Monthly Archives: June 2017

County Finance Department recognized for excellence in financial reporting

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FLAGSTAFF — The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the Coconino County Finance Department the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.

The award recognizes the department’s commitment to meeting the highest principles of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

“It’s a tremendous achievement to once again be nationally recognized for our excellence in financial reporting,” said Bonny Lynn, Coconino County Finance Director. “Every member of our team, led by Tom Johnson, CPA, Accounting Manager, works extremely hard to ensure the audit is accurate and we continue to meet our own extremely high standards for accounting.”

Award recipients have led efforts to improve the quality of financial reporting and provide examples for other governments to follow from throughout North America. The department has won the award 3 consecutive years.

“On behalf of the Board of Supervisors, I’m very proud of the continued excellence demonstrated by our Finance Department,” stated Chairwoman of the Board Liz Archuleta. “This award signifies the commitment to accuracy and professionalism of the department staff and evidence of their great service to the people of Coconino County.”

The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association founded in 1906 that represents public finance officials throughout the United States and Canada. The association has more than 19,000 federal, state/provincial and local finance officials involved in planning, financing and implementing thousands of governmental operations in each of their jurisdictions.

For more information go to www.gfoa.org.

Investigation of Possible Homicide-Suicide Near Wahweap

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PAGE – On June 2, 2017 at approximately 6:00 am the National Park Service Dispatch received a report of two deceased subjects near the Wahweap Swim Beach parking area of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Deputies from the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Kane County Sheriff’s Office, and National Park Service Rangers responded to the scene and located a 37 year old male and 25 year old female subject from the Page area deceased from apparent gunshot wounds. The deceased have been identified as Raelle Begay and Matthew Franklin both of Page, AZ.

There are no outstanding suspects or concerns for public safety at this time. The incident is being investigated as a possible homicide suicide.

Due to the close proximity of the Utah/Arizona state line, this incident is being investigated through coordinated efforts of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Kane County Sheriff’s Office, Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office, Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office, and the National Park Service.

Additional details are not available at this time, but will be provided via similar joint media releases as the investigation continues.

AZGFD to host webinar on draft proposed hunt guidelines

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PHOENIX — In an ongoing effort to better serve its constituents, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) will host a webinar on draft proposed hunt guidelines for the 2018-19 through 2022-23 hunting seasons.

Those who access the webinar from 6-8 p.m. Monday, June 5 will be able to send questions, comments or concerns about the draft proposed hunt guidelines to Amber Munig, big game management supervisor, who will open the online discussion with a short presentation. Other department personnel also will be available during the webinar to address input as it relates to specific game management units (GMUs) or regions.

How to register for “AZ Hunt Guidelines Review”:

Those who register for the webinar will receive an e-mail confirmation, which will include details on how to join the webinar. The e-mail address and personal information provided will be used by the webinar organizer to communicate about this event. For more information, contact Munig at amunig@azgfd.gov.

At the same time as the webinar, AZGFD will be hosting a series of statewide public meetings where constituents can view the webinar and provide feedback to department personnel. Those locations include:

  • AZGFD (Region III): 5325 N. Stockton Hill Road, Kingman
  • AZGFD (Region IV): 9140 E. 28th St., Yuma
  • AZGFD (Region V): 555 N. Greasewood Road, Tucson
  • AZGFD (Region VI): 7200 E. University Drive, Mesa

Two additional meetings where constituents can view a PowerPoint presentation (no webinar), as well as provide input to department personnel, include:

  • 6-8 p.m. June 5: Eagar Town Council Chambers, 22 W. 2nd St., Eagar
  • 6-8 p.m. June 7: Payson Public Library (in the Rumsey Park Complex), 328 N. McLane Road, Payson

The draft proposed hunt guidelines provide the biological and social parameters used by wildlife biologists to formulate annual hunt recommendations (season structures, season lengths, season dates, permits allocated, etc.). These recommendations result in the annual hunts in which licensed hunters may participate.

While hunting opportunity is important, wildlife is held in the public trust; therefore, using science-based principles to shape the guidelines process remains paramount to ensure healthy, sustainable and diverse wildlife populations in perpetuity.

The draft proposed hunt guidelines were developed based on public input received earlier this year and can be viewed at https://www.azgfd.com/Hunting/Guidelines/. The department still is seeking feedback on how to best meet the demands of the hunting public, while finding ways to develop new opportunities that help pass along our hunting heritage to future generations.

Sheriff’s Office Responds to Beaver Falls for Drowning – Second Drowning over Memorial Day Weekend

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Havasupai, AZ – Coconino County Sheriff’s Office responded to Beaver Falls on the Havasupai Reservation for a reported drowning on May 29, 2017. This was the second reported drowning incident in Coconino County over the Memorial Day Weekend, the first occurring at Lake Mary.

At approximately 3:00 pm, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a request from the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Havasupai to assist in response to a possible drowning. A male camper reported that another male camping with him and a group of friends had attempted to enter a cave behind the falls. The entry required diving to a depth of several feet before reaching the entrance. Another individual had also tried to enter the cave, but unable to, returned to the surface. After approximately 30 minutes, the friend had not returned and the incident was reported to tribal officials.

Air West transported a Sheriff’s Deputy to the falls to coordinate rescue / recovery events with tribal officials. By approximately 7:00 pm the body of the deceased missing person resurfaced and was recovered. The body was transported from Havasupai by DPS Ranger Helicopter to the rim where transfer was made to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The person has been identified as Mark Magleby, a 36 year-old from Orem, UT. No foul play is suspected at this time; however, the incident is still under investigation by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Havasupai Officials reported that there were over 250 individuals registered for use of the area that day.
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