[ NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND AGENDA Tuesday, July 14, 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 and Pledge of Allegiance ]
[00:00:05]
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UH, WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE NAVAJO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING.
UH, WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER, UH, BY ROLL CALL.
WE HAVE, UH, SUPERVISOR ALI AND SUPERVISOR WHITE SINGER EN ROUTE, AND SUPERVISOR WHITING IS HERE.
WE'D LIKE TO BEGIN THIS MEETING BY, UH, IN INVOCATION.
AND FOLLOWING THAT LAST SUPERVISOR WHITING, IF HE HAD LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, THOSE WHO'D LIKE TO JOIN WITH US, PLEASE STAND OUR DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER.
WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE PRIVILEGE WE HAVE TO MEET TOGETHER AS CITIZENS AND OFFICIALS OF HOE COUNTY, WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THE WONDERFUL 4TH OF JULY THAT WE JUST EXPERIENCED AND WAS ABLE TO CELEBRATE 250 YEARS OF OUR GREAT NATION.
AND FOR THE PATRIOTISM AND FOR THE HONOR, THE FREEDOM, THE LIBERTIES THAT WE ENJOY.
FATHERS WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE MOISTURE THAT HAS BEEN ON THIS LAND, AND WE PRAY THAT IT MAY CONTINUE.
WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR LIFE AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND HAVE EXPERIENCES TO LEARN FROM.
WE'RE THANKFUL FOR OUR CITIZENS, FATHER OF THIS GREAT COUNTY AND THIS GREAT NATION.
WE PRAY THAT THOU MIGHT BLESS THEM AND HELP THEM IN ALL THAT THEY'RE DOING.
WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR OUR YOUTH, AND WE PRAY THAT THEY MIGHT COME TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN FOUGHT FOR AND HANDED DOWN FROM THEIR ANCESTORS.
HELP US TODAY AS WE DISCUSS THE BUSINESS OF NAVAJO COUNTY, THAT WE MIGHT DO SO, AND WITH THY SPIRIT, WITH THY BLESSING, FATHER.
AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT WE DO HAVE AND FOR OUR MANY BLESSINGS.
AND THESE THINGS WE SAY IN THE NAME OF THY SON, JESUS CHRIST.
READY PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND TO RECALL FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[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.]
ITEM WE HAVE IS CALLED TO THE PUBLIC.UH, JUST REMIND PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE, UH, THREE MINUTES AND PLEASE TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS BEFORE THEY DO NOT REPEAT EACH OTHER.
WELCOME VICE CHAIR, GLAD YOU'RE WITH US TODAY.
UH, FIRST WE'LL START WITH, UH, LAURA R. GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
OUR COUNTY SUPERVISORS SEEM TO BELIEVE THEY GET TO DECIDE THE FUTURE OF OUR LAND WITHOUT ASKING US.
THEY'RE APPROVING MASSIVE WINDMILL TURBINES AND THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF SOLAR PANELS THROUGH BACKROOM DOOR DEALS AND ZONING CHANGES.
AND THEY DON'T WANT THESE DECISIONS ON THE BALLOT THAT ISN'T HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO WORK IN AMERICA.
THIS IS OUR COUNTRY, OUR RANCHES, OUR VIEWS OF THE HIGH DESERT, OUR SKIES, AND OUR WAY OF LIFE.
THESE INDUSTRIAL WINDMILLS, HUNDREDS OF FEET TALL, WILL SLICE THROUGH OUR HORIZON, KILL BIRDS AND BATS BY THE THOUSANDS.
THEIR NOISE AND SHADOW FLICKER WILL STILL THE PEACE AND QUIET WE ALL ENJOY.
AND THE HUGE SOLAR FARMS, THEY'LL TURN OUR BEAUTIFUL DESERT INTO OPEN LAND OF, OF SEAS, OF BLACK GLASS AND METAL, COVERING THOUSANDS OF ACRES THAT COULD HAVE STAYED, UH, RANCH LAND OR OPEN SPACE.
STUDIES SHOW PROPERTY VALUES CAN DROP FROM THE HOMES NEAR THESE PROJECTS.
TOURISM SUFFERS WHEN THE VIEW BECOMES AN INDUSTRIAL ENERGY PARK.
THE ARIZONA WE LOVE, INSTEAD OF THE ARIZONA WE LOVE, AND FOR WHAT POWER THAT ONLY WORKS WHEN THE SUN SHINES OR WHEN THE WIND BLOWS.
WE STILL NEED RELIABLE BACKUP.
AND WE'RE THE ONES WHO WILL LIVE WITH THE VISUAL SCARS, THE HA, THE HABITAT LOSS AND LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE HEADACHES, WHICH, UH, WHILE OUT OF STATE AND COUNTRY DEVELOPERS COLLECT THE SUBSIDIES AND TAX BREAKS.
SUPERVISORS STOP ACTING LIKE THIS LAND BELONGS TO YOU AND FOREIGN CORPORATIONS.
IT BELONGS TO THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE HERE.
I'M CALLING ON EVERY ONE OF YOU LISTENING.
[00:05:01]
SIGN THE PETITIONS, DEMAND A PUBLIC VOTE.PROTECT NAVAJO COUNTY FROM BECOMING SOMEONE ELSE'S INDUSTRIAL BACKYARD.
THIS IS OUR HERITAGE, AND WE WILL NOT BE SILENT WHILE THEY TRIED TO INDUSTRIALIZE, UH, IT WITHOUT OUR CONSENT.
AND WHETHER YOU HEAR THESE, UH, AND WHEN YOU HEAR THESE, UH, GREEN COMMIES TALK ABOUT REDUCING CARBON, KEEP IN MIND THAT WE ARE THE ACTUAL CARBON THEY WANT TO REDUCE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND GOD BLESS NAVAJO COUNTY AND AMERICA.
NEXT WE HAVE, UH, MICHAEL VISA.
GOOD MORNING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS MICHAEL PITTS AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE WHITE MOUNTAIN ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO REPRESENT THE CONCERNS OF OUR MEMBERS AND THE BROADER WHITE MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY REGARDING THE PROPOSED LAVAL RUN AND BLACK RIDGE PROJECTS.
OUR COMMUNITY DOES NOT OPPOSE PROGRESS OR RESPONSIBLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT WE OPPOSE IS THE WRONG PROJECT IN THE WRONG PLACE, PURSUED WITHOUT GENUINE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP.
HERE'S WHAT'S MATTERS MOST TO OUR MEMBERS AND OUR REGION.
FIRST, OUR COMMUNITY WAS NEVER GENUINELY A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.
REAL DEVELOPMENT SHOULD START BY LISTENING, NOT TELLING OUR MEMBERS WHO LIVE AND WORK IN APACHE AND NAVAJO COUNTIES WILL SERVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE AND FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, NOT AN AFTERTHOUGHT.
WHEN PROJECTS ARE ALREADY DRAWN ON THE MAP, BASED ON OUR RECENT SURVEY, THE OVERWHELMING MESSAGE IS CLEAR.
THE PROCESS WAS BROKEN BEFORE THE FIRST SHOVEL BROKE GROUND.
SECOND, THESE PROJECTS WILL CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF OUR REGION PERMANENTLY.
THE WHITE MOUNTAINS ARE SPECIAL.
THEY'RE A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES HAVE BUILT HOMES WHERE TOURISTS COME TO ESCAPE, WHERE PEOPLE INVEST THEIR LIFE SAVINGS BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IN THE COMMUNITY'S FUTURE INDUSTRIAL SCALE.
WIND AND SOLAR INSTALLATIONS STRETCH ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE FOR MILES.
THEY'RE VISIBLE FROM WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, WORK AND RECREATE THAT MATTERS.
PROPERTY VALUES REFLECT THE COMMUNITIES.
PROPERTY VALUES REFLECT WHAT COMMUNITIES ARE WORTH TO PEOPLE.
AND WHEN THE VIEW OF YOUR HOME OR YOUR PROPERTY BECOMES AN INDUSTRIAL ENERGY FACILITY, THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING.
THIRD, THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT CLAIMS DON'T MATCH THE LOCAL REALITY.
WE'RE TOLD THESE PROJECTS WILL BRING JOBS AND TAX REVENUE, BUT THE JOBS ARE TEMPORARY.
CONSTRUCTION WORK IS TEMPORARY PRO THE PROGRAM OPERATIONS, THE PERMIT OPERATIONS ARE LARGER, AUTOMATED, AND WHEN LANDOWNERS GET PAID FOR THEIR ACREAGE, WHILE THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY ABSORBS THE VISUAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS WITHOUT COMPENSATION, THAT'S NOT SHARED PROSPERITY, THAT'S EXTRACTION.
FOURTH, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP SHOULD COME FIRST.
THE WHITE MOUNTAINS ARE HOME TO SENSITIVE ECOSYSTEMS. WE HAVE WILDLIFE CORRIDORS, WATER OF RESOURCES THAT FEED OUR COMMUNITIES AND LAND THAT ONCE DEVELOPED THIS WAY CAN NEVER GO BACK.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUE ENVIRONMENTAL COST, NOT JUST THE DEVELOPER'S ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT.
AND FINALLY, THIS FEELS RUSHED AND DECIDED.
OUR COMMUNITY HAS LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ANSWERED.
WHERE ELSE WAS THIS CONSIDERED? WHY HERE HAVE OTHER SITES BEEN EVALUATED FAIRLY? CAN THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS BE REOPENED TO INCLUDE INDEPENDENT VOICES? WILL THERE BE REAL MITIGATION IF PROBLEMS EMERGE? THESE AREN'T OBSTRUCTIONS QUESTIONS.
THEY'RE THE QUESTIONS RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS ASK.
HERE'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU BOARD MEMBERS TO DO.
MAKE THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.
UH, MAKE SURE THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW IS COMPLETE AND CREDIBLE.
ASSIST THAT COMMUNITY INPUT SHAPES THE PROJECTS, NOT JUST ACKNOWLEDGES IT.
DEMAND THAT ANY APPROVAL REQUIRES REAL GUARANTEES ABOUT MITIGATION, RESTORATION, AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
CONSIDER WHETHER THESE PROJECTS ALIGN WITH THE REGION WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD.
WE BELIEVE THE WHITE MOUNTAINS.
WE BELIEVE IN THE WHITE MOUNTAINS, ENOUGH TO STAKE OUR LIVELIHOODS ON IT.
WHEN WE TELL YOU THAT SOMETHING FEELS WRONG ABOUT THE PROCESS, WE'RE NOT BEING REFLECTIVE.
WE'RE SHARING HARD WON EXPERIENCE.
I RES WE RESPECT THE BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITY TO BALANCE COMPETING INTEREST.
I'M A RETIRED CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.
AND I'VE BEEN A REGISTERED RESIDENT AS A REGISTERED VOTER FOR NINE YEARS AT 9 5 0 6 BUTLER TRAIL IN UNINCORPORATED NAVAJO COUNTY ABOUT 14 MILES NORTH AND EAST OF SNOWFLAKE, RIGHT OUT BY WHERE THIS NEW SOLAR FARM'S COMING IN.
BUT I'M HERE TODAY WITH, WITH MORE SUPPORT OF MORE THAN 3000 VOTING FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WHO SIGNED A PETITION WITH CONCERNS ABOUT RESOLUTION 17 DASH 2025.
YOUR RECENT ONE ABOUT, UH, SUSTAINABLE ENERGY.
WHERE DOES THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS GET THEIR LEGAL AUTHORITY TO AUTHORIZE THE PLANNING, APPROVAL AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SOLAR FARMS AND WIND GENERATORS OR OTHER RENEWABLE PROJECTS IN UNINCORPORATED NAVAJO COUNTY, SPECIFICALLY WHEREIN
[00:10:01]
THE ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES, THE ARIZONA CONSTITUTION OR TITLE 11, PARAGRAPH 2 51, WHICH GOVERNS THE, THIS BOARD IS YOUR APPROVAL TO AUTHORIZE SUCH PROJECTS.AND IF THE BOARD IS NOT TREATING THEM AS A PUBLIC UTILITY, THEN WHAT ORDINANCE OR THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU WRITE SHOULD CLEARLY DEFINE WHAT THEY ARE AND WHAT AUTHORITY APPLIES BY LAW TO ALLOW THEM TO BE HERE.
AND IF THESE RENEWABLE ENERGY COMPANIES FUNCTION SELLING ELECTRIC ENERGY, DOESN'T THAT MAKE THEM A UTILITY? THEREFORE, WHEREAS TITLE 30, WHERE THE ARIZONA POWER AUTHORITY AND IT'S NOT CLEARLY NOT ADDRESSED IN YOUR PROCESS, THE PUBLIC DESERVES A DIRECT ANSWER BEFORE MORE COUNTY RE UH, RESOURCES PERMITTING OR FUTURE APPROVALS.
AND EVEN THE CURRENT ONES THAT ARE BEING BUILT RIGHT NOW SHOULD STOP RIGHT NOW.
AND WE ASK, WHERE DOES, WHERE DOES THE, THE BOARD GET THE AUTHORITY TO GO INTO AND UTILIZE THE GAME AND PHISH TO GIVE LETTERS TO APPROVE THE, THE SECURITY OF THIS OR, OR, OR THE APPROVAL OF IT'S NOT AFFECTING OUR GAME.
BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK IN TITLE 17, WHICH IS GAME AND FISH PARAGRAPH 3 0 1, IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT THEY CAN USE THE COUNTY COURTS AND THAT'S IT.
THE COUNTY CAN'T BE INVOLVED USING THEM.
WHO'S GONNA PAY FOR THE FUNDING ON THAT? AND A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SUPERVISOR DICTATED, EXCUSE ME AT ONE TIME, SAID THAT, UH, THEY CANNOT, YOU CANNOT DICTATE HOW PRIVATE LANDOWNERS USE THEIR LAND.
BUT TITLE 11 DASH 2251, SUBPARAGRAPH 31 ALLOWS THE BOARD TO QUOTE, MAKE AND ENFORCE ALL LOCAL POLICE, SANITARY AND OTHER REGULATIONS NOT IN CONFLICT WITH GENERAL LAW.
WHERE DOES IT SAY YOU CAN PUT IN A WIND GENERATOR IF PERMITS INSPECTIONS, FEES, ZONING RULES.
FOR MY HOUSE TO BE ABLE TO BUILD OR DO ANYTHING ON MY PROPERTY, I HAVE TO GO THROUGH PLANNING AND ZONING.
OKAY, THAT'S FINE AS LONG AS IT'S ACROSS THE WAY.
BUT PRIMARY, UH, PRIVATE LANDOWNERS IN THE COUNTY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE COUNTY.
THE COUNTY HAS THE AUTHORITY OVER ALL THE LAND USE IN THE COUNTY TO INCLUDE MINING RIGHTS.
SO FOR THESE REASONS, I RESPECTIVELY ASK THIS BOARD TO STOP THE IMPLEMENT IMPLEMENTATION OF RESOLUTION 17, 20 25, INCLUDING ALL THE RESOURCES AND WHATNOT.
MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR LAND, PARTICULARLY WITH RAIN, BUT WE NEED TO SERVE HIM IN RIGHTEOUSNESS.
