In February of 2020 San Juan County entered into an historic Memorandum of Understanding with the Navajo Nation to collaborate on development of a freight rail line to San Juan County. Subsequently, a $2,000,000 BUILD grant was applied for and received from the US Dept. of Transportation. The funding will produce an economic feasibility analysis that will examine the freight traffic demand and other factors relevant to the feasibility of the proposed new rail line, and an alternatives analysis to identifying routing, infrastructure investment, and design options to support the movement of freight from the Four Corners region to the national freight network via a connection to the BNSF network along the I-40 rail corridor in Gallup, NM.

San Juan County recently issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to find a railroad engineering consulting firm to provide a planning/feasibility freight rail line study. HDR Engineering, an international railway design firm was selected. A project kick-off meeting was recently held on March 2^nd which included the Federal Railroad Administration, local stakeholders, partner organizations and the HDR project team. The first goal of the group was to develop a public input participation plan ensuring the process will have collective input and feedback regarding the evaluation of routes to San Juan County.

Be on the lookout for public input opportunities in the next 2-3 months. The success of this project will depend on hearing from all voices in San Juan County and the Navajo Nation. Look for a website with the project information coming soon!

Did you know you can pay your property taxes in 10 monthly installments? It's a great option for folks on a fixed income or if you just want to avoid the large payment at Christmas or just in time for summer vacation.
The program is offered to San Juan County residents who are current on their property taxes and do not have mortgage. Installment amount are based on prior year taxes with a potential true up in December.

Installments begin June 1^st and the final payment will be due March 1^st of the following year.

If interested please contact the Treasurer’s office at (505) 334-9421 for more information.

And don't forget, your second-half installment is due by May 10, 2022!

San Juan County Clean-Up Program

In an effort to assist property owners who want to help keep our county clean, San Juan County offers a program to assist with the tear-down and removal of manufactured homes, removal of junk vehicles, and the clean up of trash and debris.

The program is income based.  Applicants will need to provide a proof of income and pay a graduated fee that covers the cost of dumping in the landfill, prior to work being done.

For more information, contact Codes Compliance Officer Robert Carman at (505) 333-3130.

YARD OF THE MONTH

Do you know of a property in the unincorporated parts of San Juan County that is beautiful?
The San Juan County Commission recognizes one yard or property every month for its beauty, unique style, or the hard work and dedication of its owner in making San Juan County beautiful. It doesn't have to be green, just well maintained!
If you would like to submit a property for review, contact Codes Compliance Officer Robert Carman at (505) 333-3130 to submit a nomination.

Let’s show our appreciation for those who set the example and make San Juan County Beautiful.

It’s springtime in New Mexico, which means warmer weather and WIND. Because of that wind and agricultural burning around the county, springtime is our busiest fire season.
That increased fire risk, coupled with our community being primarily Wildland Urban Interface area, or WUI, means you should follow some essential tips to protect your home and loved ones.

• Keep trees and shrubs near the house trimmed and watered.
• Avoid tree limbs hanging over your home, especially dead ones.
• Keep yard debris clear from your home.
• Consider xeriscaping or using non-flammable materials within 5 feet of your home.
• Keep decks and patios clear of leaves and pine needles.
• Move any flammable materials at least 10 feet away from outdoor cooking areas.
• Keep water hoses neat and easily accessible outdoors in case of a small fire on your property.

Following these simple tips will surely help us help you keep you and your home fire-safe!

If you need to burn vegetative materials on your property, watch our Facebook page for daily burn recommendations, and don’t forget to call for your burn permit before burning.

More than 2,600 New Mexico victims of internet scams reported losing almost $13 million in 2021, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
The latest IC3 annual report listed 2,644 victims in New Mexico, with total losses of $12,761,850.
Business email compromise (BEC)/email account compromise scams accounted for $2.7 million in losses, followed by confidence fraud/romance scams at almost $2 million.
According to IC3, New Mexico residents older than 60 made up the largest share of victims and losses by age group: 671 victims reported $5,599,703 in losses.
New Mexico's 2021 total numbers show a notable decrease from the previous year, with an almost 50 percent reduction in losses.
In 2020, 3,427 victims in New Mexico reported $23,903,594 in losses.
To see the full annual report from IC3 and other public service announcements, visit ic3.gov.

Looking for a new and exciting career opportunity? San Juan County is hiring! Positions are available at all experience and education levels.

San Juan County offers competitive pay, great benefits, upward mobility, and a great work environment! Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance, Life and short-term disability insurance, education reimbursement, fitness reimbursement, donated leave program, paid sick and vacation, other supplemental insurance options, and more.  San Juan County has also been awarded the Gold - Family Friendly Business Award from Family Friendly NM for 2022!

Join San Juan County today and help us “Build a Stronger Community.” We believe in PRAISE- Professionalism, Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Service, and Excellence. 

San Juan County is the proud recipient of the Gold Level Family Friendly Business Award.  This award is presented by Family Friendly New Mexico, (FFNM). FFNM is a non-profit project of the Center of Southwest Culture and was formed by a task force on work-life balance to recognize and celebrate New Mexico employers that offer family friendly policies and employee benefits, and to increase the number of businesses with family centered policies

San Juan County is a Gold level recipient because  our policies meet or exceeds the standards of family-friendliness in four categories:

• Paid leave – vacation, sick, donated, COVID leave
• Health Support – healthcare and wellness
• Work Schedules – flexible work and remote work
• Economic Support – training/education assistance, retirement, competitive wage

This award highlights our commitment and support to our employees through policies that honor our core values.