Angius requesting to overturn Chairman’s decision at Tuesday BOS meeting

MOHAVE COUNTY – Dist. 2 Sup. Hildy Angius is challenging meeting rules that Dist. 3 Sup. Buster Johnson imposed when he began his year-long run as Chairman of the Mohave County Board on Jan. 4. Angius is asking  supervisors next week to overturn Johnson’s decision to move the Call to the Public to the end of board meetings.

Johnson said he moved the public input vehicle to the end of the meetings because he believes the Board meets to conduct county business. He said others involved in that business should not have to hear extended public comment sessions that sometimes take the shape of town halls before their matters are handled in a timely fashion.

Angius is also asking the Board to make certain that interested parties are afforded up to 3 minutes to comment on items set for public hearing.

Supervisors will also take up special event permits sought for separate upcoming activities. The Oatman Chamber of Commerce is requesting permission to hold its annual bed races in the historic mining town’s central business district on Saturday, Jan. 30.

The application said up to 350 people may participate in the races that also typically draw scores of spectators. Dist. 4 Sup. Jean Bishop said the event may be too people intensive given the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“I think any time you put crowds together like that you’re challenging science and what the health officials are recommending and I would not be in support of that,” Bishop said. “I know these little towns have their traditions and I support them normally and I participate when I can, but during the COVID pandemic, regardless of what your beliefs are, we really have to be careful out there because the numbers or just skyrocketing.”

Bishop said she’ll vote in support of another special use permit request. A production company seeks permission to film an automobile television commercial along stretches of the Oatman Highway and on Stockton Hill Road, north of the Kingman city limits.

The board normally meets on Mondays, but will meet instead next Tuesday, Jan. 19 due to the Martin Luther King holiday. the public portion of the meeting conducted in the Board of Supervisors auditorium at the county administration building begins at 9:30 a.m.

Dave Hawkins