UH, THIS IS AN UPDATE ON THE TWO CITIZENS INITIATIVE PETITIONS PETITION.
ONE WOULD'VE PROVIDED VOTERS THE ABILITY TO VOTE ON ANY LARGE SCALE WIND AND SOLAR FARMS BATTERY STORAGE UNITS THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVES OF PETITION TWO WOULD'VE CREATED RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT PLACES, STRICTER ORDINANCES ON LARGE SCALE WIND AND SOLAR FARMS BATTERY STORAGE UNITS, AND PROTECTS OUR RURAL HERITAGE, SCENIC LANDSCAPES, DARK NIGHT SKIES, QUALITY OF LIFE AND PROPERTY.
NAVAJO COUNTY ELECTIONS DIRECTOR RAYLENE RICHARDS AND DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY JASON MOORE, PURPOSELY PREVENTED OUR CITIZENS INITIATIVES FROM REACHING THE BALLOT BY IMPOSING AN UNREASONABLY HIGH SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT OF 6,076, A THRESHOLD THAT DIRECTLY CONFLICTS ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION ONE OF THE ARIZONA CONSTITUTION, WHICH REQUIRES ONLY 10% STATUTORY MEASURES.
WE ACTUALLY HAD ONLY 17 DAYS BY THE TIME WE GOT THE PRINTING DONE 'CAUSE IT WAS OVER THE WEEKEND TO COLLECT THE 15% THAT RICHARDSON MOORE REQUIRED.
DESPITE THESE BARRIERS, THE PEOPLE OF NAVAJO COUNTY SHOWED UP WITH REAL DETERMINATION.
IN ONLY THREE WEEKS, OVER 3,100 RESIDENTS SIGNED THESE PETITIONS, A NUMBER THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO TRIGGER A RECALL FOR ANY ONE OF YOU SUPERVISORS.
VOLUNTEERS WORKED HARD, OFTEN IN TOUGH CONDITIONS, AND THE PUBLIC RESPONDED WITH GENUINE EXCITEMENT AND HOPE TO HELP SAVE THE BEAUTIFUL WHITE MOUNTAINS FROM THE LACK OF INTELLIGENT DEVELOPMENT OF LARGE SCALE INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS.
HAD THE DEADLINE NOT FALLEN OVER THE 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND, WE WOULD'VE KEPT COLLECTING AND ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE REACHED THE LAWFUL REQUIRED NUMBER OF 4,062.
THE PUBLIC'S RESPONSE WAS CLEAR AND OVERWHELMING.
77% OF THE REQUIRED SIGNATURES OVER 3,100 IN ONLY 17 DAYS, CLEARLY PROVES THAT THE CITIZENS OF COUNTY ARE EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, NOT ONLY FOR THEIR LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, BUT THEIR TOTAL DISREGARD FOR THE CITIZENS AND THEIR INEPTNESS IN EXERCISING THEIR AUTHORITY TO EVERY VOLUNTEER THAT GAVE THEIR TIME.
[00:15:01]
SIGNED AND EVERYONE WHO HELPED SPREAD THE WORD.WHAT WE DID IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME WAS POWERFUL AND SENDS A VERY CLEAR MESSAGE.
UH, HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE, PLEASE.
THIS IS, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE QUORUM PLEASE.
ARE, ARE WE ALLOWED TO RESPOND TO THAT BASED ON CRITICISM? YOU WANT TO DO IT THE TIME OR AT THE END? YEP.
I REALLY ENJOYED YOUR OPENING PRAYER, MR. SEYMOUR.
UM, BUT IT KIND OF CONFLICTS WITH HOW YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO OUR COUNTY.
UM, THE WIND TURBINES HAVE BEEN PROVEN IN EUROPE AND ALL OVER OUR COUNTRY TO BE INEFFECTIVE AND THE MOST EXPENSIVE SOURCE OF ENERGY.
WE DON'T UNDERSTAND YOUR LOGIC.
WE DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW GODLY PEOPLE CAN PICK INEFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT, DESTRUCTIVE, MONSTROUS TURBINES.
AND AS A NATIVE AMERICAN, HOW CAN YOU GO FOR THAT? HOW CAN YOU ALLOW THEM TO KILL OUR LAND, KILL OUR, OUR HUNTING AND FISHING AND KILL THE LAND, DESTROY THE AIR? I PRAYED ABOUT THIS THIS MORNING AND I ASKED GOD WHAT TO SAY.
AND ALL HE SHOWED ME WAS ONE BIG PICTURE OF A GIANT LEACH, A GIANT BLOOD SUCKING LEACH.
YOU HAVE BOUGHT INTO A FANTASY.
YOUR MINDS ARE TWISTED AND THEY DON'T BELIEVE REALITY.
WE CAME HERE OR WERE BORN HERE TO LOVE THE LAND AND LOVE THE PEOPLE AND GET ALONG.
AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO US? YOU ARE DESTROYING US.
GET OUT OF THE GREEN NEW DEAL.
IT DOESN'T WORK, BUT YOU'RE STILL BELIEVING THE LIE AND YOU'RE LYING TO US ALSO.
YOU'RE COVERING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU'RE NOT BEING HONEST WITH US, AND YOU'RE GIVING US CRAP FOR OUR LAND AND OUR AIR.
AND YOU'RE TAKING OUR ANIMALS AWAY.
FOR WHAT? FOR WHAT? FOREIGN INVESTORS TO SELL OUR POWER TO OTHER STATES.
THIS IS THE LAND WE NEED OUR WATER.
AND YET HOW MUCH WATER WILL THEY TAKE? STEALING OUR LIVES? THAT'S WHY I SAW THE LEACH.
YOU ARE LEACHING US AND YOU ARE SPEAKING FOR THE LEACHES.
AND THAT'S NOT HONEST, AND THAT'S NOT GODLY, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT NATIVE AMERICANS SHOULD BE STANDING FOR.
WHATEVER YOUR TIME IS UP, MA'AM.
I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO FOLLOW THAT.
UH, JUST SO YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS DON'T WANT US TO KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
SO BELIEVE ME, TODAY'S NOT HOWEVER I DO SUPPORT EVERYTHING THEY'VE BEEN, THEY'VE SAID.
AND YOU, YOU GUYS KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW MY FEELINGS ON THAT.
SO, UH, UH, WHAT I'M HERE FOR, BASICALLY, AND I'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO THIS, IS THE FLOCK CAMERAS THAT YOU GUYS APPROVED FOR ALMOST CLOSE TO A HALF A MILLION BUCKS, I THINK 47 49 FLOCK CAMERAS IN NAAU COUNTY.
I'VE HAD PEOPLE IN HOLBROOK, I'M ON THE HOLBROOK CITY COUNCIL, ASKED ME HOW WE APPROVED THOSE FLOCK CAMERAS.
AND I GOTTA TELL YOU THE TRUTH, I WAS, I, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT 'CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT A FLOCK CAMERA WAS.
BUT GETTING ON THERE AND LEARNING AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT 'EM EACH AND EVERY DAY, I DON'T KNOW WHY IN THE WORLD YOU GUYS WOULD APPROVE THAT.
THAT HERE'S THE FUNNY THING, OKAY? THE MINUTE I WENT AND LOOKED AT THE FLOCK CAMERA, WHERE
[00:20:01]
IS IT? IT'S ON MCC CLAUSE ROAD.WE'RE SPENDING A HALF A MILLION BUCKS TO PUT A FLOCK CAMERA ON A RURAL ROAD.
I, I DON'T SEE THE, THAT'S ONE OF THEM.
I DON'T KNOW THE OTHER ONE'S, UH, COMING INTO SNOWFLAKE FROM HOLBROOK, I GUESS.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE ALL THE REST OF 'EM ARE.
THEY'LL BET YOU THERE'S NOT ANY ON THE RESERVATIONS.
SO SAME WITH ALL THE RENEWABLES.
THEY'RE NOT ON THE RESERVATIONS EITHER.
BUT ANYWAY, I CALLED THE, UH, MINUTE.
I CALLED THE CHIEF OF POLICE BECAUSE IT'S IN CITY LIMITS.
HE COME OUT THERE AND HE SAYS, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS.
I THOUGHT, OKAY, SO ALL THE INFORMATION, THIS THING IS GATHERING.
SO I CALLED THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
I SAID, WHAT'S UP WITH THESE THINGS? WHAT ARE WE DOING? HE SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO IT'S KIND OF STRANGE THAT WE APPROVED A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THIS, FOR OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT, I GATHER, IS WHAT IT WAS FOR.
BUT YET THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THE DATA THAT'S IN THERE.
SO WHO IS ACCESS? AND THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW.
UH, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHO'S BEING ABLE TO GRAB THIS, THIS DATA THAT'S IN THERE.
AND I KNOW IT'S MORE THAN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE THAT CAN GET IN THIS THING.
AND MORE AND MORE THAT I'M SEEING ON THESE, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE GETTING OUTTA THEIR CONTRACTS ON THESE FLOCK CAMERAS.
AND I HOPE YOU GUYS DO THE RIGHT THING AND GET OUT OF IT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG YOUR, YOUR, UH, CONTRACT WITH THEM IS, BUT WE NEED IT TO GO AWAY.
THIS IS NONSENSE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M A 31 YEAR RESIDENT OF PINETT TOP LAKESIDE.
UH, I'M SURE YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD THIS A LOT, BUT I'M GONNA ASK YOU JUST TODAY OFFICIALLY, AND I KNOW YOU'VE LISTENED TO ME IN THE PAST AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT YOU'VE LISTENED TO ME.
UM, THAT I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO PLEASE, UM, ADD A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM AND OPEN UP THE DISCUSSION FOR RESOLUTION 17 20 25 THAT YOU UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED ALL OF YOU LAST JUNE OF 2025.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, UM, MY HOPE THAT POSSIBLY IF YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE AGENDA, AND YOU COULD HAVE PEOPLE COME IN AND SPEAK THEIR MINDS AS WE ALL HAVE BEEN DOING DURING CALL TO THE PUBLIC, UH, THAT AN OPEN DISCUSSION COULD BE HAD AND TRANSPARENCY COULD BE HAD AS TO WHY THIS WAS DONE.
UH, WHICH INCLUDED, UH, PUSHING SETBACKS, UH, TO THE LIMIT OF NOT BEING FAR AWAY FROM RESIDENTS.
WHAT YOU'RE DOING AS, UH, UH, LOUISE SO PASSIONATELY SAID, UH, IS ALLOWING LEACHES TO COME INTO OUR LAND.
AND BY, UM, APPROVING 17, 20, 25, YOU BASICALLY GAVE THEM THE, THE OPEN DOOR AND SHUT THE DOOR ON, ON YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
YOU HAVE 107,000 PEOPLE THAT YOU REPRESENT.
WHY DO A FEW PEOPLE WHO OWN SOME LAND OVER TO THE TO THE WEST, WHY DO THEY HAVE THE APPROVAL TO HAVE THIS ON THEIR LAND? UH, DRIVING HERE FROM PINETOP, YOU COME OVER THESE BEAUTIFUL VISTAS AND I'M LOOKING TO THE RIGHT AND I'M LOOKING TO THE LEFT, AND IT'S ALL GORGEOUS.
IT'S PRETTY SPARSELY POPULATED.
BUT THEN YOU LOOK TO THE LEFT OVER A COUPLE OF THOSE VISTAS AND YOU SEE THOSE BIG TURBINES.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT, THE 700 FOOT TURBINE, THE MATH ON THAT IS OVER AN EIGHTH OF A MILE TALL.
TO THINK THAT THAT IS ACCEPTABLE AND THAT EACH ONE IS GONNA USE 60,000 GALLONS OF WATER TO BUILD THEIR, THEIR BASE AND SUCK IT OUT OF OUR AQUIFER.
THAT IS ALREADY VERY CHALLENGED.
WE HAVE PEOPLE UP IN PINETT, LAKESIDE THAT DON'T EVEN HAVE THEIR WELLS ANYMORE.
SO HERE, MAYBE IN NORTHERN COUNTY OR THE CENTRAL COUNTY, YOU CAN TAP INTO THE AQUIFER AT A HUNDRED FEET.
BUT UP IN PINETOP LAKESIDE, IT'S 300, EXCUSE ME, 300 FEET.
ALSO, THE NATIVE AMERICANS, THE NAVAJOS, UH, I THINK ABOUT A MONTH AGO, UH, THEY DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR WATER.
DO THEY NOT KNOW THAT THIS, UH, WATER, THAT THEY ARE BEING DENIED, THAT IS GOING DRY IN THEIR WELLS? AND MAYBE FERN YOU, YOU KNOW, THIS, UH, IT'S THE SAME AQUIFER.
SO WHY ARE YOU ALL ALLOWING THIS TO COME IN AND TAP INTO THIS, THIS VERY PRECIOUS RESOURCE THAT'S NOT ABUNDANT.
BUT WHY WOULD YOU LET THESE OTHERS, AS LUIS SAYS, LEECHES, COME IN AND TAKE AWAY WHAT WE HAVE.
UH, THESE ARE YOUR CONSTITUENTS YOU'RE SERVING.
I KNOW MR. WHITING, YOUR FAMILY HAS BEEN HERE FOR OVER A HUNDRED, 150 YEARS, SETTLED THIS LAND, AND YOU'RE SELLING OUT YOUR FUTURE OF YOUR KIDS, YOUR FAMILY.
I'M VERY, VERY, UM, DISAPPOINTED.
BUT I WOULD HOPE YOU'LL PUT IT ON THE AGENDA SO THAT MAYBE WE CAN ALL DISCUSS IT OPENLY.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
[00:25:01]
GOOD MORNING.NAVAJO COUNTY CITIZENS ARE RISING UP TO PROTECT OUR WAY OF LIFE FROM LOOMING IN ENCROACHMENT OF THIS BOARD IN REAL AEE WHO ARE FAST TRACKING BEHIND CLOSED DOOR DEALS WITH FOREIGN CORPORATIONS TO COVER OUR WHITE MOUNTAINS AND MEGA WIND, SOLAR, AND BATTERY STORAGE UNITS.
TO CORRECT THE RECORD, ON JUNE 4TH, CHAIRMAN SEYMOUR CLAIMED YOU WORKED HARD TO MAKE MOVE SETBACKS FOR A QUARTER MILE TO ONE MILE.
THE TRUTH IS, AZTEC BRANCH OWNER STEVE PROPHY, VOLUNTARILY MOVED THOSE LEASED TOWERS BACK.
THERE WAS NO ORDINANCE CHANGE.
THIS BOARD'S LACK OF DUE DILIGENCE AND DISREGARD FOR PUBLIC AND INPUT HAS ENRAGED OUR COMMUNITY.
AS YOU CAN TELL BY THE 3,100 SIGNATURES WE HAVE, WE HAVE UNCOVERED CLEAR EVIDENCE OF CORRUPTION COVERUPS AND OPEN VIOLATIONS OF AR A RS TITLE 11, INCLUDING SECTIONS 35 DASH 2, 12 38 DASH 5 0 3, 38 DASH 4 31, AND 39 1 21.
PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS THAT SHOULD TAKE 10 DAYS ARE TAKING MONTHS IN SOME CASES OVER A YEAR.
THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO BEGIN RESTORING TRUST.
WE DEMAND THE BOARD DIRECT STAFF TO RESPOND TO ALL OUTSTANDING PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS WITHIN 30 DAYS POST ALL BOARD AND STAFF CALENDARS PUBLICLY PROVIDE A FULL ACCOUNTING OF REAL EASY RELATED FINANCIAL ACTIVITY, INCLUDING DEVELOPER PAYMENTS SINCE OCTOBER, 2024.
AND CHAIRMAN SEYMOUR, YOU CLAIM THAT THIS BOARD HAS NO AUTHORITY TO PROTECT CI CITIZENS FROM THESE FOREIGN CORPORATIONS.
YET JUST FOUR DAYS AFTER CITIZENS RECEIVE SERIAL NUMBERS FOR OUR INITIATIVE, SUPERVISOR WHITING HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCING PLANS TO CONVERT THE CHOLA TO NUCLEAR POWER.
DAYS LATER, A PS ANNOUNCED A NATURAL GAS CONVERSION.
IF THIS BOARD HAS THE AUTHORITY TO PURSUE RELIABLE POWER AT CHOLA, YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE THE AUTHORITY AND THE RESPONSIBILITY UNDER A RS SECTION 11 DASH 8 33 TO PAUSE THE RUSHED APPROVAL OF 18 PLUS INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS.
USE YOUR AUTHORITY, PROTECT OUR CITIZENS, IMPOSE AN IMMEDIATE MORATORIUM AND RECENT RESOLUTION, 17 DASH 2 2 5.
ANYONE ELSE HADN'T FILLED OUT OKAY THIS TIME? UH, IF STAFF WISHES TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS OR IF THEY WANNA WAIT UNTIL THE REPORT, WE CAN DO THAT.
UM, I JUST, UM, WANNA ASK FOR CLARIFICATION OR A STATEMENT.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE ONE SPECIFIC ON, UM, THE PETITIONS THAT WERE, UM, CIRCULATING AND UM, THE AMOUNT OF SIGNATURES THAT ARE REQUIRED AND HOW, UM, THE COUNTY WAS PRESENTED IN, UM, FOLLOWING THE LETTER OF THE LAW.
SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? FOLLOW THE LETTER OF THE LAW.
SO IN THE STATUTE, THE CONSTITUTION STATUTE SET FOR EXACTLY PERCENTAGE OF SIGNATURES BASED UPON THE LAST GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION AND ALSO THE TIMEFRAME THE LAST DAY THAT ANY PETITIONS CAN BE FILED.
THE COUNTY DOES NOT SET THIS THAT DAY TO, WAS NOT AN ELECTION DIRECTOR OR A DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY.
IT WAS STATUTE AND CONSTITUTION.
SO THANK YOU THAT THOSE SIGNATURES, THE AMOUNT OF SIGNATURES THAT, UM, WERE REQUIRED WAS NOT DICTATED BY NAVAJO COUNTY.
AND THE PROCEDURES THAT WERE CREATED WERE NOT CREATED BY NAVAJO COUNTY.
THEY WERE CREATED BY THE STATE.
AND SO WE WERE FOLLOWING THE PROCESS.
UM, THE AMOUNT OF DAYS THAT WERE PROVIDED WERE NOT ARBITRARY DAYS.
THOSE ARE SPECIFIC TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW.
AND THERE'S A PARTICULAR PERCENTAGE, UM, WHAT IS THAT PERCENTAGE OF THE GOVERNOR? IT WAS 15% PER COUNTY INITIATIVE INITIATIVES.
WELL AS ONLY 10 PER STATEWIDE INITIATIVES.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
UH, I JUST WANNA SHARE THAT SO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THE MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION.
I KNOW THAT, UM, YOU DO A LOT OF RESEARCH AND PROVIDING OR MAKING SURE THAT, UM, YOU'RE AWARE.
BUT, UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC IS PROVIDED THE MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SUPERVISOR? WHINEY? JUST POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
IT WAS BROUGHT UP, UM, UM, BROUGHT UP THAT I MADE A STATEMENT ABOUT CHO BEING NUCLEAR.
WHAT WAS ACTUALLY HAPPENED WAS THAT THE CORPORATION COMMISSION WENT DOWN AND TESTIFIED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES OF NUCLEAR.
THAT HAPPENED AT ONE POINT IN TIME.
THEN LATER A PS MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT WITH US ABOUT TROY BEING CONVERTED TO DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS.
WE HAD A PRESS RELEASE OUT ON THAT WERE VERY CLEAR.
I'M NOT SURE HOW THE WIRES GOT CONNECTED ON THAT.
A COUPLE OF JUST COMMENTS ABOUT SOME,
[00:30:01]
SOME THINGS THAT WERE FUTURE OF OUR LAND.THAT'S A GREAT, LIKE OUR LAND, IF YOU OWN IT, THEN NONE OF THIS WOULD BE HAPPENING.
PEOPLE THAT OWN THE LAND ARE LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE WITH THEIR INVESTMENT TO GO AND DO SOMETHING THAT'S LEGAL AND LAWFUL.
SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA IF SOME OF YOU'RE WANTING TO GO AND PURCHASE THE LAND AND ACTUALLY MAKE THE INVESTMENT.
'CAUSE I HEARD OUR LAND, OUR LAND, OUR LAND A LOT OF TIMES, UM, WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO OWN THE LAND.
'CAUSE THEN IF YOU OWNED IT, THIS WOULDN'T BE HAPPENING 'CAUSE YOU WOULD MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
UM, I THINK THAT THAT'S WONDERFUL.
UM, SUPERVISOR, I'M GONNA REIGN YOU IN.
I THINK WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE TOO CLOSE TO POTENTIALLY VIOLATING THE CALL TO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
SO IF THERE'S ACCUSATIONS THAT ARE MADE AND I'M MAKING A STATEMENT, IF YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO THE CORRUPTIONS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BUT SOME OF THE OTHER STUFF IS WALKING THAT LINE.
I DON'T THINK YOU'VE CROSSED IT, BUT WE'RE GETTING CLOSE, CLOSE ON TALKING ABOUT THAT.
I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE INFORMED AND HAVE GOOD INFORMATION THE COUNTY HAS ON THEIR WEBSITE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE TRIED TO GET THAT OUT TO FOLKS.
UM, GOOD INFORMATION SO THEY CAN MAKE, UM, INFORMED DECISIONS ON THESE THINGS.
UM, THE OTHER CRITICISM THAT I WILL BRING UP WAS THE COMMENT ABOUT THE TWO PROJECTS THAT WERE SPECIFICALLY TALKED ABOUT.
THOSE ARE NOT NAVAJO COUNTY LAW RUN OR BLACK RIDGE.
THOSE ARE OVER IN APACHE COUNTY.
SO, AND I DO THINK THOSE ARE ON STATE AND FEDERAL LAND.
SO I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS AROUND THOSE, BUT THOSE ARE NOT HERE.
I'LL JUST, UH, ASK YOU, UH, IF YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THE NAVAJO COUNTY INFORMATION CENTER, UH, TO DO SO, IT GOES THROUGH A LOT OF THE STEPS THAT WE'VE TAKEN.
IT ANSWERS A LOT OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
ALSO, I'LL JUST, UH, NOTE IT DOESN'T TAKE 60,000 GALLONS OF WATER TO PUT A TURBINE IN.
IT'S MORE LIKE, UH, 400 YARDS OF CONCRETE, WHICH WOULD BE WAY LESS THAN THAT.
ALRIGHT? AND IT'S NOT THE MOST EXPENSIVE, UH, SOURCE OF ENERGY.
IN FACT, UH, THESE RENEWABLES ARE SOME OF THE LEAST EXPENSIVE NOW.
FIVE YEARS AGO THEY MAY HAVE BEEN TODAY, THEY'RE NOT.
SO, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION TODAY.
UH, I WOULD ASK, UH, STAFF, IF THERE'S ANY OF THESE ITEMS, UH, LEGALITIES THAT WERE THROWN OUT TODAY, IF YOU WOULD MAYBE ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS ON OUR INFORMATION CENTER TO CLARIFY ANY OF THOSE THERE.
YOU MIGHT THINK THAT THAT'S, UH, AVIAN OF SOME SORT BECAUSE OF THE NAME, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A LICENSE PLATE READER.
SO, SO THOSE ARE, ARE IMPORTANT AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS ON, UH, ON MCCAW ROAD.
I THINK IT RECORDS A LOT MORE THAN LICENSE PLATES.
[2. COUNTY BUSINESS UPDATE: Report from County Manager, County Attorney and Board members.]
ITEM WE HAVE HERE IS, UH, DISCUSSION OF COUNTY BUSINESS UPDATES, UH, FROM THE TIME TO MR. CLARK COUNTY ATTORNEY BRETT CARLINE.UM, YEAH, JUST A COUPLE THINGS TO REPORT ON.
SO TWO WEEKS AGO, ROUGHLY TWO WEEKS AGO, I SENT A LETTER TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ASKING THEM TO REVIEW, UM, SEVERAL FEDERAL TAX CREDITS AND SUBSIDIES ON THESE RENEWABLE PROJECTS.
THERE WAS AN UNDERSTANDING, AT LEAST THAT I HAD, AND I KNOW MANY CITIZENS HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT, THAT THOSE HAVE GONE AWAY.
STAFF, UM, STAFF AND SOME OF THE COUNTY LEADERSHIP HAD HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK THROUGH THAT.
AND I ACTUALLY FOUND QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT SUBSIDIES THAT STILL EXIST.
UM, WHICH ARE WHY THESE ARE PENCILING OUT RIGHT NOW.
THE UTILITIES HAVE AN ALL RESOURCE RFP.
THAT MEANS THAT ANYBODY CAN GO IN ON THOSE RFPS.
THAT'S WHY THESE ARE SHOWING UP.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE A BUYER, AS WAS POINTED OUT, THEY CANNOT DISTRIBUTE OR SELL POWER.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE A POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT WITH UTILITY IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO COME INTO THE STATE OF ARIZONA.
AND SO IN TALKING WITH UTILITIES, THESE ARE COMING IN AND ACTUALLY ARE OFTEN IN THE LOW END OF THINGS.
THAT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT TO ME.
WELL, IN LOOKING AT THROUGH THE COUNTY STAFF, AND I WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR LOOKING AT THAT.
THERE ARE STILL SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDIES THAT EXIST.
SO A LETTER WAS SENT OUT ASKING TO BE ABLE TO MEET WITH THEM TO TALK ABOUT THE SPECIFIC SUBSIDIES.
I PUT TOGETHER A LETTER THAT I SENT THAT TO EACH OF 'EM TWO WEEKS AGO.
WE'RE GONNA POST THAT ON THE WEBSITE, UM, WHERE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT THOSE SUBSIDIES THAT EXIST AND WRITE OUT TO CONGRESS, LET 'EM KNOW THAT YOU WANT THOSE REMOVED.
I'VE NEVER BELIEVED THE GOVERNMENT'S ROLE IS TO PICK WINNERS OR LOSERS IN THE MARKETPLACE.
INNOVATION, COMPETITION AND CONSUMER CHOICE SHOULD DETERMINE WHAT SUCCEEDS, NOT GOVERNMENT INCENTIVES AND TILT THE PLAYING FIELD.
[00:35:01]
SO I'D GO LOOK AT THOSE FEDERAL SUBSIDIES.WE'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ALREADY AND ARE LOOKING TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE REMOVAL OF THOSE.
IN ADDITION, UH, AT THAT SAME TIME, WE ALSO IDENTIFIED WHAT WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, WHICH IS THE 80% SUBSIDY THAT THE STATE OF ARIZONA GIVES TO 'EM ON PROPERTY TAXES.
SO I SENT OUT A FOLLOW-UP LETTER TO OUR LEGISLATIVE FOLKS ASKING THEM TO CONSIDER THAT AND LOOKING AT THE REMOVAL OF THOSE SUBSIDIES AS WELL.
THAT'S PROBABLY IN MY OPINION AS I'VE LOOKED AT THIS, THAT'S WHY THESE ARE COMING, IS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WHEN THEY HAVE AN ALL RESOURCE RFP AND THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT AND THEY'RE COMING IN ON THE LOW END OF IT, IT'S BECAUSE OF THE SUBSIDIES THAT EXIST THAT ALLOW THEM TO GET THEIR PPA IF THE SUBSIDIES ARE REMOVED, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE ON THE LOW END OF IT ANYMORE, AND OTHERS ARE BEING LOOKED AT.
PART OF WHAT ALLOWED TO BE LOOKED AT WITH THE, UH, TROY POWER PLANT IS BECAUSE THERE'S A NEW NATURAL GAS LINE COMING INTO THE STATE OF ARIZONA.
SO THOSE ARE TWO THINGS THAT ARE WORKED ON.
THIRD THING I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LITTLE BIT LATER TODAY, SO DON'T GO INTO TOO MUCH, BUT REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE, UH, CHOA NATURAL GAS CONVERSION.
I THINK THAT'S A BIG DEAL IN PART BECAUSE IT KEEPS IT RUNNING, IT PUTS SOME JOBS THAT ARE THERE AND HOLDS A POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY IN THE FUTURE FOR OTHER, UM, OPPORTUNITIES BESIDES JUST NATURAL GAS AT THAT SITE.
UM, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S THERE THAT WOULD ALLOW AND ALLOW FOR, AND IT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR THE UTILITIES WHO HAVE TO DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF POWER THAT THEY'RE PRODUCING IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
SO THAT WAS A POSITIVE THING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
ALSO HAD A CHANCE AFTER I TESTIFIED AT THE, UH, CORPORATION COMMISSION, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CORPORATION COMMISSION EXPRESSED INTEREST IN BEING ABLE TO GO AND SEE FIRSTHAND THE NOVO BIO, UH, NOVO BIOPOWER FACILITY.
HAD A CHANCE TO GO AND DO A TOUR WITH HIM ON THAT.
APPRECIATE, UM, THE CHAIRMAN GETTING TO COME ON THAT AND KIND OF TALK TO 'EM ABOUT WHY THAT'S SO IMPORTANT TO OUR REGION, THE JOBS THAT IT PROVIDES, HOW IT HELPS WITH FOREST RESTORATION, AND ALSO HELPS PROVIDE, UM, SOME POWER TO THE REGION.
SO ANYHOW, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS GOING ON RECENTLY.
I ALSO WANTED TO THANK THE BOARD AS A WHOLE FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND HELP THOSE THINGS.
WITH THE CHOA ANNOUNCEMENT, THAT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.
THAT'S BEEN CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED OVER 10 YEARS.
THAT WASN'T LIKE A RECENT CONVERSATION.
UM, IT WAS INTERESTING HOW PEOPLE THOUGHT, OH, WE JUST STARTED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AND IT WENT, BUT THAT'S BEEN OVER 10 YEARS.
