County to receive $68 million for high-speed fiber internet

County celebrates nine years without a cybersecurity incident

Pay increases help public works drop vacancy rate to 16 percent

County and Navajo Nation partner to reroute highway threatened by river

Striping buffer reduces Lake Mary Road crashes by 69 percent

Emergency management department braces for federal grant cuts

Flood control district marks $117 million in mitigation investments

Long-term recovery plan released for Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires

Board approves $2.2 million for rural schools after federal delay

Supervisors debate equities of board travel reimbursement policy

County to receive $68 million for high-speed fiber internet

COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. — Coconino County is set to receive approximately $68 million in pass-through funding to bring high-speed fiber internet to every home and business within its boundaries. Chief information officer Matt Fowler announced Tuesday that the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment funds will be administered through internet service provider Wecom Fiber. Fowler noted the new infrastructure will be 99 percent fiber, replacing older fixed wireless connections in rural areas. The project excludes tribal boundaries, which are receiving separate federal broadband funding.

County celebrates nine years without a cybersecurity incident

COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. — Coconino County's Information Technology Department reported Tuesday that the county government has gone nine consecutive years without a cyber incident. Chief information officer Matt Fowler credited the milestone to proactive investments in multi-factor authentication, enterprise patch management and strict network segmentation.

Pay increases help public works drop vacancy rate to 16 percent

COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. — Recent board-approved pay increases have curbed staffing shortages in the Public Works Department, dropping the vacancy rate from over 20 percent to 16 percent. Public Works Director Christopher Tressler reported that a recent job posting garnered 24 applicants, a contrast to previous years when the county struggled to compete with state and city transportation agencies. Staff attribute the improved recruitment and retention to consecutive fiscal year pay bumps, enhanced leadership training and a focus on internal workplace culture.

County and Navajo Nation partner to reroute highway threatened by river

COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. — The county finalized a $62,000 agreement with the Navajo Division of Transportation to execute emergency repairs on tribal roadways, including a critical plan to reroute Bureau of Indian Affairs Route 6730. Public Works Director Christopher Tressler warned that the Little Colorado River is migrating toward the roadway, currently sitting just four feet from the edge with a steep drop-off. Officials will use the funds to identify and design a parallel route to prevent the road from washing out during the next major flood event.

Striping buffer reduces Lake Mary Road crashes by 69 percent

COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. — A two-foot striped buffer installed along a six-mile stretch of the Lake Mary Road corridor has led to a 69 percent reduction in lane-departure crashes. County Engineer Chad Auker shared the data Tuesday, noting that lane departures are the leading cause of fatal and serious injury crashes in the county. The data covers the last 18 months, and officials plan to continue monitoring the corridor to improve safety for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians utilizing the popular recreational route.

Emergency management department braces for federal grant cuts

COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. — The county's Emergency Management Department, which is currently 97 percent funded by federal grants, is preparing for financial shortfalls as the federal government tightens grant scopes. Emergency Management Director Tim Carter warned the board that the Emergency Management Performance Grant has seen massive nationwide reductions. Additionally, the federal government has stopped allowing the grant to cover basic operational expenses like vehicle replacements and safety gear. The board of supervisors may need to draw on the county's stability fund to maintain current emergency response levels in the coming fiscal year.

Flood control district marks $117 million in mitigation investments

COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. — The Coconino County Flood Control District has secured and invested $117 million in post-wildfire flood mitigation projects over the last several years, allowing the department to shift its primary focus toward proactive forest restoration. Flood Control District Administrator Lucinda Andreani highlighted the district's pivot, noting upcoming major thinning projects at Leroux Springs and Bill Williams Mountain to prevent future catastrophic blazes. Andreani expressed concerns that federal funding for large-scale emergency mitigation will likely diminish, forcing the county to explore new local conservation financing models.

Long-term recovery plan released for Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires

COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. — Officials released the comprehensive long-term recovery plan for the 2025 Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires, which burned over 200,000 acres in the region. The plan outlines 32 action items across three task forces, focusing on the economic, cultural and environmental fallout for the county and surrounding areas. Emergency Management Director Tim Carter noted the plan was completed on an accelerated timeline following nine community meetings spanning from Fredonia to Marble Canyon and other Grand Canyon communities, representing a major cross-jurisdictional effort between the county, local municipalities and federal agencies.

Board approves $2.2 million for rural schools after federal delay

COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. — Supervisors unanimously approved the distribution of roughly $2.2 million in Title I Secure Rural Schools funding to local school districts. The federal funds for fiscal year 2024 were delayed due to congressional reauthorization holdups, leaving some school districts struggling to meet payroll and other financial obligations. County officials expedited the allocation Tuesday, distributing 100 percent of the schools' portion directly to local districts, including Flagstaff Unified, Grand Canyon Unified, Fredonia-Moccasin Unified, Page Unified, Tuba City Unified, and the Coconino County Accommodation District.

Supervisors debate equities of board travel reimbursement policy

COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. — A discussion regarding supervisor travel stipends sparked significant debate as board members weighed fiscal responsibility against geographic equity. During the meeting, arguments were made that the current stipend system fails to cover the high costs of frequent, long-distance travel, inflated gas prices and vehicle wear-and-tear across the Navajo Nation. Conversely, it was advocated that the county return to a standard mileage reimbursement system to mirror county employee policies. County staff will draft options outlining both stipend and reimbursement models for a future vote.

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