This community meeting is specifically targeted towards residents who live on the west side of Flagstaff, including the neighborhoods of Cheshire, Valley Crest, Coyote Springs, Ridge Crest, Coconino Estates, and Rock Ridge Estates. This meeting will not provide information on flooding impacts in Doney Park, Timberline, or other areas east of Flagstaff.
Heritage Days will return to the North Rim within Grand Canyon National Park. After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Heritage Days will be held from August 5 through August 7, 2022. Each day, Heritage Days programs will run from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. in various locations throughout the North Rim developed area.
Heritage Days provide visitors and staff with the opportunity to experience and celebrate the rich cultural diversity of the Colorado Plateau, Arizona Strip and the Grand Canyon area. This year’s Heritage Days will provide an especially important opportunity to expose visitors to different perspectives of the Grand Canyon.
Representatives from Coconino County and FEMA will conduct a free webinar to inform our community about the new flood risk to our neighborhoods and important information about flood insurance.
Over the past few years, the frequency of wildfires has increased in Coconino County and with that increase comes an increase in the risk of post-wildfire flooding. To help inform property owners about this increased risk and actions they can take to reduce that risk, the Coconino County Flood Control District has provided post-wildfire flood risk and mitigation information.
Northern Arizona University and the City of Flagstaff are teaming up for the 5th Annual Community Welcome walk. On Wednesday, September 7, between 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., a small team of volunteers will be visiting homes in neighborhoods near the NAU campus. During the door-to-door “knock and talks” volunteers meet with local and student residents, share tips for safe and respectful living, and encourage neighbors to get to know one another. Community Welcome aims to improve relations between local and student residents renting rooms and homes in the historic La Plaza Vieja and Southside Neighborhoods.
The City of Flagstaff invites members of the public to attend a meet and greet event on Friday, Sept. 9 from 3 – 5 p.m. at Flagstaff City Hall for final candidates for the position of City Engineer. The City conducted eight preliminary interviews for the position and has invited three candidates to Flagstaff to participate in the meet and greet event.
The candidate names and brief biographies are included below:
Buildings are pieces of history, and each has a story to tell. That is the theme for this year’s Coconino County Sustainable Building Tour: The Stories Buildings Tell. The public is invited to join this year’s 18th annual Sustainable Building Tour, to be held on Saturday, October 1, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Part of the Flagstaff Festival of Science, this year’s tour will be held completely in person, the first time in three years, and showcases ten properties throughout the community. The property owners and homeowners who have been certified through the county’s Sustainable Building Program will share their stories; stories about the landscape, anecdotes on the process of building their home, and tales of living in and maintaining their unique properties.
Join Friends of Flagstaff’s Future (F3) as community members ask questions and hear answers from the seven candidates running for City Council: incumbent Austin Aslan, and Lori Matthews (both listed on the ballot), and the five official write in candidates: Kevin Dobbe, Sean Golliher, Deborah Harris, incumbent Khara House, and incumbent Regina Salas.
The City of Flagstaff will be holding a town hall on October 6, 2022 at 5:00p.m. in the City HallChambers to provide the community an opportunity to hear the results and ask questions of the noise study thatwas requested by the city council. Attendees can join in person in the Council Chambers or virtually via theMicrosoft Teams link below.
The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) invite the community to celebrate the opening of the Pathways to Community Program at an Open House and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Thursday, October 6 from 1 – 3 p.m. at 951 E Sawmill Road, Flagstaff, AZ.
The Pathways to Community Program is a partnership between the Sheriff’s Office and CCHHS, in collaboration with many community partners. This new program brings community and legal resources together in one physical space to support those being released from incarceration as they return to the community.
Flagstaff is ready to find solutions to our biggest problems. That’s why MetroPlan is bringing Greater Flagstaff communities together to build our region’s transportation plan, Stride Forward. Stride Forward will guide transportation investments for the next 20 years, and we are building it with your help.
Join us for our next Virtual Public Meeting:
Saturday, October 8 at 9 a.m.
Join Friends of Flagstaff’s Future (F3) at our Annual Meeting and Potluck.