AND IT WASN'T JUST OUR BOARD, IT WAS MANY PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS, BUT WE'VE STAYED IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, UM, LOOKING FOR WAYS AND A WAY FORWARD FOR THAT SITE.
SO WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THANK YOU SUPERVISOR WHITENING.
APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.
UH, SUPERVISOR AL I'LL DEFER TILL NEXT MONTH.
WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY ON AN ACOG MEETING.
THEY TALKED QUITE A BIT ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA.
UH, DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
UH, THE CITY OF SHOW LOW HAS A, UH, INCUBATOR PROGRAM THAT THEY'RE DOING 20,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING.
THEY'RE TRYING TO RENOVATE AN OLD, UH, GRADE SCHOOL.
UH, THEY GOT A $275,000 GRANT FOR THAT WORKFORCE.
WORKFORCE HOUSING IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE, BUT IT HAS TO BE FILLED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
THERE ARE VERY LITTLE THAT THE GOVERNMENT SECTOR CAN DO, BUT JUST AN EXAMPLE, IN FLAGSTAFF, THERE'S A 52 TO 57,000 HOUSING SHORTAGE.
THE FLAGSTAFF COSTS ARE 50% ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AND THE MEDIAN RENT, THERE'S $2,100.
THERE'S A LOT GOING ON WITH TRIBAL PARTNERSHIPS, WITH BROADBAND INVESTMENTS, UPDATING, UH, HEALTH DATA AND STATE AND FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION BOARD.
THERE WAS A LOT OF FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE UPDATES ON THE BUILD AMERICA ACT.
AND THE TRANSPORTATION POLICY SUMMIT IS GOING TO BE IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR IN FLAGSTAFF, OCTOBER 14TH TO 16TH.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE OUR VOICES HEARD PERTAINING TO OUR ROADS AND PROJECTS IN OUR AREA.
I HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A WONDERFUL 4TH OF JULY.
IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE OUR COUNTRY, CELEBRATE THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF, UH, HEBREW OVER GUARD AND PINEDALE CLAY SPRINGS, UH, FESTIVALS THAT THEY HAD AT THAT TIME.
YOU KNOW, AS WE GO THROUGH AND WE LOOK AT WHO HAD AN INFLUENCE, WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR OUR FOUNDING FATHERS OF THE INFLUENCES THAT THEY HAD.
AND ONE OF OUR, ONE OF THE PEOPLE BACK, UH, BEFORE THE, UH, DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE TO REALLY GET PEOPLE STIRRED UP, THERE WAS A MAN BY THE NAME OF THOMAS PAYNE, AND HE WROTE THE PAMPHLET COMMON SENSE, AND HE DISTRIBUTED THAT 120,000 COPIES WERE SOLD.
AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANTED WHEN THEY LEFT OR TO GET AWAY FROM BRITAIN WAS THE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
[00:40:01]
AND MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE CHRISTIANS.AND I THINK THAT THAT JUDEO CHRISTIAN FAITH HAS IMMEDIATE ATED THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY AND THROUGHOUT THE THINGS THAT WE BELIEVE IN.
BUT THOMAS PAYNE DIED AND ONLY SIX PEOPLE ATTENDED HIS FUNERAL BECAUSE EVENTUALLY THOMAS PAYNE STARTED FIGHTING THE BELIEFS OF THE CHRISTIANS.
AND HE BELIEVED IN DEISM AND EVERYONE TO THEIR OWN.
BUT IT BECAME, UH, A, YOU KNOW, HE BECAME BASICALLY OSTRACIZED BECAUSE OF HIS, HIS BELIEFS.
AND AT HIS FUNERAL, THERE WERE SIX PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED.
AND I THINK THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT IT AND WHEN WE, THERE'S THINGS THAT CAN DIVIDE US OR THERE'S THINGS THAT CAN BRING US TOGETHER.
AND AS WE WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO TRY TO DO THINGS THAT WE CAN, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
YEAH, WE SAY, THIS IS OUR LAND.
THIS IS YOUR LAND, THIS IS MY LAND.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE DEEDS OF OWNERSHIP.
AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER, REMEMBER THAT WE CAN DO WHAT WE CAN DO ON OUR PROPERTY AS LONG AS IT'S LAWFUL.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE TODAY, AND I APPRECIATE IT.
[3. 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:]
WE HAVE, UH, IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.IS THERE ANYTHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT NEEDS TO BE PULLED OR, OR TALKED ABOUT INDIVIDUALLY? IF NOT, I'LL LOOK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
CHAIRMAN, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS STATED.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND PLEASE.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL FOR THE VOTE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? SEE THAT, THAT PASSED.
UH, NEXT ITEM IS NAVAJO COUNTY PUBLIC SERVICE HEALTH DISTRICT.
I NEED A MOTION TO MOVE INTO, UH, THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR BOARD.
YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE 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: ]
IN THE HEALTH DISTRICT.UH, WE HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AT THIS TIME, UH, WE HAVE A RE APPROVAL OF A THREE YEAR RENEWAL, MOI, WITH ARIZONA, NAVAJO COUNTY AND IPOS AND APPROVAL AND AGREEMENT BETWEEN ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND MOTOR VEHICLE DIVISION.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THOSE ITEMS? LOOK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO SUPERVISOR WAYNE TO APPROVE.
YOU HAVE A SECOND BY VICE CHAIR.
ANY DISCUSSION? CALL FOR THE VOTE.
ANY OPPOSED? SEE THAT THAT PASS.
I NEED A MOTION TO RETURN BACK TO REGULAR SESSION.
BY SUPERVISOR ALI, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
WE'RE NOW BACK INTO OPEN SESSION, UH, REGULAR SESSION HERE, ADMINISTRATIVE
[a. Presentation to Darcey McKee on her Retirement from Navajo County after 36 Years of Service.]
SERVICES, UH, PRESENTATION OF THE RC MCKEE.TURN THE TIME OVER TO ERIC SCOTT, AMY STRADLING AT THIS TIME.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD THIS MORNING, WE HAVE THE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE DARCY, COME ON UP.
DARCY AND DARCY MCKEE HAS BEEN WITH NAVAJO COUNTY FOR 36 YEARS.
I WAS, I WAS THREE YEARS OLD WHEN, WHEN SHE STARTED HERE.
AND SHE MUST HAVE BEEN ABOUT, ABOUT THAT SAME AGE TOO, WHEN SHE STARTED.
I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW HER OVER THE YEARS.
UM, I'VE BEEN WITH NAVAJO COUNTY FOR ALMOST 14 YEARS, AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE WITH DARCY ON THE PERSONNEL COMMISSION YEARS AGO.
AND I, I'VE VISITED WITH DARCY MANY TIMES AND SHE IS EXTREMELY LOYAL TO NAVAJO COUNTY.
SERVES THE RESIDENTS OF OF WINSLOW, AND JUST ALWAYS DOES SO WITH A SMILE ON HER FACE AND IS JUST A WONDERFUL PERSON.
WE'RE GONNA MISS HER AND WISH HER THE BEST.
I HAD TO WRITE DOWN SOME NOTES BECAUSE I MIGHT GET A LITTLE EMOTIONAL.
UM, OVER THE PAST 36 YEARS, DARCY HAS DEDICATED HER CAREER TO SERVING THE RESIDENTS OF NAVAJO COUNTY WITH PROFESSIONALISM, COMPASSION, AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC HEALTH.
HER PASSION FOR THE TOBACCO PROGRAM HAS NEVER WAVERED THROUGH HER CAREER.
SHE TIRELESSLY WORKS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF THE COMMUNITIES.
HER IMPACT ON THE WORK WILL CONTINUE TO BENEFIT NAVAJO COUNTY FOR YEARS TO COME, DARCY HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE KIND OF PERSON WHO QUICKLY
[00:45:01]
STEPS IN TO HELP WHENEVER SHE IS NEEDED.WHETHER IT'S SUPPORTING A TEAMMATE, MENTORING OTHERS, HELPING OUR HOMETOWN OF WINSLOW, SHE'S CONSISTENTLY PUTS THE NEEDS OF OTHERS BEFORE HER OWN.
SHE'S DEPENDABLE, COMPASSIONATE, AND A DEFINITION OF A TEAM PLAYER.
I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING ALONG THE SIDE OF DARCY FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS.
DURING THAT TIME, I HAVE COME TO KNOW WE'RE NOT ONLY HIS EXCEPTIONAL EMPLOYEE, BUT A VALUED FRIEND.
UM, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, WE BONDED OVER OUR LOVE FOR ICE CREAM, UM, ON MULTIPLE WORK TRIPS THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN OUR DINNER OF CHOICE, SOMETIMES EVEN FROM THE HOT TUB.
UM, AND THOSE MEMORIES REMIND ME, WHILE THE WORK THAT WE DO IS IMPORTANT, IT'S ALSO OUR RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE BUILD ALONG THE WAY THAT ARE TRULY MAKE OUR CAREERS MEANINGFUL.
WHY? I WILL CERTAINLY MISS HER KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, AND DEDICATION.
IT'S HER KINDNESS, FRIENDSHIP.
IT GENUINE CARING FOR PEOPLE THAT WILL LEAVE THE GREATEST VOID.
RETIREMENT MARKS THE END OF NOT ONLY AN INCREDIBLE CHAPTER, BUT THE BEGINNING OF NEW ADVENTURE.
DARCY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR 36 YEARS OF OUTSTANDING SERVICE, FRIENDSHIP, AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU HAVE TOUCHED IN THIS TIME, YOU WILL BE MISSED, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN.
DARCY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT? I KNOW YOUR EMOTIONS ARE A LITTLE HIGH AND THINGS THERE.
I REALLY, I WANNA THANK NAVAJO COUNTY FOR 36 WONDERFUL YEARS.
IN THE 36 YEARS THAT I HAVE BEEN WITH NAVAJO COUNTY, I HAVE ONLY EVER WORKED IN PUBLIC HEALTH.
I'VE NEVER WORKED IN ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT.
AND HONESTLY, I CAN SAY IN THE 36 YEARS, THERE'S PROBABLY BEEN A COLLECTIVE NUMBER OF MAYBE THREE YEARS THAT I HAVE NOT COMPLETELY LOVED AND ENJOYED MY JOB.
UM, AND TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT IS A HUGE STATEMENT, NOT ONLY FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND FOR THE LEADERS WITHIN PUBLIC HEALTH, BUT FOR THE COUNTY ITSELF.
I HAVE SEEN THE COUNTY IN REALLY GREAT TIMES AND IN REALLY BAD TIMES, AND I AM PROUD TO STAND BEHIND NAVAJO COUNTY ALWAYS IN THE DECISIONS THEY MAKE, EVEN THOUGH SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT THE DECISIONS THAT THE EMPLOYEES WANT TO HEAR.
I FEEL LIKE THE COUNTY HAS ALL EMPLOYEES BEST INTERESTS AT HEART.
AND ALTHOUGH IT'S SAD TO BE LEAVING, I HOPE TO STILL BE INVOLVED IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT ASPECTS THROUGH VOLUNTEERISM OR MAYBE EVEN FUTURE EMPLOYMENT.
BUT THANK YOU FOR 36 WONDERFUL YEARS.
COULD WE GET A PICTURE WITH YOU UP HERE WITH THE BOARD? OH, GO AHEAD ERIC.
DARCY, WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE FOR YOU AND A LITTLE TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION.
GIVE HER ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE THERE.
DARCY, I KNOW THERE'S A, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU.
WOULD YOU LIKE THEM IN THE, IN THE PICTURE WITH YOU? SURE, THAT'D BE GREAT.
THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE HERE.
HOW ARE YOU? YEAH, LET'S MOVE IN A LITTLE BIT.
YOU WANT US TO COME THAT WAY A LITTLE BIT? YEAH, WE'RE OKAY THERE.
STAY THERE RIGHT AFTER THIS PICTURE.
UM, CAN WE HAVE ONE OF JUST DARCY IN THE FOURTH
[00:50:03]
ONE, TWO.YOU, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A FLASH.
THEY MAY BE ABLE TO FINISH IT BEFORE.
NEXT ITEM WE HAVE IS, UH, THANK YOU ERIC 'CAUSE UPDATE ON
[b. Update on the APS announcement for the Cholla Power Plant Conversion.]
ATFS ANNOUNCEMENT, VICTORIA POWER PLANT, OR ROCHELLE.VICE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE THIS MORNING AND TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE ON APSS, UH, ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING THE CONVERSION TO NATURAL GAS.
I WILL TELL YOU THE HARDEST THING ABOUT PUTTING THIS PRESENTATION TOGETHER WAS DECIDING WHICH PHOTOS TO USE FROM THE VISIT THAT DAY.
SO, UH, JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW ABOUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE CONVERSION.
SO A PS OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED THAT IT PLANS TO CONVERT TWO OF ITS UNITS AT CHOA FROM COAL TO NATURAL GAS, UH, WHICH OPERATIONS THEY EXPECT TO BEGIN IN 2029.
THE CONVERSION PRESERVES CHOA AS A CRITICAL PART OF ARIZONA'S ENERGY GRID WHILE TRANSITIONING TO A MODERN DISPATCHABLE RESOURCE, WHICH IS REALLY KEY.
SO THE IMPORTANCE TO NAVAJO COUNTY, THIS IS SIGNIFICANT FOR OUR COUNTY, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IN BEING IN THESE ENERGY CONVERSATIONS FOR YEARS NOW, CHOA HAS LONG PROVIDED RELIABLE POWER LOCAL JOBS AND FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC SERVICES, WHICH THIS CONVERSION WILL HELP CONTINUE THAT LEGACY IN OUR COUNTY.
THIS PROJECT ALSO REPRESENTS A STRONG NEW CHAPTER FOR THE COUNTY AND RE REINFORCES YEARS OF COLLABORATION THAT YOU ALL HAVE UNDERTAKEN WITH A PS.
THIS WILL ALSO HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON JOSEPH CITY, THE FAMILIES THAT LIVE THERE AND THE SCHOOL THAT SERVES THE COMMUNITY THERE.
ENERGY, CAPACITY AND RELIABILITY.
THE TWO CONVERTED UNITS WILL ADD ROUGHLY 300 MEGAWATTS OF POWER SERVING APPROXIMATELY 60 TO 61,000 HOMES STATEWIDE.
NATURAL GAS GENERATION ALSO SUPPORTS AROUND THE CLOCK RELIABILITY RESPONSE QUICKLY TO PEAK DEMAND, MAKING IT DISPATCHABLE, MEANING THEY CAN TURN THE TAP ON AND OFF WHEN AND HOW MUCH THEY NEED WHEN THEY NEED IT.
THERE'S ALSO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO OR ECONOMIC IMPACT TO NAVAJO COUNTY.
A PS ESTIMATES THE PROJECT WILL CREATE HUNDREDS OF CONSTRUCTION JOBS AND DOZENS OF PERMANENT POSITIONS ONCE, ONCE THE CONVERSION IS OPERATIONAL.
