County Commission approves public safety remodel, standards for addressing

by David Boyle
News Director
Members of the San Juan County Commission approved lease revenue bond for public safety remodel, standardized county addressing and declared May Mental Health Awareness month at their latest meeting.
At their May 21 meeting members of the county commission approved the vehicle for funding the updates to the County Public Safety Building in Monticello following a public hearing in the meeting.
County Commissioners approved a lease revenue bond of $21.3 million for the public safety building remodel and expansion and related improvements.
The two-percent interest on the lease will allow the county to remodel the safety building and increase beds for inmates.
San Juan County Lt. John Young explained the construction will result in an additional 35 inmates to extend to 110 inmates housed in the facility.
With contracts with the state expected to see an increase in the amount paid to house inmates as well as an increase in pay for providing sex offender therapy for inmates in the building.
Young estimated the county could see revenue go anywhere from $130,000 to $150,000 a month. With those factors, and the favorable loan from the Community Impact Fund Board (CIB) the estimated remodel will be completed without needing to raise taxes.
Members of the commission unanimously approved the resolution
Members of the commission also approved an ordinance establishing addressing policy and standards for the county. 
The policy is meant to provide uniformity for public and emergency services in the county, along with the updated ordinance the commission also approved name changes by the county road department.
The ordinance included addressing regions including Blanding, Bluff, La Sal, Moab, and Monticello.
The map included a note that the Navajo Nation is addressed internally by chapter, and noted that plus code addresses are preferred.
Plus code addresses have a six-character assignment to shorten latitude and longitude coordinates.
The county also approved an amendment to the Intergovernmental Agreement Between the Navajo Nation and San Juan County for Bus Route Maintenance.
County Road Department Supervisor TJ Adair explained that the agreement would have the Navajo Department of Transportation pay $258,000 for the county to continue to provide routine quarterly maintenance and snow removal of 17 routes.
Adair explained the amendment was do to a misunderstanding with the Navajo Nation paying $100,000 once for the maintenance but the county shared it requires $108,000 annually.
The $250,000 amount would bring the payment for services up to date.
Members of the San Juan County Commission also passed a resolution recognizing May as Mental Health Awareness Month.
The resolution acknowledged that suicide is now the second leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds in the US, an estimated 44-percent of residents detained in jail are suffering from a mental illness, often with co-occuring substance use disorders.
The resolution also noted that San Juan County residents are included in the list of one-third of the US population that lives in a county designated as a mental health professional shortage area.
The resolution also highlighted the county’s work to address mental health concerns through organizations such as San Juan Counseling and other entities to address mental health concerns.
Members of the commission also approved a contract for a variety of projects in the county to use up the remaining funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
The approved contract with Tri-Hurst will package several smaller projects including sidewalk and step repairs outside the county administrative building in Monticello.
County Administrator Mack McDonald also explained that with proper permission the projects could include making some Navajo Nation Chapter Houses entrances in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act ( ADA); as those buildings act as voting locations in the county.