Commission discusses suicide prevention efforts

by David Boyle
News Director
Members of the San Juan County Commission approved property tax adjustments, approved an agreement related to the Bluff cemetery and showed support for a suicide prevention conference at their latest meeting.
Members of the commission held a board of equalization session at their December 16 meeting. County clerk/auditor Lyman Duncan shared proposed 2025 property tax adjustments based on hearings.
Among key factors include adjustments for properties destroyed by the Deer Creek fire in La Sal, and raised home appraisals in Spanish Valley. The largest factor was the decline of centrally-assessed property owned by Mid American Pipeline, which saw its valuation decline by $33.7 million.
Several eastern Utah counties approved a settlement agreement in September with the company to decrease the company’s values back to 2018.
Officials said the company used its vast resources to battle with eastern Utah counties over its valuation, with a settlement favoring the company. The decrease is how much the county ‘should have’ taxed the entity for over that stretch. 
The Mid American Pipeline is operated by Enterprise Products Partners LP, publicly traded as EPD. Company earning reports show a net income of $5.6 billion in 2022, $5.6 billion in 2023 and $5.9 billion in 2024.
Commissioner Lori Maughan expressed hope that the Utah Association of Counties (UAC) will work to address these issues.
“Especially the part where they allow companies like this to self-report what they sell.... When you self-report to the state tax commission, the state tax commission needs to hold their feet to the fire and say that’s what you self-reported.
“You can’t go and change just because you don’t like what the county came in at because it throws us into a yo-yo with our counties. I’m so happy all 29 counties have joined with UAC to finally say we’re going to do something about this finally, because it kills our counties.”
Duncan added that the message is being passed along.
“In our meeting at UAC with the state tax commission and centrally assessed individuals, we said basically ‘you’re killing us.’”
Commissioner Stubbs added that these issues are why the county needs to continue to support UAC efforts.
“There’s certain things in certain counties that ‘we’re not going to participate in this and that.’ But the only reason they can give us good deals is because it’s the power of everybody joining in. So I think anything that comes before us from UAC, we need to support it.”
Members of the commission approved the proposed 2025 property tax adjustments.
Members of the commission also held conversations related to the future of the Bluff Cemetery.
A whole host of organizations are involved in management of the cemetery. The parties are working to create a legal status for what has been the status quo practice for years.
The town of Bluff, the Bluff Cemetery District, the Hole in the Rock Foundation and the county are all working on a newly approved agreement.
The agreement will see the Hole in the Rock Foundation care for the south, middle and east half, with a focus on managing historic pioneer graves. The town of Bluff will take ownership of the west half of the top square, where current active burials occur.
The agreement priority is to maintain the historical aspects of the site while also establishing order for future burials at the cemetery.
Members of the commission approved the county’s involvement unanimously.
Members of the commission approved a letter in support of a multi-agency suicide prevention conference.
The conference speakers include Dr Susan Madsen of USU and child safety advocate Elizabeth Smart.
Presenting to the commission was ReNee McDonald, co-lead for the Bolder Way Forward Coalition. ReNee McDonald shared the need for additional resources, noting the county has lost five youth to suicide this year.
McDonald explained the goal of the conference to remove stigma and open conversations around suicide ideation, sexual assault, violence, and substance abuse.
The conference will aim at community and faith leaders to provide research and evidence based information that can be taken back to their communities.
ReNee McDonald shared important statistical links including the concern that behavirous can compound on each other noting that sexual abuse can lead to suicidal ideation and substance abuse, while also noting that substance abuse can create problematic or risky behaviors. It was noted that survivors of sexual assault are three times more likely to commit suicide.
The event includes help from local organizations, including San Juan Counseling and Utah Navajo Health System’s Victim Advocates, additionally two-thirds of the event funding comes through a San Juan School District grant.
Members of the commission shared support for the event and for efforts to increase community awareness. The commission unanimously approved a letter of support for the coalition’s effort.
Members of the commission also approved an ordinance establishing the county data privacy program as well as the 2025 privacy policy statement from the county.
The state-required program ensures that all software purchases by the county are reviewed for data collection practices and requires the county to let the public know about what sensitive data is collected on forms and websites.
Members of the commission also approved meeting schedules for the next year, as well as the rotation of leadership with Commissioner Maughan appointed to be the next chair and Commissioner Harvey as vice chair.
Members of the county commission also passed a resolution appointing the San Juan Surveyor’s Office as the county’s addressing agency, standardizing the assignment of addresses for new homes.
The commission passed a resolution in May 2024 to centralize addressing in the county, but a state requirement that the county surveyor’s office be placed in charge was not implemented until this past meeting.
Members of the commission also provided commissioner reports.
Commissioner Harvey noted his appreciation of the county staff after participating in the county holiday party. He also shared one item he is following closely is to work with tribal leadership and the state to provide updates related to the Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement.
Commissioner Maughan reported she is working with the Glen Canyon National Recreation Supervisor, alongside with Utah state senator David Hinkins, and a private property to work on revitalization projects at Dangling Rope Marina, with Halls Crossing and Bullfrog.
“I hate to use the word neglect, but the north end of the lake is neglected. The whole lake is basically San Juan County and yet the end is Paige, AZ, that reaps all the benefits of it. So, I’ll let everyone know how that goes and what we can do as a county to help support that.”
Commissioner Stubbs also reported on some recent work including her efforts to help secure a $50,000 grant to help revitalize Blanding Main Street as reported in the last commission meeting, as well as a $10,000 grant for an outdoor project at Nations of the Four Corners and $6,000 for a program through Clarks Market.
Stubbs reported work continues with the seven county coalition related to the proposed road from Oljato to Navajo Mountain. 
Commissioner Stubbs concluded by sharing an optimistic perspective on the county.
“We are a very rich county with opportunity. When I started at the college there were just two buildings and when I left we had added two other buildings and so I know that I have it in me to keep working and serving the people. To me, the most important thing is to have unity among our workers.”