THE CONVERSION ALSO STRENGTHENS THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND SUPPORT SCHOOLS SPECIFICALLY THROUGH THE PROPERTY TAXES I MENTIONED.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE CONTINUED OPERATIONS OF THE PLANT WILL ALSO CREATE STEADY LOCAL REVENUE FOR NAVAJO COUNTY IN ORDER TO CONTINUE PROVIDING, UH, CRITICAL COUNTY SERVICES INFRASTRUCTURE AND EFFICIENCY.
A PS IS GOING TO REUSE EXISTING TRANSMISSION INFRASTRUCTURE, MINIMIZING THE NEED FOR NEW TRANSMISSION LINES AND KEEPING COSTS DOWN.
ADDITIONALLY, ONLY A SMALL LATERAL PIPELINE WILL BE NEEDED TO
[00:55:01]
SUPPLY THE NATURAL GAS TO THE PLANT.SO OVERALL, WHAT WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT COST, THEY'RE ABLE TO CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE IN ORDER TO KEEP THE COSTS LOW FOR THIS PROJECT.
SO THE QUESTION IS, WHEN IS THIS GOING TO HAPPEN? RIGHT? SO CONSTRUCTED CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN 2028 PENDING REGULATORY APPROVALS.
SO HERE, HERE YOU SEE THE CHAIR OF THE CORPORATION COMMISSION, NICK MEYERS AND OUR FOLKS DISCUSSING THAT PROCESS WITH CHAIRMAN MEYERS A PS NOTED.
THEY WILL ALSO BE CONDUCTING OPEN HOUSES, OUTREACH AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT 2026 TO GATHER COMMUNITY INPUT ON THEIR PLANS FOR THIS CONVERSION.
SO COUNTY LEADERSHIP, I REALLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT HERE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A LONG STANDING PARTNERSHIP FROM WHEN A PS ANNOUNCED THE DECOMMISSIONING OF CHOA TO THIS NEW ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THEY WILL BE CONVERTING TO NATURAL GAS.
YOU ALL HAVE BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS PARTNERSHIP AND HOW THIS PLANT REALLY IMPACTS NOT ONLY COUNTY SERVICES, BUT THE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU ALL REPRESENT AND THAT YOU SERVE.
AND SO I FIND IT ENCOURAGING THAT A PS HAS CONSISTENTLY RELIED ON THE COUNTY AS A RELIABLE PARTNER AND HAS KEPT THE COUNTY IN THE LOOP THROUGH YOUR LEADERSHIP IN TERMS OF, UH, THEIR FUTURE PLANS FOR THAT SITE.
SO HERE'S A GREAT GROUP PHOTO OF YOU ALL, UH, CHAIRMAN SEYMOUR AND SUPERVISOR WHITING ON THE DAY OF.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? GO AHEAD, SUPERVISOR.
THANK YOU, ROCHELLE, FOR KIND OF CAPTURING THIS AND HIGHLIGHTING IT.
UM, I ACTUALLY REALLY DO WANNA SAY THANK YOU NOT ONLY TO OUR BOARD AND STAFF, BUT ALSO TO MANY IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE CONTINUED TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
A PS HAS HEARD THE VOICES OF, OF PEOPLE IN THESE CONVERSATIONS OVER THE YEARS.
UM, PART THAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT IS, YES, I KNOW SPECIFICALLY LIKE FOR JOSEPH CITY AND THAT COMMUNITY AND THE SCHOOL IS HEAVILY DEPENDENT UPON THAT.
THIS IS EXCITING BECAUSE AN EXISTING ASSET THAT WAS GOING AWAY NO LONGER DOWN, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANOTHER DAY.
BUT THERE'S ALSO OPPORTUNITIES FOR, AGAIN, THEY'RE HAVING TO DOUBLE INSIDE OF 10 YEARS THE AMOUNT OF POWER THAT THEY'RE PRODUCING.
THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES WITH THIS INFRASTRUCTURE TO POTENTIALLY LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS AS WELL MOVING INTO THE FUTURE, UM, WHICH A LOT OF THESE PLANTS, UH, THERE'S THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE IN THIS REGION.
THIS REGION HAS ALWAYS BEEN A REGION THAT'S DONE A LOT IN THE WAY OF ARIZONA'S POWER PRODUCTION FOR GENERATIONS.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN A PART OF THAT STORY, AND I THINK THAT THAT DOESN'T, THAT ISN'T IGNORED OR NOT SEEN BY A PS THAT WAS VERY EVIDENT.
I FELT LIKE THAT DAY AS WE WERE WALKING AROUND AND TALKING WITH THEM.
AND AS WE'VE STATED IN CONVERSATIONS, AS YOU HAD MENTIONED, UM, THEY'VE BEEN WILLING TO KEEP US, UH, IN THE CONVERSATION AS MUCH AS IT WAS APPROPRIATE.
AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TRY AND SHARE HOW IMPORTANT, UM, THIS WAS MOVING FORWARD.
SO I APPRECIATE THE MANY CONVERSATIONS THAT, UH, SO MANY OF THE COMMUNITIES HAVE HAD AND WHAT A PS DOES IN PROVIDING JOBS IN THIS REGION.
SO THANK YOU TO EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP INSIDE OF THIS.
THANK YOU SUPERVISOR, VICE CHAIR.
UM, I I WOULD JUST LIKE TO CONGRATULATE A PS ON THEIR EFFORTS AND BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE, UM, ANOTHER RESOURCE FOR ENERGY WITHIN ARIZONA.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT 60,000 HOMES, UM, WHAT DOES THAT POTENTIALLY LOOK LIKE? UM, WE KNOW THAT POPULATION IS GROWING.
WE KNOW THAT THERE IS AN INCREASE OF USE OF ENERGY NOT ONLY WITHIN OUR STATE, BUT ACROSS THE NATION.
AND SO IF THERE ARE ENTITIES LIKE THIS WHO, UM, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF ENERGY THAT BECO THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND FUNDAMENTAL TO US, I DON'T THINK AS A POPULATION THAT WE'LL PROBABLY DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF USAGE OF ENERGY THAT WE UTILIZE.
UM, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY.
UM, WHAT IF, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE, YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE SOUND DECISIONS ABOUT, UM, ENERGY USAGE WITHIN YOUR HOME.
UM, OR IT MIGHT BE, UH, DATA SOURCES OR IT MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING.
AND IF I AS A CONSUMER DECIDE THAT I'M NOT GOING TO, UM, THAT I'M GOING TO DECREASE MY ENERGY USAGE, HOW AM I GOING TO DO THAT? IF I'M GOING INTO A MALL? UM, HOW MUCH ENERGY IS UTILIZED THERE? IF I AM? UM, IF YOU'RE GOING ANYWHERE, IF YOU'RE GOING TO A BALL GAME, HOW MUCH
[01:00:01]
ENERGY IS UTILIZED THERE? IF ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT WE RELY ON AS CONSUMERS, UM, THEN THESE THINGS BECOME REALLY IMPORTANT IN BEING ABLE TO HELP MEET THE NEEDS, NOT ONLY JUST FOR US AS CONSUMERS, BUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS.WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, UM, OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, UM, HEALTHCARE, ALL OF THESE FACILITIES REQUIRE, AND WE DO LIVE IN A DESERT LANDSCAPE.
SO WE DO NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE.
AND NOT ONLY HOW DO WE PROTECT WATER, BUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE MANAGE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE MOST IN NEED.
SO I THINK OF, UM, NURSING HOMES OR HEALTH FACILITIES AND SO FORTH, THERE'S A RELIANT, UM, WE RELY ON, UM, ENERGY TO POWER THOSE SOURCES.
SO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, AND IT, IT'S A DIFFICULT THING TO WALK AWAY FROM MY FATHER.
HE HAS LIVED IN A HOGAN FOR MANY YEARS WITHOUT ELECTRICITY.
AND THE DIFFICULTY THAT THAT, UM, THE CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH THAT, UM, AND IT WAS, I BELIEVE THREE YEARS AGO HE RECEIVED ENERGY TO HIS HOME OR POWER OR ELECTRICITY.
UM, AND THAT WAS NOT ONLY EXCITING FOR, UM, HIM, BUT FOR ME, HIS DAUGHTER.
AND THINKING ABOUT, UM, MY OWN FATHER BEING ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ACROSS THE NATION READILY HAVE ACCESS TO.
UM, THAT'S GOING ON A TANGENT, BUT I JUST, FOR ME, I REALLY, THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION AROUND ENERGY, I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT IT.
AND SO I AM REALLY GRATEFUL TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE A PS AND ALL OF THOSE WHO WORK ACROSS THE STATE TO BE ABLE TO HELP US FIND HOW DO WE BE ABLE TO CREATE, UM, ENERGY THAT WILL SUPPORT OUR GROWING POPULATION AND THE NEEDS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM AND TO ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE MADE THIS EFFORT POSSIBLE.
I THINK IT'S INTERESTING AS WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF WALKING THROUGH THAT PLACE, THE, THE MAN HOURS THAT HAVE, UH, TAKEN TO BUILD IT, THE TIME, THE ENERGY, THE PLANNING, THE DESIGN, IT'S, IT'S UNFATHOMABLE TO JUST, UH, THINK THAT IT'S TAKEN, YOU KNOW, ALMOST A CENTURY OR HALF A CENTURY TO, TO BUILD AND TO BE WHERE IT'S AT.
AND TO THINK THAT THAT WAS POSITIVELY GOING TO BE DECOMMISSIONED.
UH, YOU DON'T THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN GET POWER BACK OVERNIGHT, UH, TO THE LEVEL THEY DO.
IT WAS INTERESTING THAT UNIT ONE, WHICH WAS BUILT IN 1962 IS STILL OPERATING AT 99% EFFICIENCY.
AND THAT'S UNHEARD OF, YOU KNOW, UH, SO ONE AND THREE WILL GO ON.
TWO AND FOUR, TWO WILL NOT, FOUR IS NOT OWNED BY A PS.
IT'S OWNED BY A PARENT COMPANY FOR THEM, UH, I WANT TO THANK STAFF, UH, FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS AND FOR ALL THE CONVERSATIONS THEY'VE HAD.
SUPERVISOR WHI FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH THIS BEING IN YOUR DISTRICT AND AREA, UH, AND CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT.
BUT WHEN WE COME BACK TO THE BALANCE AND WE COME BACK TO OUR SOCIETY, I THINK WE HAVE TO REALIZE WHAT THAT WILL DO TO HELP REVITALIZE JOE CITY, KEEP IT GOING.
BUT OF MANY THINGS TODAY HAVE BEEN SAID ABOUT WATER, IT'S ALSO GONNA CONSUME WATER WHERE RENEWABLES, ONCE THEY'RE BUILT, DON'T CONSUME WATER.
AND SO THERE BECOMES WHERE THEY WORK TOGETHER, THE TWO OF THEM A PS WORKS WITH RENEWABLES.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT, THAT'S IN THEIR PLAN.
TALKING WITH WILLIAM, WHO WAS THE TOP GUY OF A PS, HE SAYS, WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS, I THINK 140 YEARS.
HE SAID IT TOOK US 130 YEARS TO GET WHERE WE WERE.
AND THEN IN 10 YEARS WE HAD TO DOUBLE THAT.
AND HE SAYS THAT IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS, WE HAVE TO DOUBLE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE DONE.
THAT'S THE DEMAND FOR ENERGY IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA.
AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, UH, AND I'M VERY PROUD OF A PS FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE AND THEIR LEADERSHIP AS WELL AS SRP IN AND NOVO POWER THAT WE HAVE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THOSE ARE ALL BIG WINS FOR NAVAJO COUNTY.
AND THANK YOU, YOUR STAFF AND EVERYBODY WHO WORKED ON THAT SUPERVISOR, AL THANK YOU CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND SUPERVISOR.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE CONVERSATION, LIKE, UM, SUPERVISOR
I REMEMBER, UM, DURING A COUPLE YEARS AGO AFTER, UM, CHOA WAS, UM, GONNA BE SHUT DOWN.
IT WILL BE NO LONGER BE POWER POWERED BY, UM, CODE.
SO WE DID MEET WITH, UM, SENATOR
[01:05:01]
GALLEGO OVER THERE IN, UM, ST.AND WE DID HAVE THIS INTENSIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT, UM, SWITCHING IT OUT.
AND WE KNEW THAT IT WOULD, IT WOULD HAPPEN MOST LIKELY.
AND I SEE IT COME TO BE SO, SO I'M THANKFUL TO A PS 'CAUSE WE DO HAVE, UM, LACK OF, UM, LESS POWER WITH, UM, SOLAR.
AND WHEN I KNOW THAT BECAUSE WE, I LIVE OUT ON THE RESERVATION, WE HAVE, WE HAVE SOLAR, UM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE WIND.
UM, SO A LOT OF THE FAMILIES THAT ONLY HAVE SOLAR, THEY KNOW THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, ESPECIALLY IN THE WINTER, UM, THEIR POWER LIKELY WILL GO OUT.
AND SO THEY HAVE TO PREPARE FOR IT AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE, UM, SOME KIND OF POWER OR THEY HAVE A STOVE TO HEAT, UM, THEIR HO GUN ANYWAYS.
UM, NOT, NOT JUST THEIR HO GUN BUT THEIR, THEIR HOMES.
SO THAT, UM, IN CASE THE POWER THAT GO OUT AND MANY OF THEM, I, I SEEN THAT EVERYONE'S SAYING RENEWABLE, RENEWABLE ENERGY, BUT MANY OF THEM HAVE SAID, I WANT ELECTRICITY TO MY HOUSE INSTEAD OF SOLAR, BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T REALLY HELP MATTERS.
ONCE I GET UP AND GOING AND DOING STUFF AND THE POWER GOES, GOES OUT, THAT REALLY, UM, THIS NOT ONLY DISAPPOINTS THEM, BUT YOU KNOW, DELAYS ALL THE OTHER STUFF THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO AT HOME, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT.
EVEN I GUESS EVEN IN THE DAYTIME, SOME OF THEM ARE, YOU KNOW, SEAMSTRESS AND THEY MIGHT JUST USE A LITTLE MORE POWER THAN THEY THOUGHT AND NOW THEY CAN'T SEW FOR THE REST OF THE DAY UNTIL TOMORROW.
SO, SO THAT'S USUALLY HOW IT GOES.
SO I, I TOO AM GRATEFUL TO A PS AND I TOO AM GRATEFUL TO THE STAFF HERE WHO HAVE WORKED ON, I KNOW, UM, COUNTY MANAGER AND, AND, UM, ROCHELLE, WHO GAVE US THE UPDATE HERE.
UM, WERE THERE WITH, WITH US TOO, WHEN SENATOR
AND MY QUESTION IS MAINLY THAT I KNOW YOU HAVE HUNDREDS OF JOBS TO, FOR CONSTRUCTION AND THEN DOZENS OF JOBS FOR WHEN IT'S, UM, PERMANENT OR FOR PERMANENT JOBS.
WOULD THAT BE AS MANY AS WHEN IT WAS COAL FIRED OR, OR NOT QUITE? NO, NOT AS MANY AS WHEN IT WAS A COAL FIRE PLANT.
ROCHELLE, YOU LEFT OUT THE PICTURE OF YOU IN A HARD HAT.
