County Lifts Emergency Status

By Linda Kor
    With one of the worst snowstorms in the county’s history behind us, the Navajo County Board of Su-pervisors lifted the emergency status in the county when meeting Tuesday.
    “We haven’t been under emergency conditions for a week or two, but there still are some concerns. The first phase of response is complete and we are now in the recovery phase,” stated Assistant County Man-ager Dusty Parsons.
    According to Parsons, the recovery phase could take one to two months, and maybe longer as roads are regraded and repairs made.
    District III Supervisor J.R. DeSpain wanted to know what a change in status would do to funding.
    “Would ending the state of emergency at this time affect the reimbursement that will be received by the state?” he asked.
    “The issue isn’t whether we’ll be reimbursed or not reimbursed, that’s a state issue. The biggest issue is for welfare and life. With the state there’s no guarantees,” Parsons replied.
    The state of emergency was announced Jan. 21 following a snowstorm that affected much of Navajo County to some degree, but most notably the unincorporated portions of the county.
    On Jan. 25, Governor Jan Brewer received approval from President Barrack Obama to utilize $1 million in funds from the Governor’s Emergency Fund to cover state share costs accrued for this endeavor.
    The situation garnered support from federal, state and local agencies as emergency services set up quar-ters at the Navajo County Fairgrounds in Holbrook in order to organize relief.
    The results were that in over nine days 42,500 meals, 21,780 gallons of water, 279 cots, 5,475 blankets and more than 800 wood bundles were delivered by air and ground transport to the Hopi Reservation and the Navajo Nation.
    The situation on these outlying areas was declared a national emergency by the federal government, meaning that the feds would reimburse 75 percent of the costs for both response and recovery. The state portion will then be 15 percent.
    Other portions of the county have yet to be determined a national disaster and if they are not, the state will be picking up 75 percent of that bill as funding allows.
    In a discussion with Parsons following the board meeting, he explained that the process will likely be lengthy, as well as costly.
    “All the figures are not in yet and it could take a while. There’s really two sections that we’re dealing with, one is the response section and the other is recovery, which could really amount to millions of dol-lars,” he explained.
    Parsons cited as examples the damage incurred by school buildings in the Blue Ridge School District and the roof that collapsed at the Pinetop/Lakeside Fire Station, as well as other areas where damage has not yet been estimated.
    Parsons also noted that should other storms arise that require assistance to residents of the county, the emergency status would be reinstated.
    In other business Feb. 23, the board:
    * Authorized a letter to Winslow City Manager Jim Ferguson supporting the Ruby Wash Diversion Levee East request for funding allocations.
    * Approved the execution of the culvert and slope easement, and temporary construction easement for the installation of a new 60-inch corrugated metal pipe under Burton Road, located at 1135 and 1136 Bur-ton Road.
    * Approved the re-appointment of Ralph E. Hatch and Robert B. Van Wyck as Superior Court Judge Pro Tempores, and LuAnn Garbini as Justice of the Peace Pro Tempore, and the appointment of Robert Donfeld as Superior Court Judge Pro Tempore.
    * Approved an additional expenditure of $1,479.15 for repair of a motor grader from District II Secure Rural funds for the purchase of road materials for school bus turnarounds for the Holbrook School District.
    * Authorized acceptance of a grant from the Arizona Constables Ethics and Training Board awarded to Constable Phyllis Romo for the National Constables Association Conference for $1,200, which includes 20 hours mandatory annual training.
    * Authorized acceptance of a grant from the Arizona Constables Ethics and Training Board awarded to Constable Pauline Hernandez for the National Constables Association Conference, in the amount of $1,200, which includes 20 hours mandatory annual training.
    * Approved a revision to existing Tomhave Group contract B08-03-010 in the additional amount of $2,500 per month.
    * Approved appointment to the Navajo County Republican Committee of precinct committeemen to fill existing vacancies in their respective precincts: Jerry Keith Johnson, Karen Sue Johnson, Barbara Lee Smith, Katherine Rosalie Henning and Christine Daley Sheaffer.
    * Approved an in-house boundary and annexation survey to show that the boundaries of the county have remained unchanged since January 2009 for the 2010 Census.
    * Approved letters to Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick requesting support in obtaining funds in fiscal year 2011 for the Little Colorado River at Winslow, feasibility study in the amount of $1 million; Mobile Data Terminals from the U.S. Department of Justice, $650,000; Navajo County Jail renovation, $555,000; Scott Ranch Road extension, $3.7 million; and Billy Creek Bridge rehabilitation, $3 million.
    * Approved contracts signed by County Manager Jimmy Jayne per Board of Supervisors Resolution including those with EN3 Professionals, LLC for research and analysis of noise and other environmental impacts for alternative energy production, primarily wind and solar, for inclusion in amended ordinance in an amount not to exceed $34,725.00; and Terra Genesis Inc. for centerline adjustments to the Navajo County Master List of Roads in an amount not to exceed $44,004.50.
    * Approved an application for an extension of premises/patio permit for Steven Alan Carlson, owner of the Cabin Bar and Grill located at 2763 Highway 260 in Overgaard.
    * Approved a resolution naming Parsons as Navajo County applicant agent for all disasters.
    * Reaffirmed approval of the non-entitlement Countywide Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation project for the fiscal year 2010 Community Block Grant State Special Projects Grant Program.
    * Approved a request from the Joseph City School District to support Drug Free Graduation Night ac-tivities in an amount not to exceed $500, to come from District III Secure Rural Schools Funding.
    * Approved a request by the Holbrook School District to provide bus route maintenance from District II Secure Rural Schools Funding in an amount not to exceed $3,000.
    * Approved an award of contract to Canyon Pipe and Supply, Inc. for the supply of culverts and bands.