A Friendly Neighborhood Near Williams, AZ Nestled In the Kaibab National Forest
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Williams, Ariz., July 28, 2020—For Immediate Release. Due to significant and widespread precipitation received across much of northern Arizona, the Kaibab National Forest will lift all fire restrictions on all three districts on Tuesday July 28 at 6:00 a.m.
The area closure protecting the Bill Williams Mountain watershed will also be rescinded at this time, and visitors can once again camp, hike, and drive in the popular recreation areas. However, due to the hazardous nature of technical work in the higher elevations where steep slope fuels reduction operations have been occurring, a revised area closure will be forthcoming in September to ensure public safety on that portion of the mountain as work resumes.
The districts have received a substantial amount of rain over the last two weeks relaxing the danger levels across the forest. Each year fire officials closely monitor conditions before decisions are made to implement fire restrictions and area closures designed to protect human life, property and natural resources. These procedures are used to help prevent unwanted, human-caused fires and to limit the exposure of visitors during periods of potentially dangerous fire conditions.
The Kaibab National Forest would like to express appreciation for all those who assisted our firefighters and patrol units with their compliance while under these conditions. When members of the public abide by fire restrictions and closures, they greatly help in protecting their public lands and adjacent communities from the threats posed by human-caused wildfires.
For more information about the Kaibab National Forest and any fire restrictions in effect, reference the following sources:
From:
Bob Blasi
Fire Information Officer
USDA Forest Service
Kaibab National Forest – Williams / Tusayan Ranger Districts
p: 928-635-5653
c: 928-606-7491
f: 928-635-5690
bob.blasi@usda.gov
742 S Clover Rd
Williams, AZ 86046
www.fs.fed.us
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Hi Everyone,
Greg and I are back after a week off celebrating our Nation’s birthday. Unfortunately, we have seen our numbers increase (see attached dashboard and graph). Fortunately, more people are beginning to understand the need to wear masks (see attached FAQs on masks and how they help). Wearing a mask is a tool to help us keep our economy going by allowing people to go out while reducing the spread of COVID-19 to other people.
Coconino County Health and Human Services in partnership with NAU have created a new COVID Aware Enhanced Food Handler’s Certification for the local food-service industry. Please see the attached press release and https://coconino.az.gov/2397/CCHHS-Enhanced-Food-Handlers-Cert for more information.
As I have noted before with limited testing and no vaccine, this is a challenging situation where patience, perseverance, kindness, and mutual respect are our guiding principles. Please help us help one another.
Testing continues to be available at Fort Tuthill County Park Monday through Friday from 10 am to 3pm. Please find attached a pre-testing assessment flyer to help assist with questions folks may have.
Although some places received rain other did not and we are still in stage 2 fire restrictions.
Thank you for all of your help in getting this information out to our communities. Stay safe and well.
Matt Ryan
We, your POA Board hope all of you are having a safe summer and you are all staying well. We have decided that with the increasing COVID-19 numbers increasing it would be the best interest of all for us to postpone several of our activities and events until September. Those would include: POA Annual Meeting, Community Yard Sale and the Chili Cook-off. We were able to have 2 very successful events and I have noted those below.
Annual Neighborhood Cleanup:
June 13th, we had our Annual Neighborhood Cleanup. We started at 9 am and finished the morning off with a delicious pulled pork & chicken lunch hosted by Gary and Marilyn Taylor on Knighthood. We had 18 volunteers’, with a total of 63 hours worked and a little over 100 lbs. of debris collected. Our hours will go toward our Firewise hours. This helps with our ISO rating and also some insurance rates.
I would like to express my extreme gratitude to everyone who helped to make Sherwood Forest Estates look fantastic. Masks and Social Distancing practiced. ~Kathie Krushinsky SFE POA, President and Neighborhood Cleanup Coordinator.
SFE POA Blood Drive
On June 20th, the Sherwood Forest Estates Property Owners Association sponsored our first but not last Blood Drive. On behalf of the Officers of the SFEPOA, thank you for your donation today: We hope this is the first blood drive of many to come. Thank you for your understanding as we worked through this during the coronavirus pandemic and the resultant changes and accommodations. We plan to make this an annual event, and hope each of you will return to donate time and time again. There are a lot of great reasons to donate. Every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood. Every year nearly 5 million Americans depend on blood transfusions.
Bart, the owner of the Parks Feed and Mercantile generously donated the $10 gift certificates for each of our donors. It is not good for cigarettes or alcoholic beverages! Parks will have their second community blood drive on September 19th from 8am to 1pm in the parking lot of the Parks Feed and Mercantile for anyone wanting information about future drives.