UH, MR. ROBERT BLACK IS ASKED TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
WELL, WHAT, WHAT I WAS GONNA DO IS GET AFTER SUPERVISOR WHITING A LITTLE BIT, 'CAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE IN THE PAPERS AND WHATNOT, HE HAD TAKEN ALMOST ALL THE CREDIT FOR BRINGING THIS ALL IN AND GETTING ALL THIS DONE.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING FORTH THAT THESE COMMUNITIES AROUND HERE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH A PS FOR A LONG TIME, EVER SINCE THEY WENT DOWN TO TRY TO GET IT BACK.
AND SO IT'S NOT JUST JOSEPH, IT'S NOT JUST HOPE.
IT TOOK EVERYBODY WORKING TOGETHER TO GET THIS THING BACK.
SO, UH, I WON'T GET ON YOUR BACK THIS TIME, BUT WHAT I WANNA DO, AND I JUST THOUGHT ABOUT THIS, SO I'M JUST, I'M JUST SHOOTING FROM THE HIP RIGHT HERE.
THE, UH, OLD PAPER MILL HAS A BOILER THE SAME SIZE AS UNIT ONE IN TROY, AND THEY ALSO HAVE ANOTHER SMALLER BOILER SITTING RIGHT THERE.
UH, AGAIN, I'M JUST SHOOTING FROM THE HIP, GIVING, GIVING SOMEBODY TRIED TO CHASE IT DOWN OR SOMETHING.
I THINK LAST, WHEN I LEFT THE PAPER MILL IN 2012, IT WAS, I BELIEVE AN INVESTMENT FIRM OUT OF CALIFORNIA.
OWNED SOME OF IT, SOMEBODY ELSE OWNED THE REST, BUT IT, IT MIGHT NOT BE FEASIBLE, BUT I KNOW ONE OF THE ONLY DRAWBACKS TO IT IS THE NATURAL GAS LINE RUNNING TO, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT SMALL, BUT SO IS JOYOUS.
SO IF WE REALLY WANT TO DO SOME INVESTIGATING ON THIS TYPE OF STUFF, I MEAN, UH, I THINK IT'D BE WELL WORTH LOOKING AT.
BUT IF I CAN HELP IN ANY WAY, PLEASE LEMME KNOW.
[01:10:02]
NEXT ITEM IS, UH,[a. Annual Report to the Board on department activities.]
ITEM SIX, UH, ANNUAL REPORT, UH, THE BOARD OF DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES FROM THE PUBLIC FIDUCIARY, UH, EILEEN ROGERS.GOOD MORNING CHAIRMAN SEYMOUR AND VICE CHAIR WHITING, SUPERVISOR BENELLI AND SUPERVISOR WHITING WHITING.
UM, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
UM, IT'S BEEN ONE YEAR SINCE I TOOK OVER AND, AND WE'RE STILL STANDING, BUT IT IS, IT'S BEEN QUITE INTERESTING TO LEARN HOW TO DO ALL OF THIS, SO THANK YOU.
UM, I DUNNO HOW TO DO THIS EITHER.
OH, SO, SO WHO WE ARE, WE HAVE TO BE COURT APPOINTED BY, UM, THE SUPERIOR JUDGE.
WE HANDLE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COUNTY.
THE, UH, DISABILITY FROM, UH, DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED AND THE SEVERELY MENTALLY ILL.
THOSE ARE THE THREE MAIN, UM, PEOPLE THAT WE GET.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE TO PROTECT THEIR ASSETS, UM, WHICH INCLUDES MAYBE A HOUSE, CARS, MONEY, THOSE THINGS.
UM, SOME OF THEM OWN HOUSES, AND SO WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE HOUSE.
WE LET THEM LIVE IN THE HOUSE AS LONG AS WE CAN.
UH, THERE DOES COME A POINT THAT, UM, THEY USUALLY HAVE TO GO INTO ASSISTED LIVING.
AND THEN IT'S, IT'S OUR JOB TO, UM, PROVIDE THE MONEY THROUGH THE SALE OF THE HOUSE SO THAT THEY CAN REMAIN IN THEIR ASSISTED LIVING WHEN THAT MONEY IS ABOUT TO RUN OUT.
HOPEFULLY THEY QUALIFY FOR ARIZONA LONG-TERM CARE, AND THAT HELPS THEM STAY WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
UM, MOST OF OUR CLIENTS HAVE NO FAMILY OR FAMILY'S UNABLE TO SUPPORT THEM.
UM, FAMILY CAN BE BOTH THE MOST DIFFICULT, BUT THE MOST BLESSING TO HAVE, UM, ON WHEN THEY'RE WORKING WITH US.
UM, WE GO INTO EACH OF THE AGENCIES, WE GO INTO THEIR HOUSES.
WE HAVE TO SEE OUR CLIENTS AT LEAST FOUR TIMES A YEAR.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING THE MEDICATIONS, UM, THAT THE ASSISTED LIVINGS, NURSING HOMES ARE PROVIDING THE BEST CARE POSSIBLE FOR THESE PEOPLE.
UM, WHEN I FIRST STARTED, THERE WAS ABOUT 75 PLUS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WHEN I FIRST GOT IN THERE.
AND WHEN I'M FIRST HIRED, I'M THE LAST ONE.
SO NOW BUILDING WITH A NEW TEAM, WE PROBABLY, BESIDES ME, WE HAVE ABOUT 10 YEARS EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS HUGE.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF TRAINING THAT NEEDS TO GO ON FOR THESE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE, UH, PROVIDING THE INTEGRITY AND, AND WHAT WE DO IN OUR OFFICE.
UM, SO I'VE BEEN DOING IN-HOUSE TRAINING.
I HAVE INVITED PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT AGENCIES TO COME IN AND TEACH US HOW THEY CAN HELP OUR CLIENTS AND WHAT THEY DO ON A, ON A DAILY BASIS FOR OUR CLIENTS.
WE'VE ALSO HAD, UM, VIDEO CHATS, TRAININGS FOR PEOPLE FROM, UM, I'VE, I'VE HAD ONE FROM MISSOURI, ONE FROM CALIFORNIA, UM, WHO HAVE COME, UM, OVER THE VIDEO AND HELP US WITH THE TRAININGS.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE THREE YEARS EXPERIENCE IN ALL OF THIS IN ORDER TO BECOME LICENSED FIDUCIARIES.
THERE'S A STATE TEST YOU HAVE TO TAKE.
UM, AND IT HAS, TO ME, IT'S GOTTEN HARDER THROUGH THE YEARS.
WE USED TO BE ABLE TO GO DOWN AND THEY WOULD TEACH YOU FOR A WEEK AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE THE TEST AND EVERYTHING WAS, WAS RIGHT THERE.
[01:15:01]
TRAININGS.THEY NO LONGER HAVE A TRAINING OVER THE VIDEO.
SO REALLY YOU HAVE TO LEARN BY YOURSELF.
SO HAVING THESE PEOPLE COME IN, UM, AND TEACH US THE, THE LAWS AND EVERYTHING IS REALLY VALUABLE.
UM, THE FOCUS ON CONSISTENCY, ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE'RE LEARNING TO DO IS WE HAVE A SYSTEM CALLED EMS. EVERYTHING GOES IN THERE.
UM, ALL THE INFORMATION ON THE PERSON.
SO EVERYBODY HAS TO KEEP THAT UPDATED.
SO FOR BURIAL OR DO THEY HAVE A, UM, AN ARIZONA LIVING, WELL, WHERE DO THEY LIVE NOW? THOSE ARE THINGS THAT JUST, THEY HAVE TO BE KEPT UP ALL THE TIME.
EVERY DECISION WE MAKE IS, UM, SOMETIMES CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT.
UM, WHEN I FIRST STARTED, UM, I WAS GIVEN THE EASIEST CASELOAD AND THEN I WAS GIVEN MY FIRST MENTALLY ILL PERSON.
UM, AND HE, UH, HE WORKED, HE HAD HIS TRUCK.
HE, HE LIVED BY HIMSELF AND HE DID THE RODEOS.
HE WOULD GO TO EVERY RODEO AROUND HERE.
HE WOULD GO TO MESA TO DO THE RODEOS.
AND HE WAS VERY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I WAS TOLD THAT MY JOB WAS TO TAKE HIS TRUCK AWAY.
UM, HE COULD NOT EAT A HAMBURGER AND DRIVE AT THE SAME TIME.
AND I EVENTUALLY WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE TRUCK AWAY AFTER GETTING EVALUATIONS DONE, UM, UM, FROM NEUROLOGISTS.
UM, WE HAD ONE DONE AND THAT'S WHEN I TOOK THE TRUCK AWAY.
AND THEN HE WANTED HIS LICENSE BACK, OF COURSE.
AND, UM, WE KEPT HIS TRUCK UP IN OUR PARKING LOT UP HERE.
AND HE PAID FOR THE NEXT TWO EVALUATIONS, WHICH ARE $1,500 EACH AT THE TIME.
SO THAT TELLS ME THAT THIS WAS SO IMPORTANT TO HIM, MORE, MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN HIS LIFE.
WITH THOSE TWO EVALUATIONS, IT WAS DEFINITELY A, A GOOD CHOICE TO TAKE THE TRUCK AWAY.
UM, HE HAS BEEN WITHOUT HIS TRUCK FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS, AND WHEN HE GOES IN AND HE TALKS TO THE PSYCHIATRIST ALMOST EVERY TIME HE'S DEPRESSED AND HE JUST SAYS, I WANT MY TRUCK BACK.
HE, UM, HE'S ALMOST JUST GIVEN UP 'CAUSE THERE'S REALLY NOTHING ELSE THAT, THAT HE WANTS TO DO.
HE'LL GO TO THE RODEO OVER HERE, AND IF HE CAN'T FIND RIDES, HE JUST SITS HOME.
SO IT, IT'S VERY HARD TAKING AWAY THE THINGS THAT THESE PEOPLE LOVE.
UM, BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, YOU HAVE TO THINK OF THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, AND YOU HAVE, YOU, YOU JUST HAVE TO THINK.
THERE'S SO MANY THINGS TO THINK ABOUT.
UM, SO WE HAVE TEAMS. UM, EACH PERSON HAS A TEAM.
SO, UM, WE DEAL WITH DIFFERENT AGENCIES, THE DDB, HOSPICE, UM, THE BEHAVIORAL SERVICES AROUND HERE.
AND, UM, I HAVE A GUY RIGHT NOW THAT'S IN THE HOSPITAL, AND THE LAST TIME WE HAD A MEETING ON HIM, WHICH WAS FRIDAY, WE HAD 10 DIFFERENT PEOPLE FROM FIVE DIFFERENT AGENCIES LISTENING TO THE DOCTOR AND ASKING QUESTIONS.
SO, UM, YOU, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A GOOD TEAM AND YOU HAVE TO ALL GET ALONG AND YOU ALL HAVE TO HAVE THAT PERSON'S NEED IN, IN THE FOREFRONT.
WE WERE ORDERED TO BECOME, UM, A LITTLE NATIVE AMERICAN GUY THAT LIVED IN WHITE RIVER, AND HE'S NOW LIVES IN SHOW LOW.
AND WHEN WE GOT HIM, HE WAS IN SHOW LOW AND, AND HE COULDN'T WALK.
SO, UM, HE, WHEN HIS UNCLE, WHEN HE DID LIVE IN Y RIVER, HIS UNCLE WOULD PUT HIM IN A DOG KENNEL FOR THE DAY WHILE THE UNCLE WENT TO WORK.
AND AS A RESULT, THAT'S HOW HE BECAME, UH, NOT BEING ABLE TO WALK.
AND THROUGH FOUR DIFFERENT AGENCIES, THE TEAM, WE, UM, WERE ABLE
[01:20:01]
TO GET HIM THIS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S CALLED, I'LL JUST CALL IT A CONTRAPTION, BUT HE CAN STAND AND THERE'S BARS HE'S ABLE TO HOLD AND HE ALWAYS HAS SOMEBODY BESIDE HIM IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENED.BUT HE'S WALKING, HE IS WALKING WITH THAT.
AND IT IS HARD TO KEEP THAT MAN DOWN 'CAUSE HE, HE JUST LOVES IT.
HE, HE WILL TRY TO GET OUT OF BED HIMSELF, AND HE FALLS ON THE FLOOR, BUT HE KNOWS THAT SOMEDAY HE'LL BE ABLE TO WALK AGAIN.
AND THOSE ARE THE SMALL GREAT BENEFITS THAT WE SEE IN OUR OFFICE.
AND, UM, AND HE WAS ONLY 21 WHEN WE GOT HIM.
SO, UM, SO LET ME FLIP IT OVER.
SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO USE TECHNOLOGY AND DNA TO TRY TO GET FAMILIES TOGETHER.
AND THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS.
IF THEY HAVE NOT SEEN THEIR FAMILY OR THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY COME FROM, THIS IS WHAT PERSONALLY I LIKE TO DO.
AND, UM, SO THIS ONE GUY, HE, HE IS MENTALLY ILL, BUT HE IS, I MEAN, HE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON WITH HIS LIFE.
UM, HE WAS IN A GROUP ONE TIME AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT FAMILY SUPPORT, FAMILY SEEING FAMILY AND EVERYTHING.
AND HE SAID, I DON'T HAVE A FAMILY.
HE KNEW HIS, HE WATCHED HIS MOTHER GET MURDERED WHEN HE WAS THREE AND HE THOUGHT HE WAS BORN IN PHOENIX.
AND THOSE ARE ABOUT THE ONLY THINGS THAT HE COULD REMEMBER.
SO I HAD HIM TAKE THE LITTLE DNA TEST AND WE, WE SENT IT OFF AND THROUGH ANCESTRY, UH, THEY CONNECTED.
AND IT WAS A COUSIN WHO LIVED IN BACK EAST SOMEWHERE AND SAID, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER HIM 'CAUSE HE WAS VERY SMALL, AND THAT THOSE PEOPLE HAD A PICTURE OF HIS MOTHER.
AND THEN THEY SENT PICTURES OF, UM, THEM SO THAT HE COULD HAVE A VISUAL OF THEM.
AND I HAD THEM PUT ON CANVAS PICTURES BEFORE HIM SO THAT HE COULD HANG THEM IN HIS, IN HIS ROOM.
AND HE WENT BACK AND HE SAYS, I HAVE A FAMILY.
AND SOMETIMES THESE ARE JUST THE, THE SWEETEST THINGS EVER TO, TO WITNESS.
HE DID HAVE A, HE HAD A, UM, HALF-BROTHER THAT LIVED IN PINE, AND I TRIED TO GET AHOLD OF HIM, BUT HE HAD ALREADY PASSED AWAY BY THE TIME THAT WE HAD FOUND HIM.
SO, AND THEN WITH, UH, THE TECHNOLOGY, MY LITTLE LADY JUST PASSED AWAY LAST YEAR.
SHE HAD NOT SEEN HER DAUGHTER IN 13 YEARS.
THE DAUGHTER LIVES IN KENTUCKY, AND THEY WOULD TALK EVERY DAY ON THE PHONE, BUT THE MOTHER'S GREATEST WISH WAS TO SEE HER DAUGHTER.
AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I WOULD MUCH RATHER SEE MY FAMILY RATHER THAN JUST TALK.
SO, UM, I HAVE AN IPAD AT HOME AND I THOUGHT, HEY, WE, MAYBE WE COULD DO THAT.
AND SO THE DAUGHTER HAD TO GO TO THE LIBRARY AND WE HAD TO SET IT UP DAY AND TIME.
BUT THROUGH IT ALL, WE WERE ABLE TO FACETIME WITH THE DAUGHTER AND I JUST, I WENT INTO ANOTHER ROOM AND JUST LET THOSE TWO TALK.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT MAYBE TWO OR THREE TIMES.
AND, UM, IT WAS JUST SO HEARTWARMING.
I'M STILL IN CONTACT WITH THE DAUGHTER.
WE'VE JUST BECAME FRIENDS OVER IT.
AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST, YOU YOU TRY TO MAKE THEIR LIVES WORTHWHILE AND TRY TO DO WHAT THESE PEOPLE WANT TO ENHANCE THEIR LIVES.
SO MOVING FORWARD, CONTINUING WITH THE TRAININGS, UH, WE HAVE THE ARIZONA FIDUCIARY, UH, CONFERENCES THAT WE GO TO ONCE A YEAR.
THEY HOLD, USUALLY HOLD ONE IN FLAGSTAFF, AND WELL, THEY HOLD A SMALL ONE IN FLAGSTAFF, BUT THE BIG ONE IS IN PHOENIX.
UH, WE GO TO THAT ONE AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR.
AND I'VE BEEN ATTENDING THE NATIONAL GUARDIANSHIPS, AND THOSE ARE ONCE A YEAR, AND EITHER ONE OR TWO OF US ARE GONNA BE GOING THIS YEAR.
AND EVEN THOUGH WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT LAWS AND DIFFERENT WAYS OF DOING THINGS AS A NATIONAL, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, UM, WHICH HAS DEFINITELY HAPPENED.
I, I KNOW WITH ME, I TAKE SOME OF THOSE AND TAKE IT BACK.
[01:25:01]
NEED TO KEEP OUR PEOPLE AT THE FOREFRONT, WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM AND HOW CAN WE MAKE THEM HAVE A QUALITY OF LIFE.SO, UM, THAT'S ABOUT WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EILEEN.
WHAT YOU DO IS FANTASTIC, AND I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE AND PROBABLY MORE DIFFICULT FOR YOU.
AND I JUST APPRECIATE THE SERVICE THAT YOU GIVE SO MUCH.
YOU KNOW, I, I HAD A YOUNG MAN, UH, THAT I KNEW REAL WELL IN SCHOLA, AND HE HAD TURNED EVERYTHING OVER TO THE FIDUCIARY, BUT YET HIS LIFE WAS QUITE NORMAL.
HE WAS ABLE TO DO, BUT HE COULDN'T MAKE THOSE FINANCIAL DECISIONS, BUT YET HE WAS THERE TO HELP OTHERS TOO.
AND SO WHAT YOU DO IS VERY MEANINGFUL.
AND SOMETIMES, LIKE YOU SAY, THERE'S NO FAMILY MEMBERS LEFT.
AND IT'S GREAT THAT YOU TAKE THAT TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC AS WELL AND PROTECT THEM.
LET YOUR STAFF KNOW WE APPRECIATE 'EM.
ALTHOUGH THEY'RE YOUNG, THEY'LL BE LIKE YOU SOMEDAY.
WELL, THEY HAVE THREE YEARS,
[a. Update on upcoming Elections]
UH, ITEM SEVEN, UH, UPDATE ON THE COMING ELECTIONS.UH, MR. DAVID MARSHALL, COUNTY RECORDER.
GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR, VICE CHAIR BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE TO PRESENT THIS MORNING.
BASICALLY, IT'S GONNA BE VERY BRIEF BECAUSE, UM, ROCHELLE HAS ME LINED OUT FOR A FEW THINGS THIS MORNING.
GO AHEAD AND DO
DON'T KNOW THE JOB, UH, DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DO THERE.
SO I WANTED TO DO A, UM, DUTIES AT THE RECORDER'S OFFICE, THE FIRST SLIDE.
AND AS YOU SEE HERE, IT TELLS US THAT WE RECORD, PRESERVE, AND ALSO ALL OFFICIAL PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.
WE MAINTAIN ACCURATE VOTER REGISTRATION RECORDS.
WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGNATION OF EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS, AND ALSO REMOVAL OF SOME OF THE LOCATIONS, WHICH WE HAVE DONE THIS YEAR.
WE HAD TO REMOVE TWO LOCATIONS BECAUSE OF, UM, UM, UH, TAMPERING AND DAMAGE TO OUR, OUR, UM, BOXES.
WE HAD ONE LOCATION WHERE THEY ACTUALLY BROKE IT OUTTA THE CONCRETE, MOVE THE BOX WHERE THEY WANTED IT, AND LEFT THE CAMERAS WHERE THEY WERE.
THEN WE HAD ANOTHER LOCATION FOR THE PAST, UM, THREE, UH, MIDTERMS. WE AVERAGED ONE, UM, BALLOT IN THE BOX.
AND SO WE, WE ACTUALLY MOVED THAT BOX TOO.
BUT WHAT WE ARE DOING AT THE SAME TIME IS LOOKING FOR NEW LOCATIONS TO PUT BOXES THAT WILL BE FEASIBLE AND IT HAS MORE TRAFFIC.
AND ALSO WE ARE IN CHARGE OF ADMINISTERING ALL EARLY VOTING OPERATIONS.
WE'RE NOT THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT.
A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE GET US CONFUSED WITH THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT, BUT WE'RE NOT.
WE DO ASSIST THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT WHEN IT'S TIME.
BUT THIS IS BASICALLY THE DUTIES OF THE RECORDER'S OFFICE.
ALRIGHT, NEXT ONE IS VOTER REGISTRATION OVERVIEW.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 78,207 REGISTERED VOTERS IN NAVAJO COUNTY.
WHY ARE THEY INACTIVE? ELECTION MAIL IS RETURNED UNDELIVERABLE VOTERS DON'T RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWUP NOTICES, WHICH IS A 90 DAY NOTICE.
AND, UH, RIGHT NOW, I'M GONNA SHARE THIS.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE, WE'RE HAVING AN ISSUE RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE RETURNED, UM, RECEIVED OVER 900 RETURN BALLOTS OVER 900.
WE KNOW THAT IT, IT TELLS US THAT THEY'RE UNDELIVERABLE.
IT TELLS US THAT, UM, UH, RETURN TO SENDER.
AND SO WE MADE, I MADE SOME PHONE CALLS YESTERDAY TO SHOW LOW TO WINSLOW, TO SNOWFLAKE, AND THEY'RE NOT RECEIVING A LOT OF BALLOTS.
AND SO I MADE A PHONE CALL TO, UH, PHOENIX, WONDERING WHY OUT OF, OUT OF ALL 15 COUNTIES BESIDES MARICOPA, WE'RE GETTING THAT INFLUX OF RETURN BALLOTS.
SHOWOFF SAYS THEY'RE NOT GETTING A LOT, WHICH TELLS ME THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING IT FROM PHOENIX.
WINSLOW'S NOT GETTING A LOT, WHICH TELLS ME THEY'RE NOT GETTING IT FROM PHOENIX.
SO I MADE A PHONE CALL TO PHOENIX THREE TIMES YESTERDAY AND FINALLY LEFT A MESSAGE FOR THE POSTMASTER
[01:30:01]
TO CALL ME TODAY TO FIND OUT WHY SOME OF THESE AREN'T EVEN BEING DELIVERED TO THE POST OFFICES UP HERE TO BE DELIVERED.AND SO, AND ALSO, THERE'S ANOTHER THING ON THESE HERE.
THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING THAT WE WERE NOT PAYING OUR POSTAGE BILLS.
WHAT HAPPENED IS WHEN IT SAYS POSTAGE IS DUE, IT MEANS THAT WE'RE PAYING, WE'RE, WE ARE BEING CHARGED A SECOND TIME FOR DELIVERY.
THEY CHARGE US TO MAIL IT AND THEY CHARGE US WHEN THEY MAIL IT BACK TO US.
SO THAT'S WHEN YOU SEE POSTERS DOING THESE IS BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING AGAIN.
AND SO AGAIN, THAT'S AN ISSUE WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW.
IT'S, IT'S, UH, A LOT OF OUR, UM, VOTERS ARE UPSET ABOUT IT.
PEOPLE ARE CALLING AND SAYING MY ADDRESS IS CORRECT.
AND WE DO, WHEN WE GET THE, WHEN WE SEND 'EM OUT, WE CONFIRM THE ADDRESS ON THE REGISTRATION FORM AND WE ALSO CONFIRM IT, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH AVID.
AND WHEN WE GET IT BACK, WE CONFIRM AGAIN.
SO THE ADDRESSES, 99% OF 'EM ARE ACCURATE ACCORDING TO OUR SYSTEM, BUT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S NOT, THEY'RE NOT REACHING THEIR HOMES.
NOW, THERE ARE SOME THAT REACH 'EM.
I HAD, I GOT MINES MAILED TO ME.
SO SOME PEOPLE ARE REACHING, GETTING 'EM, BUT WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF PHONE CALLS.
WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF VOTERS THAT ARE MAD ABOUT THIS.
AND, AND AGAIN, I HAVE TO, I HAVE TO LET THEM KNOW THAT.
AND IT'S NOT HAPPENING WITHIN THE RECORDER'S OFFICE.
IT'S HAPPENING AT THE POST OFFICE.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT RECTIFIED RIGHT NOW.
CANCELLATIONS, KEEPING VOTER ROLL ACCURATE RIGHT NOW, 658 VOTER REGISTRATIONS HAVE BEEN CANCELED SO FAR THIS YEAR.
AND IT SOUNDS BAD WHEN YOU SAY THAT WORD CANCELLATION, BUT THE EXPLANATION IS RIGHT BELOW IT.
IT TELLS YOU IT'S EITHER FROM DEATH, FELONY CONVICTIONS, MOVING OUTTA JURISDICTION OR BY THE VOTER REQUESTING THEMSELVES.
AND RIGHT NOW, OUR STAFF IS ACTIVELY WORKING ON MAINTAINING ACCURATE VOTER REGISTRATION RECORDS.
I WHAT, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, I DID WITH MY CHIEF AND I, AND I SPOKE WITH, UM, ERIC ABOUT THIS, WAS ABOUT, UM, DOING A ANOTHER, UH, PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE.
AND WE'RE GONNA DO A, A PAGE CALLED THE RECORDER'S CORNER.
AND WE'RE GONNA UPDATE THAT EVERY 30 TO 60 DAYS BECAUSE WE WANT THE OFFICE TO BE TRANSPARENT.
WE WANT THE PEOPLE TO GO BE ABLE TO GO ON THE WEBSITE AND SAY, WELL, THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE RECORDER'S OFFICE.
THIS IS, THIS IS WHY WE'RE NOT DOING THIS.
THEY CAN LOOK AT THAT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE RECORDER'S OFFICE AND WHY SOME THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT DOING, WE CAN'T DO IT 'CAUSE STATUTORILY IT'S ILLEGAL TO DO, OR WE'RE DOING IT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THAT STATUTORY RIGHT TO DO IT.
AND SO WE WANT TO BE THIS OFFICE TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT TO THE PUBLIC.
NEXT, EARLY VOTING PARTICIPATION, VERY SKIMPY 121 EARLY IN PERSON VOTERS SO FAR THIS YEAR, 369 EARLY IN PERSON VOTERS DURING 2022 MIDTERM PRIMARY.
YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE FROM THE LAST, WE HAVE 4,604 EARLY BALLOTS RECEIVED BY MAIL.
AND 1,463 EARLY BALLOTS RETURNED THROUGH COUNTY BALLOT BOXES.
WE'RE LOOKING, WE'RE LOOKING AT 6,000 THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED AND ALMOST A THOUSAND THAT HAVE BEEN RETURNED.
AND SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S NOT GOOD.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THIS RECTIFIED.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I FORGOT TO MENTION IS WHEN WE RECEIVED THESE BACK LAST THURSDAY, WAS IT THURSDAY LETTERS? WE SENT OUT 800 LETTERS BACK TO EVERY ONE OF THESE THAT CAME IN EXPLAINING THAT YOUR BALLOT WAS RETURNED BECAUSE OF YOUR ADDRESS OR BECAUSE WHATEVER REASON WAS WRITTEN ON THESE YELLOW STICKERS.
AND WE ALSO TOLD THEM THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO, THEY CAN STILL VOTE EARLY AT THE RECORDER'S OFFICE UNTIL THE 17TH.
AND IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT HERE, THEN YOU GO TO YOUR POLLING PLACE ON THE 21ST.
AND SO THEY ARE AWARE THAT THEY CAN GO AND VOTE STILL.
AND IF THEY, EVEN IN THOSE THAT WHO ARE INACTIVE THAT WE HAD THE 5,000 INACTIVE, IF THEY SHOW UP AT A POLLING PLACE WITH THEIR CORRECT, UM, CREDENTIALS, THEY CAN STILL VOTE.
BUT THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE IDS TO VOTE AGAIN SO THAT WE'RE NOT STOPPING ANYBODY FROM VOTING.
THEY STILL HAVE THE ACCESS TO VOTE, BUT I KNOW'S KIND OF LIKE DISCOURAGING.
'CAUSE SOME OF THESE PEOPLE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO VOTE IF THEY'RE SENIOR CITIZENS, IF THEY'RE HANDICAPPED, THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO VOTE.
AND SO A LOT OF THE CLUBS IN THE COUNTY ARE, ARE MAKING EFFORTS TO CALL TO FIND OUT, UM, THOSE WHO CAN'T MAKE IT.
AND WHAT, AND, AND I THINK THEY'RE TRAVELING OUT.
I KNOW, I KNOW SOME HAVE TRAVELED OUT TO THEIR HOMES, SOME HOMES TO UH, MEET WITH THE PEOPLE.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET A LOT OF THIS RECTIFIED AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET A LOT OF THESE, UM, UH, THOUSAND, UH, VOTING, UH, BEFORE THE ELECTION'S OVER NEXT, LOOKING AHEAD
[01:35:01]
AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING WITH OTHER STATES TO IDENTIFY DUPLICATE VOTER REGISTRATIONS AND TO KEEP VOTER ROLLS ACCURATE.WE HAVE A STACK OF, I, I DON'T REMEMBER THE NUMBERS, A COUPLE HUNDRED, UH, OF VOTERS IN OUR COUNTY WHO ARE REGISTERED TEXAS, REGISTERED IN MARYLAND, REGISTERED OTHER PLACES.
SO WE ARE SENDING LETTERS TO THESE COUNTIES TO, SO THAT WE CAN DETERMINE ARE THEY BEING REMOVED FROM TEXAS OR MARYLAND, OR DO WE NEED TO REMOVE THEM FROM HERE BECAUSE THEY'RE VOTING IN TWO DIFFERENT STATE, UH, STATES.
