Members of the Gila County Board of Supervisors: Chair Steve Christensen (District 1), Vice Chair Woody Cline (District 3), Supervisor Tim R. Humphrey (District 2).
All members were present at the Nov. 5 meeting.
The Gila County Board of Supervisors’ meeting featured a presentation from the county’s federal lobbyist on the situation in Washington, considering shifting dynamics and the ongoing federal shutdown.
The supervisors also approved a variety of motions, including one that will continue the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children if the shutdown continues.
Federal lobbyist Patricia Power of Bose Public Affairs Group briefed the board on shifting dynamics in Washington and their implications for Gila County. Power described a changing federal landscape, including staffing churn within agencies and a “flood the zone” approach to policy and communications. This initially created uncertainty about which directives would actually stick.
The most direct local impact so far was that Gila County lost a $1 million grant for environmental justice projects, which was rescinded. The program that funded it was subsequently cancelled, following enactment of the summer’s One Big Beautiful Bill.
On the positive side, Power expects movement on permitting reform, especially for smaller projects, which will likely be bundled into an upcoming transportation bill. She has already observed some informal easing.
“Washington is very different from when I was here to talk to you last. Things have changed in a very distinct and deep way. So we're shifting how we're thinking about things and how things are getting done, in a very rapid and changing way.” — Patricia Power
Power asked department leaders to flag any access problems with federal counterparts due to departures or reorganizations. She also encouraged the county to be proactive about engaging with the congressional delegation whenever routine contacts with agencies go unreturned due to people being fired or laid off.
She noted that the government is in an extended shutdown, although there was optimism in the Senate for a deal as soon as Friday. Currently, there are proposals for a short-term continuing resolution possibly running to late December or into January, which would allow Congress to complete six of the twelve appropriations bills before the end of the year and finish the remainder in January.
Counties have little leverage to affect the shutdown. However, for the fiscal year 2027, Power expects to see full-year bills rather than another year-long continuing resolution. She urged the county to identify FY27 earmark requests, noting earmarks are now widely used by both parties.
“Some folks are thinking about allowing earmarks to go forward on a continuing resolution, which has never happened before. So I think we're definitely looking at that as a staple tool in the future.” — Patricia Power
Looking to the surface transportation reauthorization, which is set to expire in September of 2026, House and Senate committees are already at work. Power anticipates fewer competitive grant streams than in the prior package, due to a preference to route funds by formula, but not an outright elimination. She mentioned that the Pleasant Valley Veterans Retreat Bill is very close to passing.
Power suggested Gila County consider advocacy around major projects like SR-512 (Young Road), Russell Road, and Control Road, and to explore economic development support connected to federal surface-transportation investments, such as downstream opportunities from the Tonto Creek Bridge. She also flagged FEMA and other federal resources as potential aids in post-flood recovery.
Supervisors discussed underfunded rural road needs, the erosion of purchasing power in HURF-related funding, and the difficulty rural counties face when state formulas and priorities channel most resources elsewhere.
Power recommended delivering a consistent message to federal representatives that the county can competently manage funds and projects when empowered to do so.
Josh Beck, who directs the county’s division of Environmental Health Services, explained that this is part of a contingency plan to temporarily fund WIC infant formula benefits to avoid coverage lapses if stop-gap federal measures expire during the federal shutdown. Arizona counties coordinated with state offices to create a pathway for county-to-state transfers that will keep e-WIC cards active. Most counties are focusing on infants only to match statewide messaging and cost control. Staffing is funded through Nov. 30. If federal WIC funds are later released, they may backfill county outlays, consistent with how year-spanning public health contracts are usually reconciled.
Capt. LaBonte explained that DPS is ending its role hosting the secure connection to FBI/MVD systems, and the sheriff’s office recommended Pragmatica’s JWI to maintain essential driver’s license, registration, warrant, and injunction queries. This will also streamline warrant data flows from the courts to dispatch, reducing duplicate data entry and errors. Gila County will host the server/connection, and Globe and Miami police departments will share costs proportionally to their staffing.
Alex Kendrick from Gila County Public Works - Globe explained that following the flood events, the Forest Service allowed the county to use the defunct Kellner Pit for sediment storage removed from creeks and washes during cleanup. Once material placement is complete, the county will regrade and reseed the pit to restore native conditions.
Finance Director Maryn Belling explained that last year’s platform (ContractSafe) failed because it operated more like a static repository, lacking search and reporting capabilities. OpenGov will centralize solicitations, vendor registration, electronic bid submission, addenda distribution, contract creation/renewal tracking, and interdepartmental collaboration in a single cloud system.
The system has automatic vendor notifications and e-bidding to reduce non-responsive bids; faster addendum distribution; department access to status, Q&A, and contract timelines; and automated renewal alerts.
Jeff Despain and Alex Kendrick from public works explained that severe bank erosion by Pine Creek has reduced Mill Ditch Road (Pine) to roughly eight feet wide, hampering access for residents and emergency services. The site’s steep terrain and nearby homes make cutting into the hillside impractical.
Stabilization will likely require engineered erosion-control structures (e.g., wall systems) and soils/structural subconsulting.
Despain said internal design resources aren’t available and recommended JE Fuller for hydrology/hydraulics-led design to stabilize the creek bank and restore the roadway.
Supervisor Christensen acknowledged the high cost for a short segment but agreed that abandoning a county road isn’t acceptable.
To view this meeting online, visit Gila County BOS Meeting on Youtube.
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