Sunday, October 16th, 3:00-5:00 pm
Outside at Riordan Mansion’s Veranda
409 W Riordan Rd.
Parking is available at Riordan State Park. Backup parking is available in the adjacent NAU parking garage for a fee.
Come learn about F3’s work this year and important issues on which we’ll be focusing in 2023. Meet F3’s Executive Director, F3 Board members, and many community members.
The City of Flagstaff is hosting open house events in October to provide educational information to members of the public on Propositions 441 and 442. Informational materials on the propositions will be available at the events and City staff will be in attendance to answer questions. Details on each event are listed below.
A full closure of Buffalo Park will take place through Thursday, October 27 to allow for construction activities related to the Arizona State Parks Grant for the Buffalo Park Trail Accessibility project. The full closure will include the closure of the parking lot, ramada, restrooms and all other areas within Buffalo Park.
The City of Flagstaff Sustainability Office and the Flagstaff Police Department invite you to attend a free community Drop-off Day. Join City staff on Saturday, October 29 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Flagstaff Police Department, 911 E. Sawmill Rd, Flagstaff, AZ 86001.
The Sustainability Office is excited to partner with the City of Flagstaff Hazardous Products Center, Coconino County, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Ponderosa Medical Waste Services, Elevated Shredding, and Westech Recyclers to put your waste in the right place.
Coconino County voters have a critical decision to make on their ballot on Election Day, November 8. Proposition 445 asks voters whether to extend the existing half-cent Jail District Sales Tax (JDST) for an additional 25 years. There will be a series of live-streamed virtual town hall meetings in the coming weeks in an effort to inform the public about the importance of the JDST to the operations of County Detention Facilities and the many in-custody and reentry programs the County provides.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz — The City of Flagstaff will host a series of in-person home energy efficiency workshops this winter, with the first workshop scheduled for Wednesday, November 9. Each workshop will provide a quick one-hour demonstration and discussion to help…
The Coconino County Facilities Management Department will host an open house both in-person and virtually on Thursday, November 10 from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
The topic will be the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) clean-up grant application for the abatement of hazardous materials from the old county jail. If awarded, the grant would provide clean-up funds to remove and remediate hazardous materials at the facility. Cleaning hazardous materials such as lead-based paint and asbestos is the vital first step to reuse the building and the site.
Since 2007, over 600 local residents have enrolled in Coconino County’s Building Businesses & Entrepreneurs (BBE) business plan development training. Now we’ve added BBE Support Services Group (BBESSG) presentations, plus new cash assistance and referral incentives each worth up to $500. It’s been said 70% of the U.S. population has dreamed of starting a business but only 10% do, mostly for lack of know-how and capital. BBE training is for those starting and/or expanding a home-based or other micro-business (five or less employees).
Those enrolled for our next BBE training also can participate in noon-hour, Wednesday, June BBESSG presentation via Zoom:
A full closure of Buffalo Park will take place through Thursday, Nov. 17 to allow for construction activities related to the Arizona State Parks Grant for the Buffalo Park Trail Accessibility project. The full closure will include the closure of the parking lot, ramada, restrooms and all other areas within Buffalo Park.
The City of Flagstaff’s Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Events Division and the Flagstaff Downtown Business Alliance are hosting the annual Winter Wonderland and Holiday Tree Lighting event on Dec. 3, 2022 in Heritage Square and on Aspen Ave.
Crafts, hot cocoa, cookie decorating, smores and live music will be available from 3 – 6 p.m. At 6 p.m., Santa Claus will travel on fire truck to Heritage Square to light the holiday tree. All activities are free of charge and the event concludes at 7 p.m.
The City of Flagstaff invites members of the public to attend a meet and greet event on Wednesday, Jan. 4 from 3:30 – 5 p.m. at Public Works Core Services building (3200 W Rte 66) to meet the final candidate for the position of Public Works Director. The City received 10 applications and invited three candidates to interview for the position. The City invited one candidate to participate in the meet and greet event.
Participants may attend in-person or virtually by using this link (Click here to join the meeting). Feedback will be collected athttps://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SN6DGG9.
