED TO ME THROUGHOUT MY TENURE.
I REMAIN DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
RESPECTFULLY SIGNED, TIMOTHY D. JORDAN COUNTY RECORDER.
ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, SUPERVISOR WHITE.
I'LL JUST SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, AS YOU, WHEN YOU SEE HIM OR HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK TO HIM AND I'LL SEE IF I CAN REACH OUT AS WELL.
BUT TELL HIM THANK YOU FOR HIS SERVICE AND UNDERSTAND HE IS MOVING ON TO A DIFFERENT SEASON OF LIFE, BUT APPRECIATE HIM, UH, FOR THE TIME THAT HE DID SERVE.
SO ANYHOW, THANK YOU MRS. GREEN, DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? THE NEXT ONE, A GENERAL STATEMENT ON BOTH 12 AND 13.
AT THIS, AT THIS TIME, ASK YOU TO MAKE YOUR COMMENT.
I'M LISA GREEN, I'M THE REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIR FOR NAVAJO COUNTY.
YOU HAVE TWO ITEMS BEFORE YOU TODAY ACCEPTING TIM JORDAN'S RESIGNATION.
AND ALSO YOU HAVE A LIST OF CANDIDATES THAT HAVE BEEN VETTED THAT YOU'RE INTERVIEWING.
SO, YOU KNOW, UNDER A RS 16 2 30, YOU'RE GONNA APPOINT SOMEONE OF THE SAME POLITICAL PARTY AS THE VACATING OFFICE HOLDER.
SO THE NEW RECORDER APPOINTEE MUST BE A REPUBLICAN BECAUSE TIMOTHY JORDAN WAS, IS WAS A REPUBLICAN AT THE TIME OF HIS ELECTION.
ON NOVEMBER 5TH, THE VOTERS OF NAVAJO COUNTY ELECTED A REPUBLICAN TO LEAD THE RECORDER'S OFFICE AT THE GENERAL ELECTION IN 2024.
THEREFORE, THE NAVAJO COUNTY REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE REQUESTS THAT THE APPOINTEE SELECTED TO COMPLETE RECORDED JORDAN'S TERM BE A PERSON REGISTERED WITH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY ON NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024.
TO BE CLEAR, THIS REQUEST IS NOT A COMMENT ON THE CHARACTER OF ANY POTENTIAL APPOINTEE ON THE VETTED LIST PRESENTED HERE TODAY.
WE ARE SIMPLY POINTING OUT THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, SORRY, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, LIMITED GOVERNMENT AND INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY, IS NOT SOMETHING TO CHANGE AT WILL, BUT A SET OF CORE BELIEFS.
UH, BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR ANY, UH, OTHER COMMENTS OR A MOTION AT THIS TIME.
CHAIRMAN, I WOULD, I WOULD MAKE A, A MOTION TO, UM, ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION OF TIMOTHY JORDAN AS PRESENTED.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[a. Consideration and possible approval of the list of candidates to be interviewed.]
NEXT ITEM IS CONSIDERATION OF A APPRO FULL APPROVAL OF THE LIST OF CANDIDATES TO BE INTERVIEWED.[02:55:03]
I APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC RESPONDING TO THE REQUEST, UH, FOR THE OPEN POSITION OF COUNTY RECORDER.AND WE HAD, I BELIEVE, 16, UH, APPLICANTS WHO FILLED OUT AN APPLICATION AT THE TIME.
A COUPLE OF THOSE DID NOT, UH, QUALIFY DUE TO PARTY AFFILIATION.
WE THEN ASKED THE STAFF TO VET THEM OFF OF THE RESUMES AND OTHER EXPERIENCE OF WHICH THEY HAVE, AND TO BRING US BACK WITH A, A SHORTER LIST OF CANDIDATES TO BE INTERVIEWED.
AND BEFORE US, THERE ARE THE LIST OF CANDIDATES.
JOSE LERMA, SUZANNE HUDSPETH, DON WILSON, JAMES VANCE, KEITH JOHNSON, PRESTON ROOT, AND DAVID MARSHALL.
