District 2 Supervisor Jeronimo Vasquez April – May Newsletter

• Message from Jeronimo
• Preparation, Prevention, and Information: Our Surrounding Environment
• District 2 Highlights
• Service Positions & Job Listings
• Services and Programs
• And more!

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are enjoying the warmer weather as the sun begins to shine more often. As the weather warms, it is important to keep in mind how the changing weather will also affect the landscape of our district. It is important to keep in mind what preventative measures we can take as a community to protect ourselves and our community. April is coming to a close and I would like to recognize the proclamations we have created as the Board of Supervisors and county. I would like to honor that April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Child Abuse Prevention Month, and Earth Month. As we continue with our year, it is important to keep into consideration the discussion and actions we have taken as both a county and community to continue the dialogue of the issues we are facing holistically. That said, I would like to highlight all county employees for continuing to create discussion and honoring the topics that affect our community.

The month of April has been productive and engaging for the board of supervisors where we have had discussions regarding various topics. I have been able to discuss public transportation, the MetroPlan, and receive a legislative update in relation to the RTAC- Rural Transportation Advocacy Council. In this newsletter, I plan to share some updates in relation to budget hearings, flood control district projects, etc.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about what is going on in District 2. I am here to serve our community, so please don’t hesitate to email me at jvasquez@coconino.az.gov with any questions or concerns.

At their regular meeting on April 4, 2023, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a proclamation designating April 2023 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in Coconino County.

April 2023 is the 22nd year that Sexual Assault Awareness Month has been nationally recognized, but its history goes back to the fight against race- and gender-based violence of the mid-20th century. This social activism increased awareness for sexual assault and directed public focus toward supporting survivors. It also culminated in survivor-focused legislation like the Violence Against Women Act, passed in 1993.

“Sexual Assault Awareness Month … is intended to raise public awareness to the fact that sexual violence is widespread and has public health implications for every community,” the proclamation reads. “Coconino County encourages all community members to work together to promote education about sexual violence prevention, supporting survivors, and speaking out against harmful attitudes and actions.”

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) 1 in 4 non-Hispanic Black women (29%) in the United States were raped in their lifetime, more than 4 in 5 American Indian and Alaska Native Women (84%) have experienced violence in their lifetime, 1 in 3 Hispanic women (34.8%) reported unwanted sexual contact in their lifetime, 32.9% of adults with intellectual disabilities have experienced sexual violence and 47% of all transgender people have been sexually assaulted at some point in their lives.

“The numbers are just staggering and are the result of discrimination against women and minorities because of social exclusion and unequal access to services,” said Patrice Horstman, Chair of the Board. “It will take every single one of us, no matter our place in society, to speak out and do what we can to change this culture that has developed in our country and quite frankly, the world.”

The NSVRC designated the theme of the 2023 commemoration as “Drawing Connections: Prevention Demands Equity,” stating that “Systems of oppression such as racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, ageism, ableism, and others contribute to higher rates of sexual harassment, assault and abuse … we recognize that it will take ending all forms of oppression to end sexual violence worldwide.

At their meeting, March 21, 2023, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a proclamation designating April 2023 as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Coconino County.

The proclamation was adopted for April at their March meeting . The proclamation was shared at the Flagstaff Exchange Club’s Field of Hope event to commemorate the loss of 128 children who tragically passed from child abuse last year.

Please check out: https://coconinokids.org/

They have listed different resources as well as ways to get involved

At their regular meeting on April 11, 2023, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors (Board) unanimously approved a proclamation designating April 2023 as Earth Month in Coconino County.

“Coconino County affirms that all that inhabit the Earth have a right to a healthy, sustainable environment,” the proclamation reads. “… as humans we are caretakers of the planet, and have an obligation to change human behaviors that contribute to climate change and environmental degradation and work to preserve the Earth’s beauty and its resources.”

The proclamation was drafted by Coconino County’s Green Team, a collaboration of County employees from all divisions of the administration and staff that serve Coconino County.

“This shouldn’t be about just one day or one month,” said Jeronimo Vasquez, Vice-Chair of the Board and Supervisor for District 2. “In order to have a sustainable future we need to think of ways we can minimize our carbon footprint and provide opportunities for the community to see the little things that we can each do to contribute to that sustainable future.”

The first annual Earth Day celebration started in April 1970 as a response to the lack of legislation about pollution in America’s air and water. Then, in 1990, the celebration spread worldwide. Now, Earth Day draws over 1 billion people throughout 190 countries to draw attention to worldwide sustainability issues.

“I remember when Earth Day was created,” added Matt Ryan, Supervisor for District 3. “The benefit I got out of it as a high school student was the introduction of environmental sciences to the curriculum and how that started to influence people wanting to make a difference.”

Coconino County’s Green Team and Friends of Coconino County Parks would like to invite the public to celebrate Earth Day and join a cleanup at Ft. Tuthill County Park on Saturday, April 22 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. On that day County employees will also participate in the City of Flagstaff’s Earth Day celebration at Bushmaster Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Supervisor Jeronimo Vasquez was able to accompany Public Works in assessing Herold Ranch Road. The crew was able to lay down rock and gravel to assure passage through flooded areas. Thank you, Public Works, for assisting in the success of the search and rescue as well as your contribution to helping clear the area. Thank you to community members for patience and resilience as we worked to create access. Thank you Coconino County Sheriff’s Office for providing search and rescue volunteers to assist residents.