Due to the cancellation of the Pinecone Drop, the city-sponsored New Year’s Eve fireworks displays scheduled for Friday, December 31 at 10 p.m. and midnight in downtown Flagstaff have been cancelled.
All Coconino County maintained roads are open and passable, although roads remain icy and slick. Coconino County has 15 graders, 12 snowplow trucks, and one loader working to keep the roads clear.
Thank you to Coconino County Public Works, Flagstaff City Government, and Arizona Department of Transportation for working through the night to ensure safe travels this morning. Please check https://www.az511.com/ for the latest road conditions.
Hi Everyone,
Wishing everyone a safe holiday season! As we approach the end
of the year its a time to reflect on the successes of 2021. District 2
has been very busy this year working on various items outlined
below.
American Rescue Plan Funding Process
Redistricting Process
Museum Flood Area Response and Mitigation
COVID Impacts and programs
County Budget Process
Friends of Flagstaff’s Future is concerned that the proposed design for Lone Tree Overpass, currently under consideration by Council, is overbuilt, provides inadequate protection for pedestrians and bicyclists, encourages an increase in automobile traffic, negatively impacts the Southside neighborhood, and is in conflict with the city’s Carbon Neutrality Plan.
Virginia Watahomigie, executive director of the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth, was presented with the Marcia Stanton Award on Dec. 16 by the Arizona ACEs Consortium at the 8th annual statewide ACEs summit.
The Arizona ACEs Consortium is a collaboration of more than one hundred individuals, state, county, private organizations and professionals from all walks of life, united by a desire to help Arizona’s children. It promotes a greater understanding of the impacts of toxic stress and trauma, and supports efforts to address and prevent them.
“The Marcia Stanton Award was established in 2018 and pays homage to the original leader of the ACEs movement, Marcia Stanton. It is awarded to an individual who displays a commitment, perseverance and dedication to spread the awareness of Adverse Childhood Experiences and someone that leads action in their community to decrease the prevalence and effect of ACEs on both children and adults,” said Angie Burleson, executive director of the consortium. “This Award honors excellence in leadership, collaboration and the advancement of the PACEs movement in AZ.”
Despite lingering concerns due to multiple variants of the coronavirus, supply chain issues, and fears that inflation might dampen the recovery, our region had a fair bit of good economic news this past year.
Consider the fact that in 2021, the number of leads that we fielded for businesses interested in locating in northern Arizona increased by 15% over the last calendar year. At the same time, ECoNA’s Business Retention team reports that few businesses closed in the past 12 months and many are looking to expand.
That’s the macro view on our local economy. Zoom in a bit, however, and you’ll see a lot of exciting developments that made 2021 an excellent year for northern Arizona and indicate that 2022 might be even better.
All Coconino County administrative offices will be closed on Friday, December 24 and Friday, December 31 in observance of the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays.
While the administrative offices at the Sheriff’s Office will be closed, dispatch, patrol and detention will be open. Please dial 911 for emergencies. For non-emergencies, dial 928-774-4523 to connect with the non-emergency dispatch or to leave a message for one of the administrative offices.
Want to help Flagstaff grow sustainably?
Are you concerned about housing, providing multi-modal transportation, climate change adaptation and resilience, open space, and ensuring we have water into the future?
Yes? Please consider running for Flagstaff City Council in 2022.
Flagstaff city administrative functions will be closed on Dec. 24, 2021 and Dec. 31, 2021 for the Christmas and New Year holidays. Closures and reopening schedules for other City facilities and services are listed below.
When the pandemic took hold in northern Arizona in the spring of 2020, there were so many unknowns. How severe would the impact of COVID be? When would lockdowns be lifted? How long before we had a viable vaccine?
One thing we did know: Coconino County nonprofits and agencies were going to be hard-pressed to meet the challenges during an unprecedented crisis.
That’s why the United Way of Northern Arizona and Coconino County launched the Social Safety Net Coalition. Its goal was to help those providing basic needs coordinate their efforts to address an ever-evolving situation. Almost two years later, this group continues its impressive, collaborative work.