As we look forward to a SFEPOA sponsored Blood Drive in the summer of 2021, we would like any suggestions you might have. Again, thank you for your generous donation and your time! ~Jeanna Roush SFE POA, Treasurer and Blood Drive Coordinator
From: Raymond, Chrystal
Sent: Mon, 22 Jun 2020 18:11:08 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Thank You
Dear Jeanna,
Vitalant thanks you for organizing the recent blood drive at Sherwood Forest Estates POA. Your drive will help to assure that blood is available for patients in need.
In the current environment, when so many blood drives are being cancelled, please know we are especially grateful to you and your organization for keeping your blood drive open. Even in these uncertain times, one thing remain constant, the need for blood by hospital patients.
Your efforts and the support of Sherwood Forest Estates POA are greatly appreciated and will go a long way toward assuring a strong blood supply, and ultimately saving lives.
Again, thank you for your contribution and ongoing support of the community blood program. I enjoyed working with you.
Sincerely,
Carina Fors
Donor Recruitment Representative
Vitalant
Moonset Pit (closed) Alternative Site
Unfortunately, Moonset Pit green waste from 2019 was not burned. We were only able to use that site one time before it was filled to capacity. We’ve been given the use of the Alternative Waste Site off of Rt 66 and the gas pipeline rd. We will be using this site for the remainder of the summer. We have been sharing the volunteer manning of the site with Parks and it has been very successful and very well used by neighbors from near and far. This site will be open July 11th and 25th, August 8th and 22nd, with September 5th being the last open day.
Thank you too all of the many volunteers who have given their time to help keep this much needed service open and available for so many. ~Kathie Krushinsky, SFE POA President and Coordinator of Moonset Pit
Please stay safe and well. We hope to see you all during the summer.
Remember to try to keep the dust down on our roads and report to the Coconino Sheriff’s dispatch (928-774-4523) any speeders or stop sign runners.
Thank you,
Kathie Krushinsky, SFE POA President
Information from Marc F. Della Rocca, Community Relations Manager, Coconino County Public Works
Dear Ms. Krushinsky,
Last month, Gregory Nelson from Supervisor Matt Ryan’s office asked that I contact you regarding recent concerns over speeding and dust in Sherwood Forest Estates. I apologize for not being able to do so you sooner; however, it took more time than usual to research your questions and suggestions due to being sequestered away from the office and our team for COVID-19 social distancing. In any case, I thank you for your patience and hope that I can provide some information for you regarding these issues.
Speed + Dust = Springtime Issue #1
Not surprisingly, speeding and dust are the primary spring-season concerns of County residents who live on unpaved roads. I’m sure that you can imagine why…dry, windy conditions, coupled with a significant influx of second homeowners and visitors, dramatically increase seasonal dust in County neighborhoods each spring. The challenge of mitigating this dust and the speeding that causes it dust is compounded by several factors:
Law Enforcement is Key
First of these factors is that the only effective way to mitigate speeding is through law enforcement. As speeding is ultimately a safety issue, citations from the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) deputies provide a costly reminder to those who would otherwise speed through County neighborhoods.
Limitations of Signage
County signage is important. Without CCSO enforcement, however, signs are essentially just reminders to follow a given speed limit, the effectiveness of which relies on the honor system of motorists and riders. Irrespective of this fact, we still receive regular requests from residents to increase the number of speed limit signs (or add other types of speed and dust mitigation signs) on County roads where speeding occurs.
To this end, it is equally important to understand that County sign placement is not an arbitrary practice but, instead, a data-driven process that is governed by federal Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) guidelines. The need for/number of a given sign, along with its design, content, reflectivity and placement, is determined by MUTCD criteria (a.k.a. “warrants”) that are used to consider a variety of factors such as a road’s Average Daily Trip (ADT) count, line-of-sight considerations and accident data.
This protocol, of course, includes speed limit signs. FYI, I researched but could not find any MUTCD-approved specialty signs for dust control; if they do exist, however, then they also would be governed by this protocol.
Speed Limit Reductions
The same warrant criteria of signage also would apply to the process required to lower speed limits in the hopes of mitigating dust in Sherwood Forest Estates. Please note that only the County Engineer can change a given speed limit, and then only pursuant to a comprehensive traffic study that looks at a wide variety of empirical criteria as described above. Ironically, these studies can, in some cases, recommend that the speed limit on a given road be raised rather than lowered based on accident and ADT data.