Arizona Secretary of State, Adrian Fontes, visited Flagstaff on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 to meet with members of the Coconino County Board of Supervisors (Board), County Recorder Patty Hansen, and County Elections staff.

Secretary Fontes has visited or plans to visit all 15 Arizona counties to hear directly from local officials about their present and future needs to prepare for the 2024 election cycle and beyond.

Among the topics covered during the Secretary’s discussion with the Board members and staff were election staff safety, election integrity, and expanding voter access especially to rural and minority communities in Coconino County.

Supervisor Vasquez had the opportunity to speak at the annual Youth of the Year awards presented by the Boys and Girls Club. Thank you to the Boys and Girls Club who are actively engaging the youth of our community and fostering positive relationships with the community. They continuously provide support and opportunities for the youth of our communities that otherwise may have not been accessible to them.

Visit the Flagstaff Website for more Information: https://bgcflag.org/

Supervisor Vasquez and Supervisor Horstman with the AZ Department of Transportation, Jennifer Toth.

Attorney General, Kris Mayes joined the Coconino County Board of Supervisors, CCSO, the County Attorney, and County staff were able to discuss important issues important to our communities.

Supervisor Vasquez had the opportunity to attend the awards and was delighted to celebrate the teachers recognized. Congratulations to the teacher of the year, Emily Fisher(Marshall Elementary). Congratulations to rookie teacher of the year, Josie Teegardin (MEMS).

Coconino Count has developed the equitable economic recovery dashboard, which was funded through a grant from the National Associations of Counties. This Economic Recovery Dashboard gives communities and leaders in Coconino County the ability to track, record, and visualize the economic conditions of residents across our County.

Link to Website Dashboard: https://www.coconino.az.gov/2237/ Economic-Development

**Each month there will be updated resources**

In December 2022, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved disbursement of approximately $5 million in ARPA funds to 19 qualified community organizations evaluated and chosen from a pool of 30 applicants.

COCONINO COUNTY FUNDING RECIPIENTS

Category: Behavioral Health

• Catholic Charities Funds support Catholic Charities’ homeless services program including for men experiencing homelessness with chronic substance misuse and individuals exiting jail or prison who would otherwise experience homelessness. This population will receive housing and behavioral healthcare and support services for long-term housing stability.
• Community Bridges Funds support Hozho Home, a detoxification and residential treatment program for Coconino County individuals with substance use issues and experiencing housing instability.
• The Guidance Center Funds support Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) trainer certification sessions; rotating community mental health professionals; and a mobile mental health community response.
• Northland Family Help Center Funds provide organizational support and Mindfulness-Based Substance Abuse Treatment (MBSAT) curriculum training for staff working with youth.

Category: Housing

• Town of Fredonia Funds support the town’s sewer line extension construction project.
• Red Feather Development Group Funds support health and safety home repairs and energy efficiency modifications for Hopi and Navajo families residing on their Native homelands within Coconino County.
• Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona Funds support construction and rehabilitation for Jojo’s Place, which has 44 studio apartments, to increase affordable housing supply.

Category: Business Support

• Coconino Community College Small Business Development Center Funds support expansion of Small Business Development Center staff to increase technical assistance, counseling, and business planning.
• Chicanos por la Causa Funds provide targeted outreach for business support to micro-businesses that are less than five years old; have fewer than ten employees; are in majority-minority neighborhoods; and those small businesses from food services, accommodation, retail, and other sectors hardest hit during COVID-19.
• Creative Flagstaff Funds support technical assistance; career and workforce training; and an expanded digital resource lending library for the arts community as well as economic opportunities for entrepreneurial artists through artisan markets, exhibitions, and performances series.

Category: Workforce Development

• Candelen Funds support expanding Elevate PreK by opening new Elevate classrooms.
• Coconino Community College Construction Maintenance Tech Funds support expansion of Construction and Maintenance training program to host five training programs with 15 students each.

Category: Support for Vulnerable Populations

• Flagstaff Family Food Center Funds support emergency food boxes, mobile food distribution, youth programs, homebound food boxes, and weekly food boxes on the Navajo Nation.
• Chicanos por la Causa Funds support expansion of parenting education workshops to families with children aged up to 18 and expanding the scope from Flagstaff. The target population are families experiencing domestic violence, child abuse, and neglect.
• DNA People’s Legal Services Funds assist low-income, vulnerable residents with legal services, with emphasis on housing protection services such as eviction, landlord-tenant mediation, safety and habitability, and deposits.
• Moenkopi Senior Center Funds assist with restarting programs and meals as well as facility repairs.
• Arizona Helping Hands Funds bring the Basic Needs program to Coconino County. The Basic Needs program provides beds, clothes, shoes, hygiene kits, and more to children within the foster and kindship care system.
• Cancer Support Community of Northern Arizona Funds support administering financial support to low-income residents impacted by cancer and the hiring of a Cancer Resource Navigator.
• Flagstaff Shelter Services Funds provide operational funding and a minivan to transport shelter guests.