The Coconino Coalition for Children and Youth (CCC&Y), sees you! We see all the ways you support folks in your neighborhood and our community! You are helping to “bring back the village,” and you’re doing great!
Let’s face it, life can be challenging, and too often, we are collectively stressed. Stress is normalized. We can acknowledge that some stress is good for us, keeping us thinking and maybe even providing us a boost to take necessary action. However, maintaining health requires that we offer ourselves opportunities to decompress. CCC&Y hopes you gift yourself with time to reconnect with yourself and those closest to you.
During this season of reflection, CCC&Y invites you to cozy up with some tea and a warm blanket and take a few mindful moments to recognize and honor your inner self and notice your thoughts, feelings, and sensations. (“Mindfulness for Parents and Professionals”). If our opportunity for Mindfulness feels supportive to you, we invite you to share it with others.
The City of Flagstaff is proud to provide a tree-cycling service during the month of January to assist with the proper recycling of Christmas trees. Residents within City limits can place their tree curbside by 6 a.m. January 3, 2022 and Solid Waste services will pick up trees until January 7.
Residents without a trash pickup service or those living in multifamily housing can also participate by bringing their trees to one of the following 24-hour locations until January 17th:
Old Public Works Yard: 419 N. Mogollon Street
Continental Little League Field: 5700 E. Old Walnut Canyon Road
Jamie Begay, who earned a master’s in public health, has spent her educational career doing outreach and research on public health in Indigenous communities; finding a program that allowed her to specialize in Indigenous health brought her back to her alma mater for a second degree. At no time did this come together more than when the COVID-19 pandemic struck the Navajo Nation particularly hard; she kept busy delivering food, medicine and other necessities to Indigenous communities and checking in with people. The love of community drives Begay. “The value of that experience stems from my appreciation and responsibility I feel for my community. Through that experience, resilience was the foundation of our efforts.”
Coconino County Public Works, in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), will ignite the annual green waste burn at the Willard Springs Green Waste Station, located 17 miles south of Flagstaff at Exit 326 on the west side of Interstate 17 (I-17), by Tuesday, December 14, 2021 The Willard Springs green waste burn is expected to produce smoke during the ignition period, which will last approximately three weeks. Based on wind and weather conditions, smoke may be heavy at times and visible to motorists on I-17. The Coconino National Forest will post signage on I-17 to notify motorists about smoke and to drive with caution.
Winter Road Conditions and Reporting Emergencies
With the first major snow of the season arriving, here are a few reminders on park road conditions and reporting emergencies, especially during periods of inclement weather.
When a road closes in the park, Grand Canyon Dispatch, who are staffed 24 hours a day, receive the notification and immediately will update the road conditions outgoing message. This number should be programmed into your phone if it isn’t already; it is: 928-638-7496. Please do not call dispatch for roads updates unless you are reporting an emergency.
This past April, we lost a man whose unique talents, fearless entrepreneurial spirit and insatiable curiosity left both our community and the business sector a better place. Now, thanks to his family, his impressive collection of business books is available to the public through The Lynn Hagen Business Library at ECoNA.
George “Lynn” Hagen was a serial entrepreneur, the named inventor of 29 patents, and the founder or executive of several notable and pioneering companies. You’ll probably recognize many of the businesses he was associated with: Osborne Computer, creator of the first commercially successful portable computer; Upper Deck® trading cards; and Tagworks®, maker of laser-engraved pet identification tags.
In This Issue
9 December 2021
Hello from Supervisor Horstman
Perrin Ranch Tour
U.S. Forest Service Commitment
Coconino County Redistricting Process
State Congressional and Legislative Redistricting Process
Downtown Flagstaff Holiday Celebration
Winter Snow Play
Upcoming Winter Events
COVID-19 Vaccinations and Testing
Contact Us
With significant snow forecast for northern Arizona in the coming days, the City of Flagstaff would like to provide information regarding snow operations.