Regarding speed limits, please note that, in Arizona, the speed limit for residential roads is set at 25 mph irrespective of whether (speed limit) signage is present. With this in mind, I researched the speeds and accident data within Sherwood Forest Subdivision. Please note that, throughout the entire Sherwood Forest subdivision, there have only been three (3) reported accidents since 2005: on Knighthood Lane (cause: animal / deer strike); on Long Bow Drive (cause: snow & ice) and in 2016 on Friar Tuck Trail in 2017 (cause: driver ran a stop sign into the adjacent ditch). With regards to driving speeds, please note that the 85th percentile speed (or the average speed that 85 percent of drivers are going) recorded during this traffic count did not exceed 27 miles per hour on any of these roads, which is well within acceptable tolerances.
Proliferation of Off-Road Vehicles
Of all challenges associated with speeding and fugitive dust, none comes close to the explosive popularity of Off-Road Vehicles (ORV’s) in County communities. Easy to operate and designed to go fast, ORV’s like Razors and Side-by-Sides have become “standard issue” equipment for both full- and part-time residents over the past few years. ORV’s generate an inordinate amount of dust, which is one reason that complaints about dust have increased so dramatically over the last few years compared to the time when a comparatively small number of Jeeps and dirt bikes were the only vehicles used for off-road travel.
Finally, it is important to understand that the County cannot afford to provide dust suppression on the more than 700 miles of dirt roads in its inventory. Even if this were possible, it is doubtful that it would be even marginally effective against the dust generated by ORV’s, which also cause significant wear and tear on the roads we maintain. Still, some residents do provide their own dust suppression by forming Special Maintenance Districts. Provided by Arizona statute (https://www.azleg.gov/
In closing, I would encourage you to continue contacting CCSO at 928-774-4523 to report speeding in your neighborhood as it is important to have an official record of all incidents. While maintaining that additional County signage and/or a speed limit change will do little to dissuade those would otherwise be inclined to speed on residential roads, you might still want to try placing a sign (“Slow Down”, etc.) on the private, roadside portion of your property to help in this effort. Please note that no sign or other object can be placed in County right-of-way without first securing an encroachment permit.
I hope that this information is of interest. Thanks for your time, and I hope that this email finds you well,
Marc
Marc F. Della Rocca
Community Relations Manager
Coconino County Public Works
Northern Arizona Waste Systems alerts homeowners that waste cans/dumpsters/carts need to go out on Saturdays (not Fridays).
Please be advised, for residential cart service in Williams, AZ, we will be temporarily moving service to Saturday’s beginning 6/20. A notice will be sent when we adjust the service day back to Friday’s.
Please be sure your cart out the night before or out by 6am Saturdays beginning 6/20 to ensure service.
If your account is on a seasonal hold, please disregard this notice.
We appreciate your patience during this adjustment as a new driver will be training on the routes as quickly as possible to ensure we can adjust the service day back to Friday’s. If you have additional questions or concerns about the adjustment, please feel free to email me or call the office. Thank you, Jacqueline Rogo Northern Arizona Waste Systems, LLCPO BOX 3477 FLAGSTAFF, AZ 86003 Phone/ Fax: 928.213.9007 Email: Jacqueline@nawsllc.com
From the Office of Matt Ryan:
Good Afternoon,
Thank you for your patience and perseverance during this time. We have recently gone through impact to our communities as far as COVID-19. Now that the State’s numbers are climbing and we have heavy visitation, it is important that we realize that health measures need to be taken. We have a pandemic with no vaccine and not enough testing. We have had a surge in our region and transmission in our County and because of preventive measures we are leveling and turning the curve. We have been able to flatten the curve, but we are now seeing it rise again (see graph below and attached data dashboard). We have had active emergency rooms and stood up testing sites to help. We had a surge in homeless populations and through separation and testing have turned that curve protecting individuals and our community. Arizona is surging with one of the most rapid increases in COVID-19 cases in the Country (see graph below). The United States as a whole continues to have an upward trajectory with many more daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases than in the European Union (see graph below).
Although we are turning our curve in our County, we are getting visitation from other populations and need to protect our communities. The County is the Public Health Authority established to protect our general populations. Just as we have standards to help protect with food inspections, we have an airborne threat and need to institute preventative measures. When change occurs, such as when safety measures are required, there is a tendency to push back and not do until the context is understood. One way to look at this as a relates to a safety measure may be similar to the use of seatbelts. When they were instituted people pushed back originally. Now people use them regularly. Similarly, you do not know when you need them but you sure do when they are needed.