MetroPlan is producing a regional traffic safety plan and wants your help getting it right.

Staying safe, being safe, feeling safe is so important to our well-being.

Safety has many aspects: road design, enforcement, and user behavior.

We need to address all of them and this plan will help us do that.

This plan is also a requirement for us to apply for some new federal money!

So, take the survey…

https://www.opentownhall.com/12614

And stay informed on the Safety Plan at…

www.metroplanflg.org/safety.

If you are experiencing a crisis or difficulties, we may be able to help you with necessities like transportation and communication. In order to qualify you must:

– Be a Coconino County resident,

– Meet our income criteria, and

– Have a need for these services (including for employment, education, medical, criminal justice, etc.)

For more information:

Flagstaff-region | Call 928-679-7258 | Walk-in hours: Tues/Thurs, 9-10:30AM

Page-region | Call 928-679-7296 | Walk-in hours: Mon/Tues/Fri, 8AM-12PM

CCHHS Update:

Every day, Arizona youth are buying counterfeit pills laced with Fentanyl through social media and they’re overdosing at an alarming rate. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Here’s what you can do to stop it:

1. Talk with your child about NEVER taking a pill that’s not prescribed to them.

2. Monitor your child’s texts and social media.

3. Get the FACTS on Fentanyl at TalkNowAz.com

4. Get free Narcan (naloxone)—a medication that reverses opioid overdoses—and learn how to use it from Coconino County Health & Human Services.

Call (928) 679-7279 or visit https://bit.ly/3muyxXT for more information.

Free Narcan

Naloxone, or Narcan, is a life-saving medication, that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose. Having Narcan and knowing how to use it can save a life. Who should have Narcan? Anyone in Coconino County can obtain Narcan free of charge.

In Coconino contact (928) 679-7264 or email to receive a free naloxone kit and training about opioid overdose response.

Healthy Families is a voluntary, free support program serving families in their quest to be the best parents they can be. The program offers child development information, group activities, community resources, and ongoing supportive visits for up to five years in your home. The Healthy Families Arizona program will help you:- Be prepared for your baby’s birth- Be a successful parent- Communicate with and understand your baby- Help your child learn about the world through play. If you would like more information regarding eligibility and participation, please contact us at (928) 679-7216.

Practice household safety by talking to your kids about medicine safety.

Put medicines out of reach after every use. Never refer to medicine as “candy.”

Call Poison Control if your child ingests something dangerous at (800) 222-1222.

Your local coffee shop appreciates your business. Don’t miss out on the things you love.

Keep up to date on your COVID-19 vaccinations/boosters, and seasonal flu vaccination. Respiratory illnesses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), COVID-19, and flu numbers rise in the winter season. There isn’t a vaccine for RSV but you can get vaccinated against the flu and COVID-19 to prevent serious illness.

To make an appointment for a flu or COVID-19 vaccination/booster at the CCHHS Clinic at 2625 N King St, Flagstaff, call (928) 679-7222. Vaccinations are also available at many pharmacies. https:// bit.ly/36hOFUS. Flu information is available at https://bit.ly/3HgAnH3.

Did you know that excessive alcohol use is a leading preventable cause of death in the United States, shortening the lives of those who drink excessively by an average of 26 years? Excessive alcohol use includes:

• Binge drinking: defined as consuming 4 or more drinks per occasion for a woman or 5 or more drinks per occasion for a man.

• Heavy drinking: defined as 8 or more drinks per week for a woman, or 15 or more drinks per week for a man.

• Any alcohol use by pregnant women or anyone younger than 21.

Binge drinking and heavy drinking can cause heart disease, including cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle), as well as irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, and stroke. Visit: www.cdc.gov/ drinklessbeyourbest to check your drinking levels, identify motivators and barriers to drinking less, and develop a personalized plan to drink less and improve your health.

The Aunt Flow Program is now available at the CCHHS Page office. CCHHS supports menstrual equity and is proud to now provide free, organic menstrual products (tampons and pads) in CCHHS facilities. Through the Aunt Flow program, the County has installed menstrual product dispensers in CCHHS restroom facilities located in Flagstaff and Page, AZ.

Many females face what is known as “period poverty.” This means they cannot afford to buy period products or do not have access to them. By providing free and equitable access to menstrual products, unnecessary barriers such as period poverty are removed. In addition, organic tampons and pads are free from potentially harmful chemicals that can lead to skin irritation and illness and are environmentally friendly.

The new CCHHS Aunt Flow program aims to destigmatize menstruation. CCHHS believes that menstrual hygiene products are necessities and should be equitably available. Legislation changes in many U.S. states are improving access to period products making the world better for people with periods. More information is available at https://goauntflow.com/ legislation-updates/

Local services list: This is a list of local organizations with details about their offerings for assistance. Please look over for yourself or to refer to people you may know that need help. https://www.coconino.az.gov/ DocumentCenter/View/35228/COVID-19-Social-Safety-Net-Services- Coalition-Resource-Guide-V9_

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