The City’s Public Works Division will deploy all available equipment and operators during winter snow events, with operations running 24 hours a day during significant events. First priority roadways for treatment are main arterials, major hills, downtown, school and transit routes. All other streets are considered second priority areas. To begin treating second priority roads, the first priority roadways must be completed and maintained throughout the snow event. Cinders are applied to major hills, signalized intersections, railroad crossings, shaded areas, problem areas and stop-signed intersections. A map of the city which shows first and second priority streets can be found at https://gis.flagstaffaz.gov/portal/apps/storymaps/stories/efeb74300b2d4520b2f30731412c604e
Coconino County Superintendent of Schools Cheryl Mango-Paget announced interviews of candidates for the Governing School Board Member open seat at Page Unified School District #8.
An advisory committee has been assembled consisting of a district resident, district teacher, chapter official, and two current board members. The Committee will conduct interviews and advise Superintendent Mango-Paget on the appointment. Candidates seeking appointment are Mr. Michael Mangum and Dr. Terry Maurer
The City of Flagstaff will host an in-person Home Energy Efficiency Workshop on Wednesday, December 8, 2021. This continues the Home Energy Efficiency Workshop Series, with the 1-hour informational and demonstration event scheduled to occur approximately once a month throughout the winter. This workshop series is held each winter season to help both renters and homeowners save money, reduce energy use, and make their homes more comfortable during cold weather.
At the free workshop, a licensed contractor from CozyHome will demonstrate simple do-it-yourself energy efficiency upgrades, showing individuals how to weatherize homes and save money on utility bills.
Friends of Flagstaff’s Future is deeply saddened by the loss of Jim Babbitt, one of the founding members of the organization and a member of our formal Advisory Board. Jim’s passion for Flagstaff and his understanding of the how and why of past community decisions were integral to helping F3 understand and respond to local issues during the first 10 years of the organization’s existence. Nat White, of F3’s Advisory Board, described Jim as a quiet friend who understood the importance of Flagstaff’s history and strived to maintain the quality and character of the social and built environment in both word and deed.
Last week the World Health Organization (WHO) classified a new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, as a “Variant of Concern.” This new variant appears to have originated in the southern part of Africa. However, there have been reported cases in Canada, Australia, Israel, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, France, Hong Kong, and now the United States (California and Minnesota).
President Biden has added some precautionary measures until we know more about the new variant and has restricted air travel from South Africa and seven other nations in the southern region of Africa.
The best protection against Omicron is getting fully vaccinated — and getting a booster shot as soon as you can. The CDC recommends people follow prevention strategies, such as wearing a mask in public indoor settings and congested outdoor settings, washing your hands frequently, and physically distancing from others.
Three lanes on Beaver Street will be closed on Monday, December 6, Thursday December 9, and Friday December 10 for construction related to the Butler Avenue Condominiums project.
The west three lanes of Beaver Street will be closed at the northwest corner of Butler Avenue and Beaver Street so that a crane may be parked to complete construction work during the week. Staging the crane within the City’s right-of-way is the most feasible option given the site constraints and considering the temporary circulation impacts.
Join us for ArtWalk at the site of Retro Maven on Friday, December 3rd from 6-7 pm. Arizona Pitch Night winner & Retro Maven artist Michelle Meyer will be giving an artist talk, and the Snoods of Snood City will be on site. Retro Maven will be leaving Flagstaff this month — see it before it’s too late! Thank you to ArtWins Arizona for helping to bring Retro Maven to Flagstaff.
Work to implement a pilot project installing separated bike lanes on Beaver Street and Butler Avenue is substantially complete for installation of the curbs and candlesticks as designed. The City is working to modify and re-installing candlesticks that have been hit or damaged by vehicular traffic.
Originally the pilot project, Phase I and II, was scheduled for completion by the end of 2021. The contractor was able to receive materials and successfully install the curbs and candlesticks ahead of schedule. November 19, 2021 is the date of substantial completion.
COCONINO COUNTY — In this season of giving, CCC&Y wishes to celebrate Heather and Art Babbott and their family for their extraordinary contribution toward the CCC&Y Mission.
