San Juan county talks forest management, data privacy and commissioner efforts

Members of the county commission approved a resolution related to forest management, tabled an item related to data privacy and provided reports on efforts throughout the county at their latest meeting.
Members of the county commission approved a resolution urging the Forest Service to “expeditiously use all means applicable to restore and/or maintain healthy forest conditions to mitigate the potential for catastrophic wildfire" at their November 18 meeting.
Similar resolutions are being passed across the state including the Utah Five County Association of Governments earlier this summer.
The resolution noted the immense wildfires in the state including the 17,000 acres burned in the Deer Creek Fire in San Juan County this summer along with other fires throughout the state.
The resolution asks that the US Forest Service use categorical exclusions and emergency situation determinations to authorize emergency fuel mitigation by accelerating projects including timber harvesting, thinning, and prescribed fires with an emphasis on high-risk areas near communities and water supply zones. The resolution also asks for the repeal of the 2001 Roadless Rule which has placed prohibitions on road construction, reconstruction and timber harvesting applied to nearly 45 million acres nationwide.
Members of the commission unanimously passed the resolution.
As part of the consent agenda members of the commission approved an interagency agreement with the Utah Department of Workforce Services for a $5,000 grant designed to shelter individuals in the county during “cold blue alerts” between November and April. Members of the commission also approved an alcohol and beer license for the Under Canvas restaurant off looking glass road in northern San Juan county.
Members of the commission also tabled policies related to data privacy to further clarify roles within the county.
Ordinances requiring a county data privacy program and a privacy policy statement from the county are required by the state.
One ordinance would create a data privacy program at the county level with the appointment of a Chief Administrative Officer for the program to oversee county compliance with the state by implementing and maintaining privacy policies and serve as the primary contact for the state office of data privacy.
The ordinance also requires an adoption of privacy policies and notices including outlining to the public how personal data is collected, used, stored and protected by the county. The ordinance also outlines that the Chief Administrative Officer of the program oversees Privacy Impact Assessments to mitigate risks, as well as provide regular reporting and accountability to the state. The ordinance also requires staff training.
While the draft ordinance had Chief Administrative Officer Mack McDonald serving as the new program lead, members of the commission wondered if the Information Systems Department head recently hired James Redd should take that position. While staff recommended McDonald remain in the position as an oversight role and Redd be able to focus on implementation, members of the commission tabled the item to further explore the issue.
Members of the commission also provided commission reports at the meeting.
Commissioner Jamie Harvey reported on his attendance at a recent Aneth Chapter meeting. As part of that meeting a discussion was held about the roundabout being finalized in Montezuma Creek. At the meeting community leaders discussed memorializing the roundabout with public art including possible installations with a statue of Chief Manuelito being proposed, another possible installation could honor Navajo Code Talkers while another proposal would honor students at Whitehorse High School.
“It's something they hope can become a project in the near future that could be funded. I think the effort is really just to celebrate culture, community and history.”
Commissioner Harvey also noted he and Commissioner Stubbs attended a recent Navajo Revitalization Fund meeting, where he reported projects including funding for a new senior center facility in Navajo Mountain.
During her report Commissioner Lori Maughan reported attending a Utah Department of Transportation meeting held the week previous in Moab. Maughan shared at the meeting that she offered her thanks to the department for the work done in the Montezuma Creek and Aneth area with work on highways 162/262 including new bridges and a roundabout installed in Montezuma Creek. Maughan also noted the state's work with projects in northern San Juan County including roads to the Mud Springs mountain bike recreation area.
Maughan also highlighted meeting with Rain Maker, a company with a contract through the state to provide cloud-seeding in the La Sal and Abajo Mountains, the project has support from Grand County but is working to get support with Monticello and Blanding city.
Commissioner Maughan concluded by sharing about the groundbreaking for the Velvet Wood mine, calling the revitalization of the uranium mine a “huge asset” and an economic opportunity to bring jobs to the county.
Commissioner Silvia Stubbs also noted the need for additional housing related to mining expansion not only at Velvet-Wood but also at Lisbon Valley Copper mine and with expansions at Energy Fuels.
“I have been looking a lot at housing trying to figure out how we can do housing and lots of the days you see nothing in my calendar because I've been behind the scenes trying to find a way for us to build more housing. We cannot have jobs come if we don't have housing right now. We talk about affordable housing. I don't know if the house is ever going to be affordable the way things are right now, but we need housing for the workers to stay. We want people to live in San Juan County.”
Commissioner Stubbs also celebrated the NRF support for facilities at Navajo Mountain.