AND LOOK AT THIS TIME, UH, FOR ANY DISCUSSION, UH, PERTAINING TO THESE CANDIDATES.
WHAT IS THE MOTION? JUST TO APPROVE THE LIST OF CANDIDATES.
JUST TO APPROVE THE, THE LIST OF CANDIDATES TO BE INTERVIEWED.
AND THEN, AND THEN THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN VETTED TO MAKE SURE THEY GET ALL THE QUALIFICATIONS OF WHAT.
I MAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE LIST AS SECOND.
CALL FOR THE VOTE AT THIS TIME.
ANY APPROVE? ANY OPPOSED? EITHER THAT PASSED.
[b. EXECUTIVE SESSION pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.03(A)(1) the Board of Supervisors will conduct initial interviews, for the Office of Navajo County Recorder, with selected applicants. ]
OUR NEXT ITEM IS, UH, AN EXECUTIVE SESSION WHERE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WILL CONDUCT, UH, INITIAL INTERVIEWS FOR THE OFFICE OF NAVAJO COUNTY RECORDER WITH OPTIONS, UH, TO EITHER COME BACK AND APPOINT OR TO COME BACK AND DO FURTHER INTERVIEWS AT THE TIME.AND WE'LL TRY TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO SELECT A RECORDER THAT WILL SERVE OUR COUNTY THROUGH THE REMAINING TERM OF TIM JORDAN.
SO AT THIS TIME, UH, I'M GONNA STAY.
LET'S, UH, CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 1215.
GIVE PEOPLE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK, IF THAT'S OKAY.
I NEED A MOTION, UH, TO, TO MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THOSE THAT UPON ATTEND THE EVENING SESSION SINCE WE'VE GOT THROUGH, UH, MORNING AND AFTERNOON.
SO WE WILL BE BACK AT WHEN WE COME BACK.
[c. RECONVENE for action related to the appointment of Navajo County Recorder.]
MOVED.ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
YOU OPPOSED? NOT BACK INTO REGULAR SESSION.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THOSE WHO INTERVIEWED TODAY AND FOR YOUR PATIENCE FOR YOUR TIME, COMMIT COUNTY TO MAKE IT BETTER.
I'LL LOOK TO BOARD FOR A MOTION CHAIRMAN.
YES, I'D MAKE A MOTION TO DO A SECOND ROUND OF INTERVIEWS ON TUESDAY, APRIL 14TH, UM, IN OUR BOARD MEETING THAT'S THERE.
AND HAVE STAFF, UH, NOTIFY THE CANDIDATES, UM, BY FIVE O'CLOCK TODAY.
UM, THAT WE'LL INTERVIEW AND THOSE THAT, UM, WE APPRECIATE INTERVIEWING, BUT THAT WON'T BE MOVING FORWARD.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THE MOTION.
YOU MAY NOT CALL FOR THE VOTE.
[14. COUNTY BUSINESS UPDATE: Report from County Manager, County Attorney and Board members.]
NEXT ITEM WE HAVE IS, UH, COUNTY REPORTS.MS. MR. MR. CARLINE LONG ENOUGH.
THEY PASS LONG ENOUGH DAY HE'S GONNA PASS.
BRIAN, UH, CHAIRMAN, JUST REAL QUICKLY, LEE, JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE STAFF, UH, WE RECEIVED A, A VERY SIZABLE GRANT FROM THE STATE, UH, FOR, UH, REPAIRS TO THE PINEDALE LIBRARY.
MUCH, MUCH NEEDED REPAIRS AND JUST WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR STAFF.
VERY, VERY AGGRESSIVE PURSUING GRANTS AND VERY SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING GRANTS MONEY.
UM, ALL THAT I HAVE IS JUST THE, UM, ATTENDING THE, UH, REGULAR MEETINGS.
UM, I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND TWO VIRTUAL MEETINGS,
[03:00:01]
UM, WITH TWO OF THE CHAPTERS.SO THEY WERE VERY A CONAL IN THAT.
AND THEN ALSO JUST LAST FRIDAY, UM, I WAS ASKED TO BE A CO MC AT THE THIRD ANNUAL, UH, SCHOOL HEALTH CONFERENCE.