Therefore, a proclamation requiring wearing of masks, following CDC guidance, will take effect at noon today (see attached proclamation and press release for greater details). I support this order.
In Coconino County, as outlined in our proclamation (see attached proclamation for greater detail), all individuals older than 2 years old must wear a face covering within the unincorporated areas of the County under the following circumstances:
Face coverings will not be required for children under the age of 2 years old, or anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance. Face coverings will not be required when at home, while eating or drinking, while swimming, while working alone in a workplace when six feet of physical distance is present, when alone in a vehicle or in a vehicle with household members, or when exercising alone or with household members. While we encourage people to stay safe and at home this proclamation does not prohibit people from going out and instead creates a safer environment when doing so.
Coconino County continues to stand up testing at Fort Tuthill Monday through Friday 10am to 3pm. The site will be closed on Friday July 3. Masks are required at the testing site (see the attached flyer). Please take care of yourself and your families. Please help us help others by wearing a mask and looking out for your neighbors. Stay safe and well. Thank you for your help.
Matt Ryan
Updates from the Office of Matt Ryan, District Three County Supervisor, Coconino County can be found at https://www.coconino.az.gov/2376/Dashboard-Data. This dashboard is updated daily.
WILLIAMS, Ariz., June 9, 2020 — The Coconino and Kaibab national forests of northern Arizona will implement Stage 2 fire restrictions across both forests at 8 a.m. June 13 due to increasing fire danger and the need to prevent human-caused wildfires during potentially dangerous fire conditions.
The Kaibab National Forest will also temporarily close the Bill Williams Mountain watershed just southwest of the City of Williams due to the area’s susceptibility to uncharacteristically severe wildfire and the post-wildfire flooding that would result.
The Stage 2 fire restrictions will prohibit the following:
Visitors may use devices that are solely fueled by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned immediately on and off with no remaining burning material. Fireworks and explosives, including exploding targets, are never allowed on national forests.
The Red Rock Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest previously implemented Stage 2 fire restrictions June 3. The expansion of the restrictions across the entire Coconino National Forest as well as the Kaibab National Forest is necessary to reduce the risk of wildfire in order to preserve public health and safety.
An explanation of the different stages of fire restrictions and what is typically prohibited during those stages can be found online at www.tinyurl.com/firestagesexplained. The public should be aware that fire restrictions often exist on non-federal land, such as city, county and state. For information about fire restrictions across the entire state, visit https://firerestrictions.us/az/.
Stage 2 fire restrictions will remain in effect until significant precipitation reduces fire danger levels. Violation of the restrictions on national forests is punishable by a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment up to six months, or both.
For information about the Bill Williams Mountain watershed closure on the Kaibab National Forest and a detailed map of the closure area, visit www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab.
From:
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Jacqueline Banks |
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Forest Service |
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p: 928-635-8314 |
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800 S. 6th Street |
Good Morning,
I hope you are well and safe. Please the Coconino County COVID-19 dashboard for COVID updates. This dashboard is updated daily at https://www.coconino.az.gov/2376/Dashboard-Data
There is no testing blitz scheduled for this weekend. If another testing blitz is scheduled by the State we will make sure to update you and provide information. The Fort Tuthill Site continues to operate Monday through Friday from 10am to 3pm. A healthcare order is required, however a provider is onsite for those individuals that are symptomatic and do not have insurance or a provider. There continues to be limits with testing supplies throughout the State. We will provide information as soon as possible on testing availability.
It is possible in the next week or two the Kaibab and Coconino National Forest will move to Stage 2 restrictions given dry conditions. For updates see: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/coconino/fire and https://www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab . Stage Two restrictions are already in effect in the Coconino National Forest’s Red Rock Ranger District. Grand Canyon National Park is also in Stage Two Restrictions on the South Rim. See: https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/grand-canyon-national-park-implements-stage-2-fire-restrictions.htm . The County unincorporated areas, Kaibab National Forest and Coconino National Forest continue to have a campfire/open fire ban.
Stage 2 fire restrictions prohibit the following:
For a detailed summary on Forest Service Restrictions see: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/coconino/home/?cid=stelprdb5423784
Community Blood Drive – All donors will receive a $10 gift certificate to Parks Feed and Mercantile and will be entered into a drawing to win a 2020 VW Tiguan S.
Further details by contacting Jeanna Roush or at BloodHero.com (sponsor Code: SherwoodForest). Blood Drive Flyer