AND ALSO THE LAST DATE OF VOTE IN PERSON IS, UH, JULY 17TH, HERE AT THE RECORDER'S OFFICE.
EARLY BALLOTS MUST BE TURNED INTO THE RECORDER'S OFFICE BY 7:00 PM ON THE ELECTION DAY, THE 21ST AND ELECTION DAY IS JULY 21ST, 6:00 AM TO 7:00 PM AND WE WILL BE IN THE OFFICE STARTING AT 5:00 AM GOING THROUGH THE NIGHT.
AND, UH, WE ALSO ARE PUTTING, UH, UH, SOME PEOPLE ON OVERTIME ON THE WEEKENDS TO MAKE SURE WE CAN KEEP UP WITH THE INFLUX WHEN IT, WE KNOW IT'S GONNA START GETTING BUSY AS CLOSER AS WE GET CLOSER, WE GET TO THE, UH, ELECTIONS.
AND SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, JOSE'S HERE TO ANSWER 'EM FOR YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? UH, SUPERVISOR WHITE.
I JUST SAY THANK YOU TO YOU AND TO YOUR TEAM AND EVERYBODY THAT'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS.
I KNOW THAT A LOT GOING ON WITH ELECTIONS, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE CITIZENS AND SO STAYING ON TOP OF THAT AND THEN ALSO REPORTING TODAY, JUST SO THE PUBLIC'S AWARE OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON AND DOING, BUT REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR WHOLE TEAM AND A GREAT JOB.
THANK YOU SUPERVISOR, VICE CHAIR.
AND UM, I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE AS WELL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY TO BOTH OF YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IN THE OFFICE.
AND I THINK, UM, UH, I GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS AROUND, UH, THE RECORDER'S OFFICE AND ELECTIONS AND SO FORTH, AND JUST BEING ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION, UM, IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
I WANT, AND THANK YOU
I DID HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT I GOT ANSWERS FOR 'EM.
SO I APPRECIATE, UM, COUNTY MANAGERS SEARCHING FOR THEM AND OTHERS.
UM, AND ALSO THE WEBSITE, OF COURSE.
WELL, YOU KNOW THAT THE OFFICE IS, I HAVE A, I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THE REPORTER'S CORNER.
AND, AND WE DO HAVE AN OPEN DOOR POLICY.
UH, I, I DON'T STAY BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
MY DOOR'S OPEN, EVERYBODY SHOWS UP.
I'VE HAD QUITE A FEW VISITORS THIS MORNING.
AND I JUST, I APPRECIATE YOUR TRANSPARENCY TODAY AND GOING THROUGH, I'M GONNA BE CURIOUS OF HOW MANY OF THE PERSONAL LETTERS THAT YOU SEND OUT AND GET RETURNED BACK.
SO ARE WE, WE'RE WAITING
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH AND FOR YOUR STAFF, YOU GOT DONE.
NEXT ITEM, IF WE'RE NOT SIGNED UP FOR EARLY VOTING, CAN WE STILL GO OVER THERE RIGHT AFTER THIS MEETING? MA'AM, YOU CAN TALK TO HIM AFTER WORSHIP PLEASE.
[a. Consideration and possible adoption of Resolution Number 19-2026 granting a right-of-way exchange of a portion of "South Meadow Road" in Heber.]
UH, NEXT ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, CONSIDERATION OF A POSSIBLE ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 19 DASH 2026, GRANTING A RIGHT OF WAY EXCHANGE FOR A PORTION OF THE SOUTH MEADOW AND HE MR. FLAKE.THANK YOU CHAIRMAN, VICE CHAIR, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD UP FOR CONSIDERATION.
TODAY IS A POSSIBLE ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION 19 20 26, GRANTING A RIGHT OF WAY EXCHANGE OF A PORTION OF SOUTH MEADOW ROAD IN HEBER.
THIS IS A, A ROAD IN THE ARTIST DRAW, EXCUSE ME, THE BUCK SKIN ARTIST DRAW COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHY, BUT THE ROAD WAS A PORTION OF THE ROAD WASN'T CONSTRUCTED IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND THE EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY GOES THROUGH ALMOST THE MIDDLE OF THREE DIFFERENT PARCELS IN THAT AREA.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN, APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN FILED FOR THIS EXCHANGE A FEW TIMES, BUT THE SURVEY WAS NEVER COMPLETED.
SO ONE OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAS, UM, TAKEN ON THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT SURVEY HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
UH, WE GOT A NEW APPLICATION AND SO WE HAVE THE SURVEY AND THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO EXCHANGE THIS RIGHT AWAY TO ABANDON IT FROM ITS CURRENT LOCATION AND IN EXCHANGE FOR RIGHT AWAY WHERE THE ROAD WAS ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTED,
[01:40:01]
WHICH HAD SOUTH TO, UH, CHURCH PROPERTY SOUTH OF THERE.SO THE, THE APPLICATION IS FOR AN EXCHANGE TO ABANDON IT WHERE IT'S LOCATED ON THESE PROPERTIES AND MOVE TO THE WEST SIDE OF THE PROPERTIES.
I'LL TRY AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF THERE ARE ANY, ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL? OKAY, I'LL LOOK, UH, FOR A MOTION AT THIS TIME.
I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISING WHITING TO APPROVE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL FOR THE VOTE.
[b. Consideration and possible adoption of Resolution Number 20-2026 granting a right-of-way abandonment and sale of a portion of "Goodwill Lane" in Lakeside.]
CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 20 DASH 26, GRANTING A RIGHT OF WAY ABANDONED CELL, A PORTION OF GOODWILL LANE IN LAKESIDE.UM, GOODWILL LANE IS NO LOCATED NORTH AND WEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF LARSON AND HILLTOP.
AND IT THIS, UM, IF THIS PASSES, THIS ABANDONMENT WILL ABANDON THE WEST END OF ABOUT 185 FEET OF GOODWILL LANE IN LAKESIDE.
UM, THIS ABANDONMENT IS IN A DEVELOPED AREA.
UM, ALL THE PROPERTIES IN THE AREA WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE ACCESS.
THEY'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THE ACCESS THAT THEY'RE USING.
UM, SO THIS ABANDONMENT WILL NOT TAKE AWAY ANYBODY'S ACCESS.
THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE AREA HAVE PROVIDED LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THIS ABANDONMENT.
AND I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT ALL THIS DOES IS ABANDON RIGHT AWAY.
UM, IT'S UP TO THE, THE PROPERTY OWNER TO WORK WITH THE UTILITY COMPANIES TO ABANDON ANY KIND OF, UM, RIGHTS FOR UTILITY USE IN THIS AREA.
WITH THAT, I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF THERE ARE ANY.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? THIS TIME? I LOOK FOR A MOTION, THEN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
WE HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL BY VICE CHAIR.
IS THERE A SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR WHITING.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
NEXT, I MAY NEED A MOTION TO MOVE INTO THE NAVAJO COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
I HAVE A MOTION BY VICE CHAIR.
ANY OPPOSED? WE'RE NOW IN THE NAVAJO COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT.
[1. 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: ]
ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, TO APPROVE, UH, APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT OR PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT WITH J FULLER.UH, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? OKAY, I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I GO AHEAD, I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
A MOTION OF BY SUPERVISOR WHITING.
I SECOND BY SUPERVISOR WHITE SENIOR.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? SEE THAT, THAT PASSED.
[a. Consideration of a Land Purchase Agreement between Ronda C. Folland and Christina E. Flemming (Sellers) and Navajo County, Arizona (Buyer) for Flood Control in the Linden Area, Navajo County, Arizona.]
IS, UH, ON THE REGULAR AGENDA CONSIDERATION OF A LAND PURCHASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN RHONDA SEAFALL AND CHRISTINA E. FLEMING SELLERS IN NAVAJO COUNTY AS THE BUYER FOR FLIGHT CONTROL IN LINDEN AREA.UH, THE ASSESSOR'S PARCEL NUMBER IS 4 0 9 7 3 0 3 4.
IT IS OWNED BY RHONDA FOLAND AND CHRISTINA FLEMING, UH, MOTHER AND DAUGHTER AND THE AREA.
THIS PARCEL RECEIVES FLOOD RUNOFF THROUGH ITS CENTER AND ALSO AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE PROPERTY AS A LOWEST LOT ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE STREET.
IN THAT PORTION OF, UH, THE SUBDIVISION, IT, UH, ALMOST NATURALLY FUNCTIONS AS A CATCH BASIN.
LYNDON TRAILS DOES EXPERIENCE HEAVY RUNOFF, UH, THROUGH THE COUNTY RIGHT OF WAY AND NEIGHBORING PARCELS, UH, NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES.
DETAINING AND SLOWING, UH, SLOWLY RELEASING RUNOFF FROM SURROUNDING FROM THE SURROUNDING AREAS WOULD, WOULD REDUCE FLOOD
[01:45:01]
RISK FOR THE EXISTING RESIDENTS.AND BASED ON ANALYSIS BY J TWO ENGINEERING.
THEY'RE THE ENGINEERING FIRM THAT, UH, DESIGNED THE LYNDON TRAILS DRAINAGE PROJECT.
UM, IT'S BASED ON THAT THEY, UH, HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT PURCHASING THIS, UH, 0.58 ACRE PARCEL WOULD PROVIDE AN IDEAL LOCATION FOR A DETENTION FACILITY, AND THE BASIN WOULD HELP MODERATE FLOW VOLUMES AND IMPROVE OVERALL COMMUNITY FLOOD SAFETY.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? I GUESS THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, UH, DOES THIS REQUIRE A, A PLAT AMENDMENT OR ANYTHING WHERE WE'RE TAKING A LOT AND MAKING A RETENTION BASIN ON IT? AND DO WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION TO DO SO? YES, WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE APPROVAL.
UM, AND IT DOESN'T REQUIRE AN AMENDMENT TO THE PLAT THAT I AM, THAT I KNOW OF.
YEAH, THE CONFIGURATION WILL STAY THE SAME.
I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON THIS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE THE WHOLE SOLUTION.
BUT WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO THE NORTH TO MOVE SOME OF THIS WA WATER INTO A RETENTION BASIN IS, IS VERY VIABLE FOR THAT AREA.
AND SO I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH DISCUSSION WITH THE NEIGHBORS THERE AND I APPRECIATE STAFF FOR THE WORK ON THIS AND THE MANY MEETINGS THEY'VE HAD WITH THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE, UH, THIS PURCHASE FOR A RETENTION BASIN.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
NEED A MOTION TO RETURN BACK THE REGULAR SESSION MOTION? HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR AL.
ANY OPPOSED? I SEE THAT THAT PASSED BACK INTO REGULAR SESSION.
[a. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration and either a recommendation to the Department of Liquor Licenses & Control for approval or disapproval of the pending Liquor License Application from Jeffery Craig Miller (Agent) for AZTex Coffee and Taproom BAR located at 2375 Bison Ranch Rd. #113, Overgaard, AZ 85933 for a 007 Beer and Wine Bar Owner Transfer liquor license.]
HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, CONSIDERATION AND EITHER A RECOMMENDATION TO THE DEPARTMENT TO EITHER APPROVE OR DENY A A LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION FOR JEFFREY PEG MILLER.THIS IS THE FIRST ONE IS ACTUALLY A TRANSFER OF A LIQUOR LICENSE.
WE'VE RECEIVED A 0 0 7 BEER AND WINE TRANSFER LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION FROM JEFFREY CRAIG MILLER.
THE AGENT FOR AZ TECHS COFFEE AND TAP ROOM, BAR AND OVERGUARD.
THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HEALTH DEPARTMENT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AND THE TREASURER'S OFFICE HAVE ALL RESPONDED THAT THE APPLICATION MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND THE 21 DAY POSTING HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
THE TREASURER'S OFFICE JUST AMENDED THEIR POSITION YESTERDAY AND STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE BOARD CONSIDER THE INFORMATION PRESENTED WHEN MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LIQUOR LICENSES AND CONTROL.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IS THE APPLICANT PRESENT? UM, I DON'T THINK SO.
I THINK AFTER WE TOLD HIM THAT THE TREASURER'S OFFICE AMENDED THEIR POSITION, THEY AMENDED IT SO THAT THE TAXES WERE PAID.
THAT WAS GONNA BE MY NEXT QUESTION, SO THANK YOU.
UH, AT THIS TIME, UH, THIS IS FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
I WILL OPEN UP, UH, TO THE AUDIENCE FOR ANYBODY WISHES TO COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND BRING IT BACK TO DISCUSSION FOR THE BOARD AND LOOK FOR A MOTION.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE, UH, THIS BASED UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF STAFF AND ALL, ALSO OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHO HAVE LOOKED INTO THIS AND APPROVED, UH, RECOMMENDED APPROVAL.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? DID THAT PASS? NEXT ITEM
[b. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration and either a recommendation to the Department of Liquor Licenses & Control for approval or disapproval of the pending Liquor License Application from Jeffery Craig Miller (Agent) for AZTex Coffee and Taproom RESTAURANT located at 2375 Bison Ranch Rd. #113, Overgaard, AZ 85933 for a 012 Restaurant liquor license.]
IS NINE BA PUBLIC HEARING A CONSIDERATION? EITHER A RECOMMENDATION? UH, THIS IS FOR A RESTAURANT LIQUOR LICENSE, UH, FOR THE SAME APPLICANT HERE.AND, AND WE HAVE RECEIVED A 0 1 2 RESTAURANT NEW LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION, AGAIN FROM JEFFREY CRAIG MILLER.
AGENT FOR AZ TECH'S COFFEE AND TAP ROOM LOCATED IN OVER GUARD THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, HEALTH DEPARTMENT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AND THE TREASURER'S OFFICE HAVE RESPONDED THAT THE APPLICATION MEETS THEIR REQUIREMENTS OF THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND THE 21 DAY POSTING HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
AND STAFF DOES RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD
[01:50:01]
CONSIDER ALL OF THE INFORMATION PRESENTED WHEN MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LIQUOR LICENSES AND CONTROL.IT'S INTERESTING, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRANSFERRING A LICENSE BEFORE AND THAT'S A BEER AND WINE.
AND THEN THEY'RE ASKING FOR A NEW LICENSE HERE FOR A RESTAURANT LIQUOR LICENSE.
THE DIFFERENCE, MY UNDERSTANDING IS BEER AND WINE REQUIRES A SEPARATE LICENSE AND THE LIQUOR LICENSES FOR MORE HARD SPIRITS AND THINGS THERE.
SO THEY NEED BOTH OF THEM TO, TO SELL WHAT THEY WANT TO SELL.
THEY'RE, BECAUSE THEY'RE ADDING THE RESTAURANT, I BELIEVE.
SAYS THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
I'LL OPEN, UH, THIS UP FOR THE AUDIENCE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING OR ANYBODY ONLINE.
I'LL CLOSE IT AND BRING IT BACK, UH, TO THE BOARD.
I MEAN, I, I I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE, UH, THIS APPLICATION AS STATED.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
APPRECIATE IT THIS TIME, SEEING THERE'S NO OTHER BUSINESS.
UH, WE'LL ADJOURN THIS MEETING.