AND SO THAT WAS, UH, QUITE AN EXPERIENCE.
UH, NORMALLY MY AUDIENCE IS USUALLY LIKE 30 PEOPLE OR LESS, BUT THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THERE WAS A LARGE, UH, AUDIENCE.
SO IT'S A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.
BUT I HAD FUN REPRESENTING NAVAJO COUNTY THERE.
AND THEN ALSO VICE, OR NOT VICE, BUT UM, SUPERVISOR LEY WAS ALSO IN ATTENDANCE.
SHE WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE WORKSHOPS AS I WASN'T ABLE TO.
UM, I ATTENDED THE SCHOOL CONFERENCE, THE SCHOOL HEALTH CONFERENCE, LIKE, UM, SUPERVISOR
SO THAT WAS A VERY INFORMATIVE ABOUT, UM, OUR ROADS OUT IN DISTRICT ONE AS WELL.
YEAH, DISTRICT ONE AND SOME DISTRICT TWO.
AND, UM, I'M REAL HAPPY THAT ONE OF THE ROADS GOT A CULVERT PLACE REAL RECENTLY AND I'M HAPPY TO HAPPY ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN GOING AROUND AND AROUND WITH IN DOWN BIA AND TRYING TO GET THAT REPLACED.
'CAUSE EVERY TIME THEY WOULD JUST BACKFILL IT AND THEN IT WOULD JUST WASH AWAY AGAIN.
AND I ALSO ATTENDED THE WESTERN AGENCY COUNCIL OVER IN NAVAJO MOUNTAIN, UM, WHERE I DID DO REPORT AND HAD INVITED SHERIFF CLAUSE, BUT HE HAD AN URGENT MATTER TO TAKE CARE OF.
SO, UM, HE, HE DIDN'T GET TO COME, BUT HOPEFULLY ANOTHER TIME HE WILL BE ABLE TO.
'CAUSE WE STILL NEED TO RECRUIT TWO SHERIFFS ONE IN THE GREATER BLOCK MISSA REGION.
UM, AND THEN ALSO IN THE K TO REGION, WHICH IS ALSO FOUR OR FIVE TRACTORS OVER HERE IN THE, UM, PINON AREA WHERE I'M CALLING GREATER BLOCK ME SURGEON IS, UM, IS THE ALSO UNDER, UM, MY SECTION.
SO WE HAVEN'T HIRED ANYBODY, UM, FOR NOW.
AND I DID, UM, ATTEND CSA BY VIRTUAL.
WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT TO SMALL COUNTIES 'CAUSE OF, UM, ONE I GUESS MATTERS AT HOME.
AND MAINLY THE CHAPTER MEETINGS.
I GO THERE BIMONTHLY SOMETIMES IF I ONLY WANT RESCHEDULE ON A CERTAIN DAY AND I GO DRIVE OVER THERE AND MEET WITH THE PEOPLE.
SO I THINK THAT'S IT ALL MY REPORT FOR THIS MONTH.
THANK YOU SUPERVISOR, VICE CHAIR.
BEING EASTER BEING COMING UP, I JUST WANNA WISH YOU ALL A GREAT EASTER AND HOPE THAT IT'S GREAT.
I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE AN INVITATION TO GO TO AN EASTER PAGEANT AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
UH, BEING ABLE TO REPRESENT NAVAJO COUNTY IN LIFE AND IN THE RESURRECTION OF THE SAVIOR.
THAT GIVES ALL OF US THE CHANCE THAT WE WILL, UH, BE AROUND IN THE FUTURE.
AND I GUESS REALLY COME JUDGMENT DAY.
IT ISN'T ALL ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE, BUT IT'S MORE ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE BECOME.
AND SO MAYBE REMEMBER THAT AND REMEMBER THE SAVIOR FOR THE GREAT BLESSINGS HE GIVES US IN OUR LIFE.
I APPRECIATE STAFF AND MY FELLOW, UH, SUPERVISORS FOR YOUR PATIENCE WITH ME TODAY AS WELL.
SEEING NO OTHER BUSINESS, WE WILL ADJOURN.