The Coalition relies on the generous help of our supporters, community partners and members to eliminate childhood trauma and inequity by building an inclusive movement of people dedicated to transforming and healing our communities. Through leadership, education and advocacy, we are reconnecting children and families to the greater community and their own potential.
Our Mission:
Igniting collective action to cultivate, honor & empower resilient, thriving communities.
Our Vision:
We envision a holistic community where all children of Coconino County are increasingly free from trauma experience and all have equitable opportunities that build resiliency.
We could not accomplish our mission without the support our funding partners and our more than 100 members.
The Coalition will also be taking part in Giving Tuesday on Nov. 30 Please consider hosting a fundraiser for CCC&Y on your Facebook page.
Or click here to contribute by donating or becoming a member.
Once again, thank you very much to the community, our partners and members for your generous support. Wishing you all a very Happy Holiday Season.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact air travel nationwide. Masks are required by federal mandate both in flight and in the terminal. Where possible, customer service counters have added plexiglass screens to protect passengers and employees. Travelers are encouraged to maintain social distancing whenever possible as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Staffing levels for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), airlines, and rental car companies have not returned to pre-COVID levels. Passengers are encouraged to arrive at least two-hours prior to their departure time. This is especially important during the upcoming holiday season when travel is expected to be heavier than usual. Airline ticket counters close thirty minutes prior to departure to allow staff time to load baggage and prepare the aircraft and passengers for takeoff. Passengers arriving late may miss their flights.
Here are some reminders and tips for travel:
Holiday COVID Reminders
This time last year, we saw a spike in COVID cases. As a reminder, please continue to follow these tips from the CDC and all NPS guidance both inside and outside the park so that we can minimize the spread of COVID-19 this holiday season.
Protect those not yet eligible for vaccination by getting yourself and other eligible people around them vaccinated.
Wear well-fitting masks over your nose and mouth if you are in public indoor settings.
Avoid crowded, poorly ventilated spaces.
If you are sick or have symptoms, do not host or attend a gathering.
Get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have a close contact with someone who has COVID-19.
Last Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) joined the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in authorizing a single booster dose of the Moderna and Pfizer mRNA vaccines for all adults 18 years and older.
This recent action allows individuals 18 years and older, who have completed their initial COVID-19 vaccine series to receive a booster shot at least six months after completing their initial vaccine series.
The CDC had previously approved booster doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for all adults 18 years and older at least two months after their initial dose.
As we prepare to spend time with family and friends, sharing love and thoughts of gratitude, we wanted to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving and express some of what has made us grateful this year.
On the top of that list is you. Your support, insights, collaboration and drive to see a more economically vibrant region are what fuel our mission.
City administrative offices and operations will be closed Nov. 25 and 26, 2021 for the Thanksgiving holiday and will reopen on Nov. 29, 2021.
City of Flagstaff facilities that are also closed on Nov. 25 and 26 include:
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has approved the Coconino County Flood Control District’s request for $3.5 million to construct watershed restoration measures on private lands in the Museum Flood Area.
These watershed restoration measures are being done to reduce flooding impacts to private properties and will reduce the level of sediment entering Flagstaff.
Upcoming Vaccine Event-Monday, December 6
We are pleased to announce that we are once again partnering with Coconino County Health and Human Services and the Grand Canyon Rec Center to host a vaccine event for the Grand Canyon community. This event is scheduled for Monday, December 6 inside the Rec Center in the large community room.
We are still working with the County to finalize specific times as well as what vaccines will be available to what age groups for this event. More information, including a flyer, will be shared in the near future on these details.
The video recording of the F3 Virtual Public Forum held November 8th is now available to view at: https://youtu.be/ULHOB9Ishj0
In this Public Forum held by Friends of Flagstaff’s Future, we hear a presentation by Northern Arizona Healthcare about their proposed relocation of Flagstaff Medical Center to the area just north of Fort Tuthill on the southern edge of Flagstaff.
The presentation by NAH is packed with interesting information, some of it new, and is followed by questions from the audience and a short community discussion that focuses on identifying community uses for the existing hospital location and other properties owned by NAH.
